Strong Board of Directors for Denmark's New Robotics and Drone Cluster

The board of Denmark’s new robotics and drone cluster was appointed yesterday, and it will be comprised of some of the industry’s key players who will take their seats at Odense Robotics. Henrik Anker, CEO of Gibotech, was appointed chairman, and Casper Hansen, CEO of Technicon, was appointed vice chairman.

Denmark’s robotics and drone cluster now has a strong board of directors with broad geographic representation that includes all sectors of the business community as well as research and development. We have high ambitions for the cluster, and I am very much looking forward to getting started on building on Denmark’s position of strength and realizing the potential for growth and innovation among companies across the country.

Henrik Anker, CEO of Gibotech and Chairman of the Board at Odense Robotics

- I look forward to building on the strong foundation we have in Denmark’s robotics and drone industry today. In collaboration with companies and knowledge partners, the new nationwide cluster will accelerate the industry’s growth and innovation. Together, we will create even more opportunities for Danish robotics, automation, and drone companies across the country to develop new technologies and increase their competitiveness, adds Casper Hansen, Vice Chairman and CEO of Technicon.

The board was appointed at a constituent board meeting following the cluster’s founding general meeting yesterday. The business representatives have been appointed for the next two years, while the representatives of the knowledge partners and municipalities have been appointed for the next four years.

Board of Directors (in alphabetical order):

• Stefan Birkbjerg Andersen, City Manager, City of Odense
• Henrik Anker, CEO, Gibotech (Chairman)
• Henrik Bindslev, Dean, SDU
• Jakob Fredsted, Vice President of Danfoss Drives
• Casper Hansen, CEO, Technicon (Vice Chair)
• Anne-Lise Høg Lejre, Director, DTI
• Henrik Pedersen, Dean, AAU
• Marianne Thellersen, Senior Vice President, DTU
• Finn Jäger-Rasmussen, Senior Vice President, Terma
• Jørn Tolstrup Rohde, Chairman of the Board, Blue Ocean Robotics
• Esben Østergaard, CEO, Reinvest Robotics.

The national robotics and drone cluster will have its secretariat in Odense and regional hubs in Aalborg, Aarhus, Odense, Copenhagen, and Sønderborg. The cluster is a further development of the merger of the Funen-based Odense Robotics cluster, the national drone cluster UAS Denmark, and the RoboCluster innovation network.

On October 1, the Ministry of Education and Research designated the National Robotics and Drone Cluster as one of a number of new national clusters tasked with fostering collaboration between researchers and businesses from 2021 to 2024, thereby driving greater innovation in society.