From ideas to impact: AU Life Science Hub officially open for start-ups

With advanced laboratories, modern office spaces, access to core facilities, and business advisory services through The Kitchen, Aarhus University’s Life Science Hub is now officially open. The hub offers a vital resource for start-ups looking to transform ideas into action.

Maybe it’s not immediately obvious when you drive up or down Nørrebrogade or Ringgaden in Aarhus. But behind the walls of Aarhus University, some of the most innovative breakthroughs in life sciences are being made. Yet, these often remain hidden because launching a life science start-up is notoriously expensive, time-consuming, and complex.

But that's over now. The AU Life Science Hub aims to make the path from research to commercialization shorter and more accessible for researchers at Aarhus University. On Wednesday, 18 December 2024, the hub was officially opened when Rector Brian Bech Nielsen cut the blue ribbon, welcoming emerging companies to the facility.

The hub spans 600 square metres, offering office spaces, six laboratories, an electronics and mechanics workshop, core facilities, and comprehensive business development support. Housed within the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, its central campus location ensures close ties to academic peers and researchers.

Enormous potential

Aarhus University’s world-class research is frequently showcased in leading scientific journals, but there is a growing need to translate this research into practical applications, said Dean Anne-Mette Hvas during her speech at the opening:

“Our research can and must also contribute to greater growth, welfare, and development. The opening of the hub is a visionary, generous, and important step towards creating the framework for our researchers to better translate research into, for example, new medicines and improved health solutions.”

Anne-Mette Hvas also emphasised that the AU Life Science Hub is intended to encompass more than just health research. She further highlighted that the hub’s scope extends beyond health research, made possible through cross-faculty collaboration at Aarhus University.

Among the speakers at the opening was also the Director of Enterprise and Innovation, Lone Ryg Olsen, who stressed in her speech that “if you can, you should.”

“Innovation is something new that creates value. And that is something we excel at here at Aarhus University. Therefore, we are also obligated to support this strength and help our entrepreneurs realise and expand the value of their knowledge and businesses.”

And there are certainly potential tenants within the research environments, according to Head of Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Erik Østergaard Jensen, who will lead the hub’s operations:

“There is enormous potential for prospective entrepreneurs, but it can be a long road from an idea to proof-of-concept in life science. At the AU Life Science Hub, we provide advanced equipment, laboratories, and a simple, transparent process. Everyone has the opportunity to gain access, and it’s easy to understand what you get for the cost.”

The first companies have already begun to move into the AU Life Science Hub, but there is still room for more. For more information or a tour of the facilities, contact Senior Consultant Jesper Friis Mortensen at Enterprise and Innovation.

Strengthens the regional life science ecosystem

The AU Life Science Hub aligns seamlessly with Health Innovation Aarhus' values and vision of fostering collaboration and innovation to transform healthcare. By creating a dedicated space for start-ups to connect with leading academic research and cutting-edge facilities, the hub embodies the shared aspiration to bridge knowledge and real-world solutions. This initiative strengthens the regional life science ecosystem, promoting breakthroughs that address pressing health challenges and improve global well-being—core tenets of HIA's mission to amplify healthcare innovation through collaboration and shared expertise.

Read more about AU Life Science Hub