Innovation Fund Denmark is looking for members for new Grand Solutions committees

The innovation fund's board has just appointed front-runners to head four new Grand Solutions committees. The other members are now being sought in the form of both internationally recognized researchers and impact experts who can assess the commercial and societal impact for Denmark.

As part of a new assessment process for the Grand Solutions programme, the foundation's board has decided to set up four new committees to assess the applications and to decide which of these will receive a grant. The committees are set up under different themes - "Green research, technology and innovation", "Quantum technology", "Life science, health and welfare technology" and "New technologies and artificial intelligence".

To lead the four new committees, the board has now appointed four impact experts, each of whom brings significant commercial experience within domains that are essential to the committee they will lead.

Claus Hviid Christensen , who is currently director of Nexus, an honorary doctorate at SDU and in addition has management positions from, among others, Haldor Topsøe and Ørsted behind him, will lead the Grand Solutions committee for Green research, technology and innovation.

Natasha Friis Saxberg , who is director of the IT Branch and co-initiator and deputy chairperson of the Danish Quantum Community, will head the Grand Solutions Committee for Quantum Technology.

Peter Herskind, who is Vice President within Design and Engineering at Coloplast and also has management experience from Novo Nordisk, is appointed as head of the Grand Solutions committee for Life Science, health and welfare technology.

Thea Larsen, whose CV includes counting experience as director of the Danish Gas Technical Center, chairmanship at EUDP and board work at DTU, appointed as chairman of the Grand Solutions Committee for New Technologies and Artificial Intelligence.

Open call for the other members

In the wake of the appointment of the forepersons, the Innnovationfonden is now looking for other members for the four committees. The members for each committee must both consist of impact experts who, like the persons in charge, have strong prerequisites for assessing the commercial and strategic potential for Denmark, and internationally recognized researchers who have special skills in relation to assessing the research-related aspects of the applications on a international scale. Two calls have therefore been published for each committee, which, taken together, must contain knowledge and experience within the various domains that characterize the theme in question.

In addition to possessing solid and comprehensive knowledge and new experiences within one or more of the theme's domains, the Impact experts contribute, with e.g. significant experience in the commercialization and implementation of research results and is (or has recently been) employed in the private or public sector in a field related to the theme.

The internationally recognized researchers are (or have recently been) associate professors or professors and have established a reputation within one or more areas of expertise relevant to the theme.

The application deadline is 11 August 2024.