Copenhagen November 25-26, 2025
Spearheaded by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and co-arranged with the Danish Ministry for Higher Education and Science.
Copenhagen November 25-26, 2025
The race for global tech leadership is accelerating – and Europe is continuously losing ground. While Europe excels in groundbreaking research and science, a widening gap persists in innovation and the scaling of start-ups, particularly in deep tech.
As a result, Europe's competitive edge is declining, and if we want to compete we must act now. There is a need for bold strategies to scale deep tech solutions, turn cutting-edge research into market-ready breakthroughs, and build the next generation of global tech champions and leaders.
The ASCEND innovation conference is a call to action. By bringing together top policymakers, powerhouse investors, pioneering startups, research visionaries, and industry leaders, the conference will chart actionable pathways for Europe’s deep tech leadership.
Join the conversation and help shape the future.
ASCEND will cover key deep technologies, including AI, supercomputing, semiconductors, the Internet of Things, genomics, quantum computing, space tech, biosolutions, biotechnology, renewable energy, waste management, water purification, advanced materials, and sustainable agriculture.
Through engaging parallel sessions and insights from policymakers, investors, and industry leaders, the conference will chart actionable pathways to strengthen Europe’s deep tech innovation ecosystem, support scaleups, and forge new global deep tech champions. The conference focuses on three subthemes:
DRIVERS
How can Europe scale globally competitive tech champions by mobilizing key drivers of impact?
Which critical technologies can offer Europe a competitive advantage, and how can the Single Market stimulate demand and ease the path for scaleups?
RESOURCES
ECOSYSTEM
@DTU
Join us for the ASCEND pre-conference event on 24th november at DTU Skylab for an in-depth exploration of Denmark’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
The event highlights visionary entrepreneurs, feature groundbreaking startups, and showcase Denmark’s distinctive approach to turning ideas into impact.
With personal stories and demonstrations, the event will provide hands-on and practical perspective on innovation.
@Scandic Copenhagen
The 1st plenary session will discuss the importance of closing the European scaleup gap and how this ambition aligns with overall ambitions to realize Europe’s innovation potential and strengthen European autonomy, security, competitiveness and prosperity. An overview of current efforts to scale European solutions and companies to transform EU’s innovation potential into global tech leadership will be provided.
To be announced.
In this thought-provoking 2nd plenary session, historian Peter Heather and political economist John Rapley will explore Europe’s evolving geopolitical influence, drawing insights from their recent book, ‘Why Empires Fall’. The discussion will trace historical shifts in Europe’s global role and examine potential futures. Emphasis will be placed on how innovation and technology can enable Europe to navigate new global dynamics, maintain relevance, and shape its future in an increasingly multipolar world.
In a world where technological innovation shapes global power dynamics, Europe faces the critical challenge of ensuring its competitiveness against countries like the U.S. and China. This 3rd plenary session will delve into how Europe can position itself in the global innovation race and how it should strategically invest in critical technologies to secure long-term success. Participants are invited to rethink Europe’s innovation strategy and explore how targeted investments can strengthen its position in the global innovation race.
DRIVERS
This session will explore the role of green technologies in driving scaling and enabling Europe’s green reindustrialization and meeting Europe’s ambitious goals.
TBA
RESOURCES
Building global tech champions requires exceptional talent, but is Europe equipped with the right skills and expertise to compete on the world stage? This session will explore Europe’s talent landscape, examining challenges such as attracting top-tier global talent, retaining skilled workers, and addressing critical skill gaps in areas like green tech and AI. Panelists will discuss strategies for fostering a robust talent pipeline and leveraging diversity to enable tech leaders to thrive globally.
IDA - The Danish Society of Engineers
TBA
ECOSYSTEM
Cutting-edge deep tech breakthroughs originate from frontier research, yet translating them into scalable ventures remains a challenge. This session will explore how fundamental science fuels the next wave of deep tech startups and industrial innovation, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of global technology leadership. How should the EU balance curiosity-driven research with long-term economic and strategic interests?
