DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

What DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering does

DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is a public academic department within the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), a state university under the Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science, headquartered in Lyngby with a secondary engineering/R&D site at the Risø Campus in Roskilde. Founded in 2003 and employing approximately 101 staff, the department conducts research and delivers education across product design, process design, and sustainable production for the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and energy technology industries. Its portfolio comprises seven specialized research centers and facilities — AT CERE (applied thermodynamics), BioCon (biological conversions), PROSYS (process and system engineering), CHEC (catalysis and high-temperature engineering), CoaST (coatings science and technology), DPC (Danish Polymer Centre), and PILOT PLANT (pilot-scale experimental design) — plus the KT Consortium industry-academia collaboration platform and international programs FBM (Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing) and AIM-Bio. The department offers MSc, PhD, Summer University, and professional continuing education programs alongside commissioned industry research and commercial pilot plant services.

The department's funding model is structurally diversified: Danish government appropriations form the base, supplemented by competitive research grants (notably the DKK 14M CO2MAN project funded primarily by the EUDP climate-tech programme in 2025), industry-sponsored research cooperation with Danish and international firms, tuition and fees from degree programs, and commercial pilot plant testing and consultancy services. Its 2025 strategic focus includes the AI-enabled CO2MAN solvent discovery partnership with Hafnium Labs, Ørsted, and Pentair Union Engineering, and a 2026-launched KT Entrepreneurial Researchers Club with dedicated in-house entrepreneur and innovation faculty hires to accelerate spinout generation — an area where the department ranks among the most active at DTU in early-stage innovation funding. Customer relationships are anchored by an advisory board including H. Lundbeck, 21st.BIO, Teknologisk Institut, and FLSmidth, providing structured industry input into education and research priorities.

Name

DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Legal name

Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark

Website

https://kt.dtu.dk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is a public Danish university department within the Technical University of Denmark that conducts research and education in chemical and biochemical engineering, serving the chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and energy industries through seven research centers, pilot plant facilities, and industry collaboration programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research in Chemical Engineering

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Engineering Services (541330)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Stack/Source Emissions Testing & CEMS Support (EUAHACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Chemical Management & Toxic Substances Compliance (TSCA, REACH, GHS/SDS, PFAS Programs) (EUAHABAE), Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Chemical engineering research
• Biochemical process design
• Pilot plant testing
• Fermentation education programs
• University research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kgs. Lyngby

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Research and Education Funding: As a public university department, DTU Chemical Engineering operates primarily through government funding, tuition fees, and research grants from programmes like EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme).
2. Industry Research Cooperation: Research cooperation with Danish industry and international companies, including commissioned research and consultancy services for the chemical, biotech, pharma, foods, and energy sectors.
3. Commercial Services: The department offers commercial services through its pilot plant facilities and expertise, providing testing, analysis, and experimental services to external partners.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is an academic department within the Technical University of Denmark that conducts research and provides higher education in chemical and biochemical engineering. Its activities centre on product design, process design and production for the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and energy technology industries, delivered through specialised research centres (AT CERE, BioCon, PROSYS, CHEC, CoaST, DPC, Pilot Plant), degree programmes (BSc, MSc, PhD), professional and Summer University courses, industry cooperation via the KT Consortium, and commercial pilot-plant testing and consultancy services.

Product overview

DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering is an academic department offering research and education in chemical and biochemical engineering. The portfolio consists of multiple research centers (AT CERE, BioCon, PROSYS, CHEC, CoaST, DPC), specialized facilities (Pilot Plant), and collaborative programs (Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing Initiative, AIM-Bio, KT Consortium, Summer University). The department conducts research in areas including product design, process design, and production for chemical, pharmaceutical, food and energy technology industries. Notable technology initiatives include the CO2MAN project employing AI for molecular optimization in solvent development for CO2 capture applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing Initiative (FBM): Research-based expert education in fermentation at Master, PhD, and professional levels
• AIM-Bio
• Summer University

