Business development with knowledge and innovation
The business sector in Aarhus has very successfully and increasingly focused on the production and sale of innovative, knowledge-intensive and globally oriented products and services. Aarhus is one of Denmark’s most important growth areas with one of the country’s largest concentrations of foreign labour.
Recently, the wind turbine giant Vestas, which had the highest world market share in 2010, decided to base its headquarter next to its research and development centre in Aarhus. In addition, the major fashion company Bestseller has also decided to move major and essential parts of its headquarter to Aarhus.
Clusters and inter-cluster collaboration
The development of international-class knowledge clusters is constantly on the city agenda. The experience gained from the widely renowned IT City Katrinebjerg is used directly to develop activate clusters within energy and the environment, medico, health and food development as well as architecture and design.
Next step in this process is to involve more public and private sector players, including players from other clusters to stimulate and support collaborative projects across clusters, e.g. between energy, architecture and the construction sector.
Multifaceted business development
The business sector primarily demands well-qualified labour, a well-developed infrastructure and efficient case handling in the public administration. Business development is thus closely related to the development of the public sector, urban development and infrastructure as well as the quality of the cultural life and townscape.
Innovative development projects
To promote the interplay between the large public service areas and the business sector, a number of initiatives are being launched: A development and demonstration centre for welfare technology is being planned which, among other things, will focus on the development and implementation of new products and solutions for the health care area and likewise an action plan to reach the climate goal: ‘CO2-neutral by 2030’.
Close network collaboration
The involvement of key public and private sector players in a strong, regional network is one of the cornerstones of the business policy. Together the key players are developing ideas to maintain and further develop the good starting point with one of the world’s best business climates.