Deep Tech Lab-Quantum inaugurated to accelerate commercialization of quantum technologies
BioInnovation Institute (BII) hosted an event today to officially inaugurate Deep Tech Lab - Quantum, an initiative with the vision of supporting world-class innovation based on quantum science that drives the development of new solutions by early-stage start-ups to benefit people and society.
Deep Tech Lab - Quantum is operated by BII, and it is Denmark’s official NATO DIANA accelerator site. Together with the Niels Bohr Institute at Copenhagen University, Denmark’s Technical University, Aarhus University, and the Danish National Metrology Institute, the purpose is to leverage Denmark’s world-leading research in quantum science by physically housing innovators that exploit the potential of quantum technologies in a dual-use perspective of benefitting both the life science and defense industries.
Among the notable guests at the event were the Secretary General of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, the Danish Minister of Defence, Troels Lund Poulsen, the Danish Minister for Industry and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, and the CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen. Together with around 150 participants from the quantum and life science ecosystem, they were taking part in an inaugural ceremony held in the brand-new facilities in BII's premises in the center of Copenhagen that is expected to house up to 20 quantum startups when operations are fully up and running in 2025.
Building on an existing platform
In his opening remarks, the CEO of BioInnovation Institute, Jens Nielsen, expressed his gratitude that BII has been trusted with the critical task of bringing research to life and ideas to market in the emerging field of quantum science. He emphasized that BII, through its expertise and success in working with life science entrepreneurs during the last five years, has built a robust platform that lays the foundation for succeeding in commercializing quantum technologies.
"We are proud to have been appointed by the Danish government to drive the new quantum accelerator in collaboration with strong players in the ecosystem. We truly believe this initiative is a big step forward in further exploiting the commercial potential that quantum science holds. BII offers a strong platform to bring groundbreaking life sciences research and innovative ideas to the market.”
The new quantum start-up accelerator will be built on the same ground principles as BII’s Venture Lab program, which has already proven to be a successful and attractive innovation platform for accelerating early-stage life science start-up projects. Thus, the start-ups enrolled in Deep Tech Lab - Quantum will get access to a network of top-tier trusted investors, business mentorship, education from expert staff, and state-of-the-art testing opportunities in BII’s office space and laboratories.
Strong ties between quantum and life science
The interconnectedness between quantum and life science was also highlighted in a panel discussion between the Danish Minister for Industry and Financial Affairs, Morten Bødskov, the Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund and the CEO of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen.
All of whom emphasized the need to further promote the potential of life sciences and quantum to industry, students, and inter-and non-governmental organizations.
Approximately a year ago, the Novo Nordisk Foundation announced the funding to develop Denmark’s first fully operational quantum computer. Something that can accelerate the development of personalized medicine by letting quantum computers process the enormous quantity of data available about the human genome and diseases.
"We are thrilled to see that the BioInnovation Institute will operate the new Deep Tech Lab – Quantum accelerator. At the Novo Nordisk Foundation, we see an immense potential in how quantum technologies can benefit the life science industry. The establishment of the accelerator we be a strong component in the innovation ecosystem we are building in Denmark within high-potential life science and quantum science technologies, says Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen."
The first start-ups are expected to join the accelerator in the fall of 2023, and it is expected to have a fully operational program in Copenhagen, Denmark, as part of a pan-European network of similar start-up accelerators in 2025.
Read more at www.deeptechlab.bii.dk
DIANA is short for The Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). Read more on the DIANA accelerator network: DIANA | Home (nato.int) You can find an overview of the European DIANA test centers here, including the I-Hub innovation Center at Imperial College in the UK.
Yes, both Danish and international start-ups will be taken into consideration. In DIANA regi though, only from the NATO member states.
Increased computing power will positively impact life sciences in various ways. It will, for example, make it easier to mathematically calculate conformations and quantum interactions in molecular systems, which paves the way for a significant acceleration in developing new drugs. Moreover, as Quantum computing can process a variety of data from several sources and make granular risk predictions, it can have a huge impact on the application of human healthcare data, diagnostics, and precision medicine, which could subsequently impact drug & treatment pricing. From a sustainability perspective, increased computing power is essential for optimizing energy systems. Optimized energy systems should be capable of channelizing green energy production to those places with the most significant energy demand. Optimizing processes and making them more energy-efficient can also decrease the overall energy usage of computing power. At the same time, computing power will help in the overall understanding of bio-based energy production.
There is already significant interest from long-term investors in this area, and BII aims to build a strong network of investors that can further strengthen the development of a robust innovation environment in quantum technologies. NATO recently announced a €1B NATO Innovation Fund, which could provide deep tech start-ups with investment opportunities. Read more here: NATO - News: NATO launches Innovation Fund, 30-Jun.-2022 Other investors in quantum technology have included big tech companies, major tech VC's, dedicated Deep Tech VCs, and several government funds across the world.
A Deep Tech accelerator program is different from other types of accelerator programs in a few key ways. It focuses on start-ups that are developing advanced technologies that require significant expertise and investment to develop. These programs often have a longer and more complex development process, require specialized mentors and experts, and are focused on creating disruptive innovations that have the potential to transform entire industries. In contrast, other types of accelerator programs may focus on a broader range of start-ups and have shorter-term goals.
BioInnovation Institute (BII) accelerates world-class life science start-up innovation to bring forward products and services that benefit people and society. As a non-profit institute, BII operates the company creation programs Bio Studio and the company acceleration programs Venture Lab and Venture House. In all programs, BII supports planetary and human health start-ups with knowledge, network, infrastructure and funding. We empower early-stage start-ups to succeed and believe in the transformative power of life science innovation. Read more on www.bii.dk