News & Analysis

Space Connect North: Denmark’s new space industry cluster

23rd January 2025
Harry Fowle
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The satellite and space industry is experiencing rapid growth—not just in Northern Denmark but worldwide. To accelerate this growth and drive job creation, Space Connect North has been established

The cluster’s members include Aalborg University, Gatehouse Satcom, Sternula, Necas, Rohde & Schwarz Technology Center, Satlab, Spacecom, GOMspace, Danphone, Invest in Aalborg, Keysight Technologies, Trusted, Hytek, PRI-DANA Elektronik, Cobham Satcom, and Quadsat. Together, they aim to collaborate and expand their reach to attract more international customers and technology partnerships.

Most of these companies already have advanced technologies orbiting Earth, demonstrating their capabilities as “space-proven” industry leaders. For Gatehouse Satcom, a founding member based in Nørresundby, Denmark, the cluster is vital to amplifying the commercial momentum that the region's space companies are already experiencing.

"To my knowledge, there's no other place in Europe where so many established space and satellite companies are located in such a concentrated area. This makes Northern Denmark a natural destination for global companies seeking products, technology, or research collaborations," says Kenney Schmidt Christiansen, CEO of Gatehouse Satcom.

Academic collaboration for innovation

Aalborg University, another founding partner, sees the cluster as an opportunity to link academia and industry. Professor Petar Popovski, a global authority in communication technology, emphasises the benefits:

"Aalborg University educates a significant number of students with competencies relevant to the space and satellite industry. Through this cluster, we can align research and education with industry demands and involve businesses in shaping our research agenda. Additionally, the cluster will attract more space-focused students to the region," says Popovski. Earlier this year, he received DKK 60 million from the Danish National Research Foundation to establish a Centre of Excellence in quantum communication technology.

Strengthening Denmark's space ecosystem

For global players like Rohde & Schwarz, the world’s second-largest satellite testing company, the cluster presents an excellent opportunity to deepen collaboration and enhance the industry’s strengths.

"Northern Denmark’s space companies are already significant players in the global market. However, the industry is evolving rapidly, and the cluster will facilitate knowledge-sharing, cross-industry collaboration, and further strengthen the region's leadership in space technology," says Kristian Sørensen, Technical Director at Rohde & Schwarz Technology Centre in Aalborg.

Talent attraction and job creation

A key benefit of Space Connect North is the establishment of a centralised job portal for member companies.

"While Aalborg University produces excellent talent, we also need to attract highly skilled professionals from across Denmark and the world. Our shared job portal will give potential employees confidence that they are joining not just one company but an entire ecosystem of exciting opportunities," explains Claus Svendsen, HR Director at Gatehouse Satcom.

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