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The Danish metropolis of Odense has 200,000 residents, however how did it change into a world chief in robotics?
Let’s flip again time simply 15 years to the interval across the monetary disaster. Again then, Denmark was a reasonably nameless nation within the international, progressive robotics market. And Odense was finest often called the birthplace of the fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen.
As we speak, issues are very totally different. Danish robotics know-how has change into a worldwide seal of approval, and folks discuss robots as a lot as Lego bricks, wind vitality, and pharma when discussing the strengths of Danish business.
On the identical time, Odense has been a sponsor to the event of an entire new business — collaborative robots. Alongside the best way, it has change into one of many world’s main cities for robotics. It will as soon as once more be demonstrated when Odense hosts R-24 in March, one of many greatest European occasions of the yr for robots, drones, and automation.
I’m proud to as soon as once more be an envoy for this occasion. It should give attention to the inexperienced transition, the scarcity of expert labor, and rising applied sciences corresponding to synthetic intelligence. Along with superior robotics, these developments are reworking international business. I’ve been working with these transformations for 15 years and proceed to observe them with nice curiosity.
Cobots on the core of Danish robotics
Collaborative robots — also called cobots — are a know-how that I personally have labored intensively with in my hometown of Odense, first as chief business officer (CCO) at Common Robots (UR) after which as CEO of Cellular Industrial Robots (MiR).
Each corporations have been offered to American firm Teradyne. The sale of UR in 2015 confirmed that we have been doing one thing proper in Odense. The sale of MiR three years later actually demonstrated that Denmark — with Odense as its middle — had reached the highest of the worldwide robotics league.
Teradyne‘s investments prompted a ripple impact that has resulted in new robotics corporations. As we speak, Odense is house to greater than 160 corporations and organizations and employs roughly 3,600 folks. This makes it one of many European cities with the most individuals per capita employed within the robotics business.
Editor’s be aware: Ujjwal Kumar, group president for Teradyne Robotics, will ship a keynote deal with on the Robotics Summit & Expo on Might 2 in Boston.
As well as, Odense is now additionally house to one in every of Europe’s prime hubs for superior drone know-how within the type of UAS Denmark Take a look at Heart.
By 2022, a complete of greater than €1 billion [$1.08 billion U.S.] had been invested in robotics corporations in Funen [the Danish island where Odense is located].
With so many corporations in a comparatively small metropolis in a comparatively small nation [of about 6 million people], you is perhaps frightened that the native business would eat itself. However that isn’t the case. Odense’s robotics business continues to develop as a result of we assist each other and collaborate as a cluster.
Be taught from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and plenty of extra.
Odense Robotics nurtures robotics group
In Denmark, we’re shut to at least one one other, each geographically and culturally As we speak, Odense Robotics it’s a nationwide cluster with over 300 corporations using nearly 20,000 folks. This quantity is rising on a regular basis, and by 2025, we anticipate 24,000 folks to be employed within the cluster.
I imagine that one of many causes for this robust cluster is the Danish mentality, the place we have now nice belief in enterprise companions. Right here, information flows freely by means of robust relationships and a willingness to cooperate.
This cooperation extends past the person corporations. With academic establishments, such because the College of Southern Denmark (SDU), we alternate information with college students and researchers. On the identical time, we have now a great dialogue about related teaching programs in order that we all the time prepare the perfect and most certified workforce.
We contribute to one another’s growth with information and expertise, which signifies that we within the Danish robotics business proceed to develop. A lot in order that we’re increasing past Denmark’s borders, creating jobs globally and providing progressive options to industries throughout sectors everywhere in the world.
See Denmark’s success at R-24 in Odense
In different phrases, Denmark has succeeded in making a exceptional place of power in progressive robotics. Different international locations can study from our expertise, which is why I imagine that Odense is the suitable place to arrange R-24 in March.
Attendees will be capable of expertise the Danish robotics business firsthand and discover the cluster in Odense. After years on this business, I nonetheless look ahead to seeing the newest developments, progressive options, and a convention program with keynote audio system and presenters from everywhere in the world.
See you in Odense?
In regards to the creator
Thomas Visti has intensive worldwide expertise as half proprietor in addition to CCO of Common Robots and CEO of Cellular Industrial Robots, two of Denmark’s most profitable robotics corporations. He has been acknowledged with awards together with EY Entrepreneur of the yr for Denmark and CEO Entrepreneur of the yr for Europe in 2019.
Visti is a enterprise advisor for the Export and Funding Fund (EIFO) and is an lively participant in in a number of native and nationwide judging committees for startups and entrepreneurs. He’s the proprietor and chairman of Visti Limitless.