COMPETITIVE REGIONS – SHAPING BEST PRACTICE

Sheffield 9 - 10 October 2003

’The NOVI Project’Denmark

Presented by Jesper Jespersen

Director

Sowing time 1988/1989 - NOVI is established -

• Loss of 2,000 jobs in the region of North Denmark (shipbuilding, agriculture and fishing industries).

• First stage of the science park is finished (5,500 sq.m.)

• 100 shareholders contribute DKK 37m (EUR 4.9m) towards NOVI A/S’ share capital.

• Establishment of the first seed venture fund of Denmark.

Maximum DKK 2.5m (EUR 0.3m) per project.

Care of crops 1989 - 1998- Shift in values -

• 1995: Shift in values from ’bricks’ to

focus on the commercial opportunities in the cross field between science and industry.

DKK 27m (EUR 3.6m) of venture capital is injected into NOVI A/S.

• 1998: Separation of venture and innovation activities.

Innovation activities are supported by the Danish government NOVI Innovation A/S is established as a legally independent company.

Ripening of the grain1998 - 2003

Innovation activities

• 60 upstarts with a success rate of more than 30%.

Science park activities

• The NOVI Science Park has grown from 5,000 sq.m. to more than 40,000 sq.m.

including NOVI Business Park.

‘The three legs’Development in bricks

1989 - 2002

Ripening of the grain 1998 - 2003

Venture activities

• Capital increases:

1999 DKK 110m (EUR 14.6m) and

2000 DKK 92m (EUR 12.3m).

• New seed venture fund, InnFond P/S, established in 2000 with a capital of DKK 300m (EUR 40m)

• App. DKK 600m (EUR 80m) invested and syndicated in NOVI and InnFond portfolios.

• LicFond activities initiated (2002).

The NOVI Group2003

Development in bricks and capital

1989 - 2002

-

5.000

10.000

15.000

20.000

25.000

30.000

1989 1995 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Year

Sq

.m.

0

50

100

150

200

250

DK

Km

Building activity NOVI A/S share capital

Financial highlights1998-2002

‘The three legs’Ownership

NOVI A/S:• Pension funds• Institutional investors• 100 small investors

NOVI Innovation A/S:• NOVI Property Fund• Aalborg University• NOVI A/S

NOVI Property Fund (founders):• The Municipality of Aalborg• Aalborg University• The County of Northern Jutland

InnFond P/S:• NOVI A/S• The Danish Growth Fund

Outcome

NOVI has contributed significantly in bringing about a smooth transition for the regional conversion from heavy industry to knowledge-based industry. NOVI has e.g. been a driving force behind the establishment of:

Centre for Personal Communication (CPK):

Formerly a research centre at Aalborg University and one of the world’s premier research units within the field of wireless communications, including speech technology.

NorCOM: Industrial cluster of companies in North Denmark focused on the production and development of mobile communications equipment as well as equipment for maritime communications and navigation.

The communication cluster in North Denmark

Future perspectives

MAGNET (My Adaptive Global Network)

Aalborg University has recently attracted DKK 75m (EUR 10m) from the EU’s 6th framework programme for the launch of a major wireless R&D project. The project is concerned with development of wireless communication technology of the future, which is centered on the user and operates with personal networks.

CTIF (Centre for Tele Infrastructure)

CTIF succeeds the Centre for Personal Communications as Aalborg University’s world class research unit within telecommunications. The aim is to strengthen professional competence, research and education in the telecommunication infrastructure field in order to meet the challenges in a converging infrastructure service platform based on both wired and wireless technology.

Future perspectives

Development of an industrial cluster in biomedical technology

Establishment of a Life Science Park (NOVI and Aalborg University)

Establishment of new knowledge environments that will give the region a competitive edge within nano technology and materials.

And……..

Guided tour through NOVI