Products and services

• PhD Programme Research-based doctoral education programme in chemical and biochemical engineering for prospective PhD students, supporting advanced research projects and academic qualifications.
• Summer University Annual experimental course in chemical engineering and process technology for international students, conducted in the department's large and modern pilot plant facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 capture solvents 25% more efficient and 15% cheaper than current solutions
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Hafnium LabscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2025Project partner in the CO2MAN project developing AI for screening over a billion possible solvents for more efficient CO2 capture. Hafnium Labs developed the AI specifically for this purpose, trained on published solvent data and computer simulations.
• ØrstedmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Project partner in the CO2MAN project. Following successful laboratory testing and pilot plant validation, the alternative solvent will be tested at Ørsted's facility.
• Pentair Union EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Project partner in the CO2MAN project focused on developing a solvent that is 25% more efficient and 15% cheaper for CO2 capture.
• KT ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry-academia collaboration where members are provided networking opportunities and state-of-the-art methods and tools for chemical and biochemical engineering with emphasis in Process Systems Engineering, applied thermodynamics, and property prediction.
• AIM-Bio (Accelerated Innovation in Manufacturing Biologics)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn international collaborative addressing the future needs of the biopharmaceutical industry, involving multiple international partners.
• Fermentation Based Biomanufacturing InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch-based expert education in fermentation on Master, PhD, and professional level, providing specialized training and research collaboration.
• H. Lundbeck A/SmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented by Lars Bang, Executive Vice President, on the Advisory Board providing guidance on department activities within education, research, and innovation.
• 21st.BIOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented by Per Falholt, Chief Scientific Officer, on the Advisory Board providing guidance on department activities within education, research, and innovation.
• Teknologisk Institut (Danish Technological Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented by Susanne Grøn, Head of Upscaling, Biosolutions Technology Center, on the Advisory Board providing guidance on department activities within education, research, and innovation.
• FLSmidth A/SmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresented by Carsten Riisberg Lund, former Group Executive Vice President, on the Advisory Board providing guidance on department activities within education, research, and innovation.
• DTU SkylabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Partner Shehnaz Atchia Westergaard from DTU Skylab co-founded the KT Entrepreneurial Researchers Club, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship among researchers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Hafnium Labs: AI-for-chemicals startup that developed the AI screening tool for DTU's CO2MAN project. Operates in the same AI-for-molecular-discovery space and could emerge as a competitor or commercialization vehicle for the technology.
• Carbon Clean: Solvent-based CO2 capture technology company pursuing the same end-market that DTU's CO2MAN project targets. Direct downstream competitor for any commercially deployed solvent from the CO2MAN research.

Direct peers

• ETH Zürich - Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences: Comparable European technical university chemistry and chemical engineering department with multi-center research structure, industry partnerships, and similar scope across catalysis, process engineering, and sustainable chemical production.
• Imperial College London - Department of Chemical Engineering: UK chemical engineering department with overlapping research areas including sustainable processes, CO2 capture, bioprocess engineering, and strong industry consortium model analogous to the KT Consortium.
• MIT Department of Chemical Engineering: World-leading chemical engineering department with parallel research thrusts in process systems, catalysis, polymers, biomanufacturing, and energy — directly comparable in mission and academic-industrial scope.
• TU Delft - Chemical Engineering: Dutch chemical engineering department operating in similar European industrial-academic context with comparable research in process intensification, sustainable chemistry, and bio-based production.
• TU München - Department of Chemical Engineering: German university chemical engineering department with comparable research depth in catalysis, process systems, and energy/CO2 technologies, serving European industrial partners.
• Chalmers University of Technology - Chemical Engineering: Swedish peer with closely aligned research in sustainable chemical production, energy, and bioprocess engineering, often co-funded by Nordic industry consortia.
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology - Chemical Engineering: Nordic peer institution (also operating from Sweden) with overlapping chemical and biochemical engineering research portfolio and similar industry partnership models for energy and process industries.

Regional players

• Pentair Union Engineering: Danish-headquartered CO2 capture engineering partner on the CO2MAN project. Comparable in subject-matter focus (CO2 capture solvents/processes) and operates in the same Danish industrial ecosystem as DTU.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/DTUtweet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DTUbroadcast
• Facebookfacebook.com/dtudk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dtu-chemical-and-biochemical-engineering
• Instagraminstagram.com/dtudk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DTU Chemical and Biochemical Engineering