The Link

☆ Tour de Founders ☆ On Friday, we visited yet another cool startup ⌦ Cernel. Here, we had a cosy chat with Andreas Busch, @Jonathan Stouby Nielsen, and Mathias Fenger-Eriksen!! Besides showing us their fantastic rooftop terrace at INCUBA A/S, they gave us an honest insight into the journey as first-time founders and the challenges one can face when having no experience at all. Fortunately, they are hardworking guys who don't give up but learn from their mistakes! To avoid these mistakes, the Cernel team has spent considerable time in the field, gaining unique knowledge about their target group, which has helped them set the direction and reach their current position. Of course, it's also a big factor that we're dealing with some cool guys with high ambitions for a scalable future for their startup. Keep up the good work!! One of the things we love is when startups collaborate and make each other better by buying locally. Here, Cernel has a great relationship with Clutch Nutrition, which is also based in Incuba. Clutch supplies their drinks and ensures that the Cernel team improves their mental performance and cuts down on coffee consumption - so of course we were treated to a delicious beverage from clutch at our meeting ✔️ Thank you for giving us an inspiring and honest glimpse into Cernel 🖤 If you'd like us to visit your office and tell us about your journey, let us know! Line Bech Sørensen, Ellen Kobberø, and Mathilde Ambrosius Boysen

☆ Tour de Founders ☆ We're on the road again, this time to meet the amazing teams behind some exciting startups!! On Thursday, we were lucky to have a great chat with the team behind Dripdrop and visit their cozy office, where you can be sure you'll never be without an umbrella on a rainy day. Dripdrop offers a subscription-based umbrella rental service for the hotel industry, and it’s pretty cool! We had an inspiring conversation with co-founder Andreas Søgaard, and Anders Bannebjerg and James Guyton shared their career transitions and how they ended up at Dripdrop after leaving very stable and established jobs. The conversation turned to the challenge startups often face in attracting the right talent. While young, fresh talent is invaluable, having an experienced player on the team can be a game-changer for a startup. But how do you convince such a veteran to leave their stable corporate job for the dynamic startup life? ↵ ✔️ Luckily, Drip Drop succeeded in bringing on board both the sharp engineer James, who had accumulated years of experience at a major global corporation, and the skilled banker, Anders. And they haven't looked back since! Thanks for giving us an inspiring glimpse into Dripdrop and your journey as part of the team 🖤 If you'd like us to visit your office and tell us about your journey, let us know! Line Bech Sørensen, Ellen Kobberø and Mathilde Ambrosius Boysen

Another day at Folkemødet ✔️   I’m ready for another exciting day at Folkemødet, featuring events that celebrate amazing women!   ► First up, 'Women Belong in the Kitchen' pitch competition hosted by The Kitchen - AU Erhverv og Innovation https://lnkd.in/dgwb8htB   ► Then, I'll be at the event 'Where Are the Female Entrepreneurs?' organised by Dansk Crowdfunding Forening https://lnkd.in/dcx7qDmX   ► Do you need to be a mental superhero as an entrepreneur? By Danish Industry & Karriereklubben https://lnkd.in/dZVudvV8 ► DI's Garden Party for Entrepreneurs – Networking, Politics, and Cocktails https://lnkd.in/dAN3XJEv   ► Launch of the new report on The Female Digital Talent Pool in Denmark by Geelmuyden Kiese Danmark and Digital Hub Denmark - followed by a debate on how Denmark can address the gender imbalance in tech.   Where can I find you?   /Mette

Ready, Set, Go ⌦ Folkemødet I’m excited about the first day at Folkemødet and ready to sprint from one engaging event to another ↵ Today’s program: ► The World's Best Idea: Innovation for Democracy https://lnkd.in/d_2TQpi3 The Danish Foreign Policy Society & Danske Tech Startups // Danish Tech Startups 🇩🇰 🚀 ► Deep Tech entrepreneurship is a good strategy https://lnkd.in/drVtzPiZ  by Dansk Crowdfunding Forening 
► Emerging technologies: Can Denmark compete with superpowers? By Export and Investment Fund of Denmark & Danske Tech Startups // Danish Tech Startups 🇩🇰 🚀 ► Entrepreneurial Strategy – Do We Wait or Pop the Champagne? https://lnkd.in/dFhzXs-E by Danish Industry 
► Foreign countries are reaping the benefits of Danish scaleups https://lnkd.in/dbp2_fbZ by Crayon & Danske Tech Startups // Danish Tech Startups 🇩🇰 🚀 I will join this panel with the amazing Mia Grosen, Nicolai Rhode-Erb, Isabella Merrild Agdestein, Steffen W. Frølund and Anders Graabæk. ► Grabbing a drink at Aarhus University’s networking event on the Aurora-ship ► Grabbing (another) drink at Danske Tech Startups // Danish Tech Startups 🇩🇰 🚀 Startup Party Is there anything I shouldn’t miss? Hit me up!  /Mette

Next stop 🔜 Folkemødet   Heading to Solskinsøen for some exciting days at Folkemødet.   I’m buzzing with anticipation to connect with everyone, grab some ice-cold beers, and delve into all of the exciting events, that are bringing startup topics, challenges, and policies to light! And of course, give my two cents 😉   See you there! #fm24 /Mette Startup Aarhus by The Link

