Synergy and visibility for Aarhus at TechBBQ 2025
When research, founders and funding come together
The conference covered everything from the debate on femtech and founder-led sales to the discussion on how Denmark can close the research-to-startup gap. One of the major highlights was the presentation by Lovable, which in just eight months has achieved an annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $120 million and raised a Series A round led by Accel. The company was valued at DKK 11.6 billion – an example of how far you can go with the right team, pace and feedback loops.
On stage, Lone Ryg Olsen from Aarhus University emphasised that universities must function more as ‘founder factories’ if Denmark is to create more research-based companies. She pointed to the three Fs as crucial factors:
- Framework – a culture and system where entrepreneurship is recognised on a par with research and teaching, and where incentives are created for researchers to become entrepreneurs.
- Facilities – more laboratories, maker spaces and flexible facilities both inside and outside universities.
- Funding – more risk capital at the national level so that start-ups can grow, as we see with funds such as Delphinus Venture Capital in Aarhus.
“10,000 new companies in 15 years sounds impressive – but we can make a much bigger difference in Denmark and Europe with the right framework and incentives. We need long-term funding, stronger incentives at universities and much more risk-taking funding for truly transformative solutions.”
— Lone Ryg Olsen, Aarhus University
Lone Ryg on stage with Anders Bjarklev and Søren Hvidkjær Bernardo Basilici Menini
Experiences from the Aarhus stand
Several of the participating companies emphasise that the Aarhus stand created visibility, energy and community. INCUBA was present at TechBBQ together with The Kitchen - AU Business and Innovation, Startup Aarhus and City of Aarhus.
Kvantify: Great framework for visibility and investor dialogues
‘We had a really good experience at TechBBQ and enjoyed being part of the Aarhus stand, which was well located next to a large corridor where many people passed by. It is clear that TechBBQ is an investor event, and the setting is really good for getting in touch with many different people.’
- Ulrich Hoff, Quantum Engagement Specialist, Kvantify
Team Driver: New investor agreements and contact with Volvo at TechBBQ
‘We got some great input on new technology from Google and several other providers at the trade fair. We had some good talks with a number of investors, and we have also made an agreement to pitch to an investor group. We made contact with the Volvo Group, which has a start-up programme that helps start-ups gain access to larger corporations, which can lead to sales.’
- Charles Sonny Garvang, CEO & co-founder of Team Driver
StreamWerk: Personal relationships drive Aarhus' entrepreneurial environment forward
"I have been following Aarhus' entrepreneurial environment for 20 years, and I have never seen it thrive as well as it does now. It is personal relationships that make the difference – and players such as INCUBA play a central role in facilitating them. The joint Aarhus stand was a strong example of this, and here I made contact with several potential StreamWerk customers with whom I am already in dialogue – including at South Summit and Gothenburg Tech Event.”
- Mikkel Eskesen, Founder, StreamWerk
Ziropa: Strong energy and synergy at the Aarhus stand
“Overall, it was a MEGA cool atmosphere. People helped each other and there was good energy from everyone! It created perfect synergy with a lot of people from Aarhus, and we met many different people who had planned to stop by.”
- Rasmus Vestergaard, Founder, Ziropa
Inspiration for Aarhus
For INCUBA, participation was not just about being visible at the Nordic region's largest tech conference, but also about bringing inspiration back home to Aarhus. Discussions about universities as ‘founder factories’, the need for more capital for research-based start-ups and the importance of attracting international talent are central to INCUBA's work in connecting research, capital and entrepreneurs.
Thank you to all our partners and companies for some inspiring days at TechBBQ 2025 – we are already looking forward to next year!
