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Robotics leaders similar to MiR and UR will exhibit at R-24. Supply: Put money into Odense

The Danish metropolis of Odense has 200,000 residents, however how did it develop 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 world, modern robotics market. And Odense was finest often known as the birthplace of the fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen.

Right now, issues are very totally different. Danish robotics expertise has develop into a worldwide seal of approval, and folks speak about robots as a lot as Lego bricks, wind vitality, and pharma when discussing the strengths of Danish business.

On the similar time, Odense has been a sponsor to the event of an entire new business — collaborative robots. Alongside the way in which, it has develop into one of many world’s main cities for robotics. This can as soon as once more be demonstrated when Odense hosts R-24 in March, one of many largest European occasions of the yr for robots, drones, and automation.

Thomas Visti is a serial robotics entrepreneur. Supply: LinkedIn

I’m proud to as soon as once more be an envoy for this occasion. It’s going to concentrate on the inexperienced transition, the scarcity of expert labor, and rising applied sciences similar to synthetic intelligence. Along with superior robotics, these tendencies are reworking world 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 — often known as cobots — are a expertise that I actually 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 firms had been offered to American firm Teradyne. The sale of UR in 2015 confirmed that we had 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 induced a ripple impact that has resulted in new robotics firms. Right now, Odense is residence to greater than 160 firms and organizations and employs roughly 3,600 individuals. This makes it one of many European cities with the most individuals per capita employed within the robotics business.

Editor’s observe: Ujjwal Kumar, group president for Teradyne Robotics, will ship a keynote tackle on the Robotics Summit & Expo on Could 2 in Boston.

As well as, Odense is now additionally residence to one in every of Europe’s prime hubs for superior drone expertise within the type of UAS Denmark Check Middle.

By 2022, a complete of greater than €1 billion [$1.08 billion U.S.] had been invested in robotics firms in Funen [the Danish island where Odense is located].

With so many firms in a comparatively small metropolis in a comparatively small nation [of about 6 million people], you may be fearful that the native business would eat itself. However that’s not 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 Right now, Odense Robotics it’s a nationwide cluster with over 300 firms using virtually 20,000 individuals. This quantity is rising on a regular basis, and by 2025, we count on 24,000 individuals to be employed within the cluster. 

I consider that one of many causes for this robust cluster is the Danish mentality, the place we now have nice belief in enterprise companions. Right here, data flows freely by robust relationships and a willingness to cooperate.

This cooperation extends past the person firms. With instructional establishments, such because the College of Southern Denmark (SDU), we change data with college students and researchers. On the similar time, we now have an excellent dialogue about related education schemes in order that we at all times prepare the most effective and most certified workforce. 

We contribute to one another’s growth with data 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 modern options to industries throughout sectors all around the world.

See Denmark’s success at R-24 in Odense

In different phrases, Denmark has succeeded in making a outstanding place of energy in modern robotics. Different nations can be taught from our expertise, which is why I consider that Odense is the fitting 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 stay up for seeing the newest developments, modern options, and a convention program with keynote audio system and presenters from all around the world.

See you in Odense?

Concerning the writer

Thomas Visti has in depth 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 firms. 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 guide for the Export and Funding Fund (EIFO) and is an energetic participant in in a number of native and nationwide judging committees for startups and entrepreneurs. He’s the proprietor and chairman of Visti Limitless.