The Royal Academy of the Sciences and Letters and the Danish National Research Foundation able deep tech companies
TBA
DRIVERS
This session will focus on the role of digital tech in driving scaling, particularly given that a large of Europe’s productivity lag is attributed to lacking digitalization.
TBA
RESOURCES
Fostering diversity, particularly gender diversity, is essential for the innovation and competitiveness of European startups and scaleups. This session will delve into the current state of diversity within the European startup ecosystem, identifying barriers and exploring best
practices and actionable strategies to promote inclusion, from policy frameworks to funding initiatives that support diverse leadership. The discussion aims to outline a roadmap for creating more inclusive startup environments that drive both innovation and equitable growth.
N/A
TBA
ECOSYSTEM
Universities play a key role in enabling and driving innovation as well as in building strong ecosystems, particularly around deep tech. But what exactly does this require of European universities? And are they equipped to fulfill this role?
TBA
This 5th plenary session will explore how Europe can cultivate the next wave of globally competitive companies capable of leading in high-growth industries. Featuring insights from successful growth companies and top investors, the discussion will tackle structural challenges such as fragmented capital markets, regulatory hurdles, and talent retention. The session will discuss key factors for building new global tech champions out of Europe.
Cheryl Martin, CEO of Harwich Partners
@Scandic Copenhagen
DRIVERS
This session focuses on the journey from pilot production lines to full-scale semiconductor fabrication plants, essential for fulfilling the ambitious goals of the EU Chips Act. As Europe seeks to strengthen its semiconductor manufacturing capacity, this discussion will cover the challenges and strategies for scaling chip production.
TBA
RESOURCES
This session explores the critical role of technological infrastructure in enabling SMEs and scaleups to achieve large-scale diffusion of innovation. By examining strategies for rolling out technologies while preparing markets—building the road as we pave it—participants will delve into organizational experimentation and the creation of new structures, consortia, and partnerships. The discussion will uncover how innovative approaches can accelerate the adoption of transformative technologies and drive impactful change.
The Danish Research and Technology Organisations and IDA - The Danish Society of Engineers
TBA
ECOSYSTEM
Open precompetitive public-private partnerships have gained traction in e.g. biomedical research. These partnerships forego IP to research outputs and share outputs freely in the public domain. Such partnerships seek to accelerate the progress and use of science and have been argued to lay a stronger foundation for early-stage deeptech startups. But what is the real potential of open partnerships for stimulating the development of new startups with scaleup potential?
The Open Innovation in Science (OIS) Centre, Aarhus University
TBA
DRIVERS
TBA
RESOURCES
Rebuilding Europe’s manufacturing capacity is essential for scaling up and creating global tech champions. This session will explore how investing in advanced manufacturing capabilities and talent can support the growth of European scaleups in key industries like green tech and semiconductors. Panelists will discuss strategies to enhance production competences, close critical gaps in manufacturing expertise, and align industrial policy with the needs of scaling firms. By fostering world-class manufacturing ecosystems, Europe can strengthen its position as a global leader in innovation and technology.
TBA
ECOSYSTEM
Sectorial models as known from e.g. the Netherlands offer a means of coordinating and prioritizing research and innovation efforts within a sector (typically on a national level). What are sectorial models? Could such models be lifted to the European scale to support more effective innovation at the collective level (and, if so, what would that take)?
Thomas Bjørnholm/The Villum Foundation
TBA
Copenhagen will host a conference on innovation in connection with the Danish Presidency of the European Union. Spearheaded by the Technical University of Denmark and co-arranged with the Danish Ministry for Higher Education and Science, the conference is co-sponsored by the European Innovation Council (EIC) and the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Pre-conference event 24 November 2025
Lyngby, Denmark. Technical University of Denmark.
Main conference 25-26 November 2025
Copenhagen, Denmark. Scandic Hotel Copenhagen.
