Two large Danish corporates and a family office are also investors in the fund.
Aarhus University is investing in a €80m ($94m) fund through its foundation to back spinouts and startups in east and central Denmark.
The fund, Delphinus Venture Capital, is also backed by Danish family office Heartland and Danish corporates Norlys, an energy and telecoms company, and Salling Group, a retailer.
The evergreen fund will invest in pre-seed to growth-stage ventures, with a longer-term perspective than traditional venture funds, according to a release.
Brian Bech Nielsen, chair of Aarhus University Research Foundation, said in the release: “This unique partnership being created in our region will ensure that research ideas are transformed into sustainable, commercially viable companies. Speaking for the university, I’m particularly excited that this major backing will give even more researchers the chance to finance their entrepreneurial ideas.”
The fund’s corporate partners bring a broader, business-oriented perspective on innovation and growth, Nielsen added.
Aarhus University is a public research university and the second largest in Denmark.
