Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen
The Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen is a 500-year-old academic chemistry research and teaching unit offering BSc/MSc/PhD programs, running six chemistry sections across sustainability, health, quantum technologies, and materials, and partnering with industry on applied research and spinout commercialization.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersCopenhagen Ø, Denmark
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen does
The Department of Chemistry (Kemisk Institut) at the University of Copenhagen is one of the oldest and largest academic chemistry departments in Northern Europe, tracing its origins to the university's founding in 1479. The department conducts fundamental and applied chemistry research across six sections — analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, nanochemistry, and chemical biology — and organizes its priorities around four strategic themes: Sustainability, Health & Disease, Quantum Technologies, and Materials of the Future. It delivers bachelor's, master's, and PhD-level education in chemistry and serves as a primary source of STEM talent for Danish and Nordic industry and academia. Faculty include Nobel Laureate Morten Meldal (awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for click chemistry) and multiple European Research Council grant holders.
The department's business model is that of a public, grant-funded research institution rather than a commercial enterprise. Operating funding is drawn from the Danish government block grant, competitive research grants from foundations (Novo Nordisk Foundation, Danish National Research Foundation, Villum Foundation, Carlsberg Foundation, Lundbeck Foundation, Innovation Fund Denmark), and European programs (notably ERC grants), with aggregate competitive funding exceeding DKK 600M. Industry-funded research and licensing provide a secondary revenue layer; named industry partners include Grundfos, SP Group, Arla Foods, Nanocore, and Ambient Carbon. Technology outputs include peer-reviewed publications, patent portfolios, and proprietary chemistries such as the O-KEY® anti-counterfeiting platform, BAETA carbon-capture chemistry, and PERMA methane-removal chemistry, several of which have been spun out or licensed.
The department's near-term operational focus is on the December 2025 relocation to the new NBB building, scaling its quantum-technologies and materials research themes, executing long-duration programs such as the CHEAC Centre of Excellence (DKK 101.3M, 2020-2030), and operationalizing industry partnerships including PERMA with Arla Foods and FUTURPLAST composites work.
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen
- Legal name
- Kemisk Institut - Københavns Universitet
- Website
- https://ki.ku.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Department of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen is a 500-year-old academic chemistry research and teaching unit offering BSc/MSc/PhD programs, running six chemistry sections across sustainability, health, quantum technologies, and materials, and partnering with industry on applied research and spinout commercialization.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Academic Chemistry Research and Education
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro industry
- Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based)Chemistry Enrichment ProgramsEducation/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/STEM Enrichment & Science ProgramsChemicalsEducation/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)Laboratory & R&D Chemical Waste ManagementBusiness & Public Services/Waste Management & Remediation Services/Industrial & Chemical Waste Management
Keywords
Where Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen Ø
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Public Research Funding (Government Block Grant): Core institutional funding from the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science allocated to the Faculty of Science for research and teaching activities.
- Sponsored Research Grants: Funding from Danish National Research Foundation (Danmarks Grundforskningsfond), Novo Nordisk Foundation, Carlsbergfondet, Villum Fonden, Lundbeck Foundation, and ERC grants. These fund specific research projects, centers, and infrastructure.
- Industry Collaboration and Contract Research: Revenue from collaborative research projects, strategic partnerships, and licensing of inventions to Danish and international companies. Joint research projects involve co-financed arrangements where companies contribute resources.
- Analysis Services: The department offers paid analytical services including atomic absorption, CD/MCD measurements, elemental analysis, EPR spectroscopy, IR/Raman spectrometry, mass spectrometry, and NMR spectrometry to external clients such as companies, research projects, and gymnasium schools.
- Student Tuition and Government Education Funding: Government-funded education allocations for bachelor's, master's, PhD, and continuing education programs in chemistry, nanoscience, and medicinal chemistry.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | External analysis services available to companies, research institutions, and gymnasium schools |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Department of Chemistry is an academic unit within the University of Copenhagen that conducts fundamental and applied research across six disciplinary sections (inorganic, organic, nano, physical, analytical, and medicinal chemistry). It delivers BSc, MSc, and PhD degree programmes in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Nanoscience, and operates shared analytical facilities offering NMR, mass spectrometry, EPR, IR/Raman, CD/MCD, and elemental analysis services to internal and external users.
Product overview
The Department of Chemistry (Kemisk Institut) at the University of Copenhagen is an academic research institution offering undergraduate and graduate education programs in Chemistry, Nanoscience, and Medicinal Chemistry. It does not offer commercial software products or services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry
Quantifiable outcome
- BAETA material achieves CO2 capture efficiency comparable to existing carbon capture technologies, using waste PET plastic as raw material, with synthesis at room temperature suitable for industrial scaling
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- GrundfoscoreGrundfos is participating in the FUTURPLAST project alongside the Department of Chemistry, SP Group, and Nanocore. The project, funded by Innovation Fund Denmark (DKK 19.5M), aims to develop next-generation circular, ultra-strong, lightweight composite materials based on Nanocore's LASSO technology. Grundfos contributes industrial prototyping and application-driven testing with the goal of improving pump energy efficiency and reducing material consumption.
- SP GroupcoreSP Group (Danish industrial group for plastic processing and technical components, 2,800 employees across 15 production companies in 13 countries) is collaborating in FUTURPLAST to enable metal replacement in industrial applications using strong, lightweight, scalable, and recyclable plastic composites, supporting lower weight, more efficient production, and reduced climate footprint.
