New initiative aims to strengthen the bio-based economy

A new comprehensive initiative at the Technical University of Denmark aims to accelerate the development of biosolutions and strengthen the bio-based economy. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is supporting the initiative with up to DKK 1.05 billion (€134.1 million).

Our daily lives are full of products and processes based on fossil materials or created using fossil energy sources such as oil and gas. To make significant progress in the green transition, we need to become much better at harnessing the power of bioproduction – biologically based production solutions, also known as biosolutions, which can replace fossil energy sources and materials.

This is precisely the aim of a new initiative at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) called the Novo Nordisk Foundation Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT). The new initiative aims to create knowledge and solutions that can be transformed into efficient bioproduction, making a significant contribution to the green transition of society.

“BRIGHT will be a gathering point for academic and industrial partners working together to unlock the potential of bioproduction. It will help us develop scalable solutions that can significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and expand Denmark‘s position within bio-based industry,” says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, which is supporting the new initiative with a grant of up to DKK 1.05 billion (approximately €134.1 million) over the next seven years.

Utilising the power of bioproduction

BRIGHT will focus on three main areas:

• Sustainable materials
• Microbial foods
• Microorganisms for net-zero agriculture

The goal is to develop and scale innovative biosolutions within each of these areas, ultimately creating sustainable and competitive alternatives to fossil-based products and processes that can make significant contributions to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions.

At BRIGHT, researchers across DTU will collaborate with research colleagues from other universities in Denmark and internationally, as well as with industry. A unique feature of BRIGHT will be the introduction of a so-called mission enabler, aimed at promoting promising projects and testing their scalability. This will be achieved by integrating various types of technologies and infrastructure within areas such as data science, informatics, cell factories, and fermentation.

DTU is a leader in biotechnology research in Denmark and is steadily increasing its international position. Therefore, DTU is an obvious hub for the further development and scaling of bioproduction in Denmark, which BRIGHT aspires to become.

“BRIGHT will further strengthen DTU’s position in fundamental biotechnology and enable even better collaboration between strong competencies across the university and with external partners, particularly companies. At the same time, we will have an even better foundation for educating highly specialised engineers necessary to drive the bioeconomy forward,” says Anders Bjarklev, President of DTU.

Targeting the development of scalable solutions

DTU is currently home to the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, which has contributed globally with technologies for developing microbial cell factories – an essential part of bio-based production. BRIGHT will build on these competencies, supplemented by other DTU strongholds. As the grant for BRIGHT is phased in, activities at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability will transition to BRIGHT or be phased out.

“The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability has excelled in many parameters and has helped consolidate DTU as a leader in biotechnology research and innovation. I particularly commend the innovation culture and the centre’s outstanding ability to generate spinout companies. With the grant for BRIGHT, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, in collaboration with DTU, aims to become even more focused on developing scalable solutions and accelerating their commercialisation in collaboration with industry,” concludes Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.

BRIGHT will start its activities in 2025.

Source

Novo Nordisk Foundation, press release, 2024-12-18.

Supplier

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center
Technical University of Denmark – DTU

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