Aarhus University launches new facilities for spinouts

Aarhus University is among the European elite when it comes to commercialization of research in life sciences. Since 2015, the university's spinouts have attracted more than DKK two billion from investors, and every year we witness groundbreaking research projects transform into brand-new pharmaceutical, biotech, and med-tech companies.

From October 2024, the university will further invest in this area by launching a so-called life science hub in Universitetsbyen by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Here, researchers in all areas of life science can rent space and gain access to laboratories with highly specialized equipment, office spaces, administrative and technical support, and much more.

This new initiative wins praise from Professor of Innovation Claus Elsborg Olesen from the Department of Biomedicine. In addition to being part of a reference group for the life science hub, he has many years of experience in founding and running spinouts.

"Companies that grow out of university research are inherently knowledge-intensive and thrive on commercializing their deep expertise. Therefore, it is enormously significant that the university can now host some of its own spinout companies right on campus, where they can be close to academic environments and where the latest knowledge is constantly being produced," says Claus Elsborg Olesen.

The professor, who is involved in spinouts such as Initiator Pharma, Sulis Therapeutics, and NMD Pharma, hopes that the new facilities will make it easier for researchers who are considering taking the leap into entrepreneurship.

"In the startup phase, it will be extremely attractive for many life science companies to move into fully functional laboratories. At the same time, the central location will create optimal conditions for collaborations with researchers at, for example, the Department of Biomedicine and the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, creating synergy that will benefit all parties," explains the innovation professor.

What Does the Life Science Hub Offer?

• Modern facilities:
  600 m² of newly renovated offices and laboratories located by the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics.
• Advanced laboratories:
  Five specialized laboratories, including a cell lab and an equipment room.
• Access to specialized equipment and facilities:
  Researchers will have access to electronic and mechanical workshops, mouse facilities, core facilities at the department, and in-house liquid nitrogen.
• Office area:
  Modern offices including technical and administrative support for employees.
• Close collaboration:
  Proximity to faculty academic environments and The Kitchen, which offers help with business development, including commercialization and Intellectual Property.

Want to know more about Aarhus University's life science hub?

Visit the website
- or make direct contact:

Special Consultant Jesper Friis Mortensen
Aarhus University, Enterprise and Innovation
Phone: (+45) 23 23 41 45
Email: jfm@au.dk