- NanocorecoreNanocore provides its patented LASSO technology platform for carbon nanotube reinforcement of plastics, enabling ultra-strong materials for industrial production of components used in pumps, aircraft, cars, ships, and wind turbines. Professor Michael Pittelkow and the department contribute molecular structure understanding and materials research.
- Ambient CarboncoreAmbient Carbon is the technology provider for the PERMA Full-Scale MEPS project, further developing and implementing photochemical methane removal technology invented at the Department of Chemistry. The startup integrates the MEPS system into agricultural settings to achieve 75-90% methane removal from farm air exhaust.
- Arla FoodscoreArla Foods is an industry partner in the PERMA project, hosting a full-scale MEPS unit at a dairy farm with 100 cows to demonstrate methane and ammonia removal from barn air exhaust systems, targeting low-methane milk production by 2028.
- Aarhus UniversitycoreAarhus University (specifically Niels Christian Nielsen's research group) collaborates on the PERMA project and the BAETA CO2 capture material development, contributing complementary expertise in chemistry and agricultural applications.
- QEX Consortium (EuroHPC Joint Undertaking)coreQEX (Quantum Excellence) is a European Quantum Excellence Centre under EuroHPC Joint Undertaking, co-managed by Denmark and the Netherlands with contributions from Ireland, Spain, and Germany. Danish universities (UCPH, SDU, DTU, AAU, AU, CBS) dedicate 440 man-months. Professor Stephan P.A. Sauer serves on the Scientific Committee. Total budget: 10 million EUR (DKK 75M). Part of Denmark's DKK 1.2B national quantum strategy (2023-2027).
- Center for Protein Design (CPD)minorProfessor Knud J. Jensen from the Department of Chemistry collaborates with the new Center for Protein Design, which is funded by Novo Nordisk Foundation to develop AI-based synthetic proteins with functions not found in nature, for applications in health and climate.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Scripps Research Institute: Scripps Research is a large, US-based non-profit chemistry and biomedical research institute with comparable grant scale, Nobel heritage, and translational pipeline into biotech spinouts. Broader research mandate than a single university department but comparable in scientific scale.
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Otto Hahn Institute): Max Planck Institute for Chemistry is a major German non-university research institute in chemistry with comparable research scale, Nobel-affiliated faculty, and large-scale grant capture. Functions as a research-only peer rather than teaching department, but operates at similar scientific standing.
Regional players
- Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University: Aarhus Chemistry is a direct regional peer and co-collaborator on BAETA (with Niels Christian Nielsen's group) and other initiatives. Competes for Danish foundation grants and shares the Danish chemistry talent pool.
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark (DTU): DTU Chemistry is Denmark's other leading chemistry department, with overlapping Danish foundation funding sources, industrial partnerships with Danish firms, and active competition for talent and grants. Regional peer in the same country and funding ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology: MIT Chemistry is a leading US university chemistry department with comparable scale, research sections spanning inorganic/organic/physical/biological chemistry, sustained foundation and federal grant capture, and a robust spinout ecosystem for deeptech chemistry inventions.
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich: ETH Zurich's chemistry department is a top European university chemistry department with comparable breadth across organic, inorganic, physical, and biological chemistry, Nobel laureate affiliations, large ERC and foundation grant capture, and a deeptech spinout pipeline. Most directly comparable peer by mission, scale, and reputation.
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University: Stanford Chemistry is a top US university chemistry department with comparable research sections, sustained federal and private grant capture, and a strong track record of chemistry startup formation, paralleling UCPH's O-KEY/BAETA/PERMA spinout activity.
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London: Imperial Chemistry combines university-based chemistry research with strong industrial collaboration models and shared analytical facilities, mirroring UCPH's industry partnership approach (e.g., ErhvervsPhD equivalents, strategic industry consortia). Comparable in European research standing.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford: Oxford's Chemistry Department is a flagship European chemistry department with similar six-section research breadth, large industrial partnerships (e.g., with pharma), and historical Nobel affiliations. Operates under the same university-research model with grant-driven funding.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge: Cambridge's Chemistry Department operates the same model: university-based chemistry research and education across multiple subdisciplines with deep Nobel heritage, major UK research council and ERC grant capture, and strong industry partnerships. Direct peer in scope and structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen social profiles
Digital presenceDepartment of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen
What does Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen do?
The Department of Chemistry is an academic unit within the University of Copenhagen that conducts fundamental and applied research across six disciplinary sections (inorganic, organic, nano, physical, analytical, and medicinal chemistry). It delivers BSc, MSc, and PhD degree programmes in Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, and Nanoscience, and operates shared analytical facilities offering NMR, mass spectrometry, EPR, IR/Raman, CD/MCD, and elemental analysis services to internal and external users.
Is Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen a public or private company?
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen founded?
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen was founded in -1. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen based?
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen is headquartered in Copenhagen Ø, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Public Research Funding (Government Block Grant) is the primary driver. The others are sponsored Research Grants, industry Collaboration and Contract Research, analysis Services and student Tuition and Government Education Funding.
Who are Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Scripps Research Institute and Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (Otto Hahn Institute). Regional players are Department of Chemistry, Aarhus University and Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark (DTU). Direct peers are Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zurich, Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford and Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge.
Does Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen have an API?
No public API is recorded for Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen.
What industry is Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen in?
Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen's product category is Academic Chemistry Research and Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAGAI, Biomedical Sciences & Medical Research Institutes (University-Based), with a secondary code of EDAMABAG, Chemistry Enrichment Programs. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.