☆ Highlights from Corporate Venture Alliance Network ☆ Yesterday, we had an amazing meeting with our CVA network, hosted by Søren Kristensen and Jens V.G. Poulsen from Per Aarsleff A/S. We delved deeper into the venture-building model, gaining valuable insights! David Würgler from Chas. Hude enlightened us on the ups and downs of IP and employment contracts. These are a hot topics for many of our members and sparked some lively discussions and great examples from the network... Who actually owns the rights to an invention, especially if the venture becomes its own startup? We discovered that protecting your business with IP rights is crucial. You can do this through patents, designs, and trademarks. Key Takeaways from the day ↵ ► It's crucial to establish clear agreements and have the necessary licenses in place from the start. ► Although obtaining patents can be expensive, they significantly increase the value of your innovation. It's important that the innovation remains undisclosed before filing for a patent. ► Investors need assurance that the product is well-protected and all necessary permissions are secured. Only a small percentage of Danish companies utilize trademark patents, yet they can be a game-changer. ► It's important to ensure that you have the freedom to operate within your market. This includes checking IP ownership among partners and employees to avoid conflicts. ★ A memorable golden nugget from David Würgler ⌦ "It's better to own 1% of a huge success than 100% of a failure." Brian Luckmann, Jens V.G. Poulsen, Michael Hansen, Karsten Lumbye Jensen, Søren Kristensen, David Würgler, Mette Hoberg Tønnesen, Mette Haugaard, Ellen Kobberø and Mathilde Ambrosius Boysen

☆ Highlights from Corporate Venture Capital Network ☆ We had a fantastic day at our CVC network meeting, hosted by VKR/VELUX/Kompas, with a deep dive into the theme of Governance and Innovation in Corporate Startup Collaboration. We were fortunate to have Mads Kann-Rasmussen, CEO of VKR Holding A/S Holding, Jacob Kjeldgaard Olsen, Head of Venture Engagements at VELUX, and @Simay Arikan, Head of Platform at KOMPAS VC, to share their insights on how they work together. Thank you a lot for your contributions!! Key Takeaways ↵ ► Dual value creation is essential for enhancing performance and achieving strategic relevance. ► Engagement and commitment from business units are crucial for successful project implementation. It is important to foster a culture that recognizes and embraces the potential in startups. ► Closer collaboration between corporates, strategic partnerships, and thorough due diligence are vital. Sharing challenges and opportunities can lead to discovering relevant portfolio companies and synergies. To conclude, a wise quote from Mads Kann-Rasmussen, "It is more an art than a spreadsheet. "If you want to know more about Corporate Startup Collaboration you can check out our toolbox ➤ https://lnkd.in/drZ_Ugtu Thanks to VILLUM Window Collection, Industriens Fond, Klavs Hjort, Morten Theibel Fischer, Pauline Jimenez, Niklas Dyg, Jakob Ravn Hansen, Ruchit, Lars Spicker Olesen, Martin Schorling Overgård, Charlotte Søgaard, Rasmus Borgstrøm, Michael Hansen og Mette Hoberg Tønnesen

🔜 See you at Folkemødet? Next week, I Mette Hoberg Tønnesen am taking a trip from Smilets By to Solskinsøen to attend Folkemødet. I look forward to meeting many new contacts and helping push the startup agenda forward!!! The following events are already in my calendar ↓ Have I missed any? Danske Tech Startups // Danish Tech Startups 🇩🇰 🚀, led by Esben Gadsbøll, will be hosting lots of cool events, including ↵ ► Entrepreneurial Strategy - Are we waiting or popping the champagne? - https://lnkd.in/dV8WStnQ ► How do we keep Danish scaleups (longer) in Denmark? - https://lnkd.in/dXA28GXT ► Foreign countries are reaping the benefits of Danish scaleups - https://lnkd.in/d8MkNAEH Aarhus Universitet and The Kitchen - AU Erhverv og Innovation with events such as ↵ ► Pitch Competition: Meet tech startups from the universities - https://lnkd.in/dW_bWSf6 ► Pitch Competition: Women belong in the Kitchen - https://lnkd.in/dgwb8htB Dansk Crowdfunding Forening, offering sessions like ↵ ► Where are you, female entrepreneurs? - https://lnkd.in/dcx7qDmX ► Deep Tech entrepreneurship is a good strategy - https://lnkd.in/dVYp6kEW And that is just the tip of the iceberg! I hope to see you there!!

Our dear Mette is going on maternity leave! And what better excuse to expand our line of merch than scaling it (way) down so it fits on the tummy of baby and big sister. We’re looking forward to seeing it in action! Enjoy it, we’ll miss you 🖤

⌦ We need YOUR help!! ⌫ We are convinced that the future is all about collaboration. Startups and corporates coming together can spark some magic. And this is why we need your help!! As we strive to keep evolving and gathering the latest data, your input is invaluable. Please take a moment to share your experiences and insights by filling out our survey ↵ ➤ Corporate survey: https://lnkd.in/deHUjpsU ➤ Startup survey: https://lnkd.in/dB-ek7PD Thanks to Industriens Fond, Morten Mommsen, DI - Dansk Industri, Sine Linderstrøm, Katrine Riisberg, Christian Stoltze, Charlotte Søgaard, COWI, Martin Schorling Overgård, AURA Ventures, Mette Hoberg Tønnesen and Mette Haugaard