Aarhus University Research Foundation gets full ownership of INCUBA
Aarhus University Research Foundation has acquired 37 per cent of the shares in the INCUBA A/S science park. The Research Foundation now owns 97 per cent. The acquisition was made with the desire to strengthen and future-proof the unique collaboration between the university, the business community and the entrepreneurial environment, which INCUBA today forms the core of.
"We want to strengthen the future of innovation and entrepreneurship, and we will do this by taking full ownership. With closer integration between the foundation, INCUBA and Aarhus University, we can create an even better framework for growth and collaboration across research, education and business," says Jørgen Lang, CEO of Aarhus University Research Foundation.
The shares were acquired from Aarhus Municipality, Central Denmark Region, Schouw & Co, NRGi and Mejeriforeningen. The remaining smaller shareholders have been offered the same terms. The overall acquisition is a step towards ensuring an even stronger anchoring and a more targeted focus on the development of innovation and entrepreneurship based in Aarhus.
"INCUBA was created to support new companies based on knowledge and research. This is still our mission - and with the foundation's ownership, we will have stronger muscles to develop both the framework and the community for the next generation of entrepreneurs," says Jacob Doktor Mogensen, CEO of INCUBA.
A strong foundation - with a view to the future
On the initiative of Aarhus Municipality's business contact committee, INCUBA was established in 1986 as a science park and has since developed into a significant player in the Aarhus entrepreneurial environment - especially within IT, health and green technology. With approximately 60,000 square metres spread across three locations (Navitas, Skejby and Katrinebjerg) and a close collaboration with Aarhus University, INCUBA is today home to more than 200 startups and knowledge companies.
"For a number of years, Aarhus University has had a strong focus on strengthening business-oriented activities. This has created a number of initiatives that make close collaboration between the university, the research foundation and the science park a natural fit - and which can help develop the environment around INCUBA," says Peter Kjær, Chairman of the Board of INCUBA A/S.
Thanks to the shareholders
The transfer of the shares also marks a farewell to a number of loyal co-owners who have supported the development of the science park for many years.
The Research Foundation's desire to gain full ownership is supported by INCUBA's Board of Directors and management, but at the same time a big thank you to the many shareholders who have shown goodwill since the very beginning.
‘It is their support that has laid the foundation for the INCUBA we know today,’ says Peter Kjær, Chairman of the Board of INCUBA A/S.
With full ownership in place, the goal is clear: to strengthen Aarhus as one of Denmark's leading environments for knowledge entrepreneurs and create strong connections between research, talent and technology.
For further information, please contact
Jørgen Lang, Aarhus University Research Foundation: Tel. 3061 3534 - jl@auff.dk
Peter Kjær, Schouw & Co: Tel. 4017 4737 - pkj@schouw.dk
Jacob Doktor Mogensen: Tel. 6171 8162 - jm@incuba.dk
