Press Release: Renewed Support for Helix Lab to Attract More Master’s Students to Kalundborg and Strengthen Industry Collaboration
More students are to work on real-world industry challenges, more highly educated professionals are to remain in Kalundborg, and the local research environment is to be strengthened. These are the objectives of a new grant of DKK 93 million awarded to Helix Lab by the Novo Nordisk Foundation over a five-year period. At the same time, Novo Nordisk A/S and Novonesis are continuing their support for the collaboration through sponsorships totaling an additional DKK 25 million.
The renewed financial support will help strengthen research, talent development, and collaboration between universities and companies in Kalundborg, while also supporting the development of the new Campus Kalundborg as an international hub for education, research, and innovation.
“Helix Lab’s ambition remains to attract more Danish and international master’s students, strengthen the interdisciplinary research environment, and further develop the PhD initiative,” says Helix Lab Director Anette Birck.
Since its launch, 82 students from 28 different master’s degree programs across all eight Danish universities have completed their thesis projects as Helix Lab Fellows. The projects were carried out in collaboration with 11 different companies in Kalundborg.
“Helix Lab has created an environment where companies, researchers, and students work together on professional challenges. This has paved the way for innovative collaborations and attracted talent from across the country, and has contributed to both DTU and the University of Copenhagen establishing master’s degree programs in Kalundborg,” says Anette Birck.
During the coming five-year period, Helix Lab will expand its role as a facilitator of collaboration between universities and the Kalundborg industry. In addition, the organization will play a central role in implementing Campus Kalundborg’s overall strategy, which aims to attract more international students and research projects while strengthening the link between talent development and industry needs.
A Direct Path to Local Integration
More than half of the students come from international backgrounds, and the vast majority of graduates from Helix Lab have gone on to work in companies across the Danish biotech sector.
“Helix Lab is an excellent example of how bridges can be built between universities and industry in a way that both strengthens the development of the research environment and makes it easier for local companies to access qualified talent. It is a model with relevance far beyond the borders of Kalundborg and Denmark,” says Christopher Bettinger, Vice President of Biotechnology at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
The results also demonstrate a strong local impact. Among the Fellows who had graduated by September 2025, 50 percent are now employed in the Kalundborg industry, and the vast majority of these have moved permanently to the municipality.
In addition to close collaboration between companies, researchers, and students, these positive results are linked to a targeted effort to build networks and create a strong student environment in Kalundborg. Therefore, Helix Lab will continue strengthening networks and a sense of belonging among Helix Lab Fellows and PhD students.
“In the coming years, we will work to make Campus Kalundborg even more internationally attractive through education, research, and innovation within biomanufacturing, biosolutions, industrial sustainability, and Industry 4.0,” says Anette Birck.
