The startup scene across Denmark

The European Commission identifies public-private research co-publications as a relative innovation strength, while listing collaboration by innovative SMEs and resource productivity as relative weaknesses. This points to strong research links alongside specific challenges in business collaboration and resource efficiency. [These relative assessments are from the European Commission’s 2025 Denmark profile.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: European Innovation Scoreboard 2025: Denmark country profile

Biotech led Danish venture capital by investment volume in the first half of 2025, according to EIFO, while Tech.eu identified software as Denmark’s most active startup funding sector for 2025. These are distinct sector measures and periods, not a single sector ranking. [Biotech is attributed to EIFO; software is attributed to Tech.eu.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: From Startup to Scaleup: Status on the Danish Capital Markets for Startups and SMEs, August 2025; Denmark startup funding in 2025

Business angels supplied 55% of pre-seed capital and 31% of seed capital in the Dansk Industri and Venture Insights 2026 report. The same report attributes 44% of early-stage investment volume and 59% of late-stage investment volume to foreign capital. [All four figures are attributed to Dansk Industri and Venture Insights.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Iværksætterbarometret 2026

EIFO’s 2026 analysis estimates a EUR 3.1 billion to EUR 9.2 billion growth-stage funding gap for 2026–2035. It reports foreign investors provide around 72% of growth-stage capital, while Danish investors participate in 71% of observed growth rounds but supply 28% of measured growth-stage capital. [These estimates and observed-round figures are attributed to EIFO.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Analysis of Denmark's Growth-Stage Venture Market 2026

Tech.eu recorded €886 million across 76 disclosed Danish startup rounds in 2025, with 74 startups listed as funded; its top ten rounds represented 67.3% of disclosed capital. The dataset’s largest listed deal was Flatpay at €147 million, labeled “Other” stage, and Tech.eu recorded 14 EIFO deals. [These records are attributed to Tech.eu Funding Explorer.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Denmark startup funding in 2025

For fundraising, the reviewed figures indicate that business angels are a substantial source of pre-seed and seed capital, while foreign capital accounts for a larger share of reported later-stage investment. Compare opportunities by stage and source, and check how each market report defines its figures. [The capital shares are attributed to Dansk Industri and Venture Insights; the definition caveat is attributed to the OECD.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Iværksætterbarometret 2026; Promoting Start-Ups and Scale-Ups in Denmark’s Sector Strongholds and Emerging Industries

The reviewed data show a sizable growth-stage funding-gap estimate alongside a high foreign share of growth-stage capital. Tech.eu’s 2025 figures also show disclosed capital concentrated in the ten largest rounds, a useful caution when interpreting headline totals as broadly distributed funding. [The gap and capital shares are attributed to EIFO; concentration is attributed to Tech.eu.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Analysis of Denmark's Growth-Stage Venture Market 2026; Denmark startup funding in 2025

The European Commission’s 2025 index shows a 4.9-point decline from 2024 to 2025 despite a 12.3-point increase from 2018 to 2025. Dansk Industri and Venture Insights report foreign capital shares of 44% at early stage and 59% at late stage, while EIFO’s growth-stage analysis places the Danish share of measured capital at 28%. [The index changes are attributed to the European Commission; capital shares to the named reports.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Iværksætterbarometret 2026; Analysis of Denmark's Growth-Stage Venture Market 2026; European Innovation Scoreboard 2025: Denmark country profile

The OECD notes that startup definitions vary between studies and can alter observed trends and results; its 2022 report defines startups as firms aged zero to five years. The funding counts and totals cited here should therefore be read with their publishers and stated periods, rather than treated as interchangeable measures. [The definition and caution are attributed to the OECD.]

As of Oct 2, 2026. Official information. Source: Promoting Start-Ups and Scale-Ups in Denmark’s Sector Strongholds and Emerging Industries