Vision Our customers’ value increases the very moment they announce their partnership with Scion DTU.

Mission Scion DTU ensures knowledge-intensive companies the optimal framework for growth – all the way from research to business.

Reflections and visions from the CEO

'To make predictions about economy is just like driving a car with a blindfold on whilst being guided by a passenger who is facing backwards'.
Jes Asmussen, Handelsbanken.

Will we experience a quick upturn, a slow recovery, or will we see another break down? We do not know yet. There is, supposedly, light at the end of the tunnel, but the starting point of the upturn is extremely low this time.

Several industries are suffering: This concerns production companies in Jutland as well as biotech companies in particular. We knew that 2009 would be challenging for many of our clients, and that proved to be the case. 2010 has opened well for biotech industry leaders, but we fear that 2010 will be a demanding year. The main focus is obviously concentrated on the struggle for prolongation capital. This situation might also manifest itself way into 2011. Scion DTU must and will adapt the course and pace of the science park accordingly.

Responsible players describe the way forward as increasing the focus on knowledge production, green conduct and green technologies. Scion DTU's situation should be seen in that light.

The world learnt its lesson: 20-25 years of debt and credit crisis have resulted in a couple of years of recession. Therefore the answer must be that we will see a slow and much needed slow recovery: A process with debt reduction, with subdued activity, with new ground rules for banks, where we will see the economic imbalance shift from the private to the public sector, with sustained rigid credits etc. This is, however, a better scenario than a quick upturn (we have seen it before!) or another break down that sets a new all-time low.

When it comes to the economic situation, much depends on factors that are beyond our influence. Nevertheless, we do see a way forward. It may not be straightforward and without any bumps, but there is a way.

New format
This annual report, released in a completely new web-based format, will take you on a journey, allowing you to choose your line of interest, alight at different stations and read about the year that went by, our financial status, and how we, our clients and the world see the way forward in 2010.

There is no doubt that the way forward for Scion DTU itself is closely related to our vision: The fact that our clients' value increases the minute they announce their partnership with us commits Scion DTU to ensure a sustainable, commercially sound and innovative science park; a science park with strength and a brand acknowledged in the market, and a science park that helps support our clients in their work. And how are we going to obtain that?

This is done by ensuring our clients, the knowledge-intensive companies, optimal framework for growth – all the way from research to business.

Scion DTU will succeed in this mission, because
- we engage in close, continuous dialogue with our risk-classified clients and, therefore, are able to adjust the conditions in favour of the parties if necessary.
- we reduce the collective biotech footprint in the science park by accommodating new non-biotech clients.
- we are able to open up for new markets and collaborators by means of deep involvement in large cluster projects such as Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster and Medico Innovation.
- we actually make it possible to uphold the core of our business foundation, i.e. to erect new buildings, by generating massive awareness of the expansion possibilities at the science park towards relevant and potential clients.

The bright spots
Despite the difficult times and the economic situation, 2009 also presented some bright spots such as the opening of COBIS in Copenhagen and our commitment in the plans to establish a science park in Jutland. Both projects are a step in the right direction, but they will definitely pose challenges.

In 2009 the first tenants moved in at COBIS, which will now face difficult years trying to establish itself. The market is under pressure, the terms for financing are strict, the construction of the building is not completed – challenges to success that we, in collaboration with Symbion, simply have to overcome. Despite all that, we have had a good beginning, and it encourages us, it validates the vision behind COBIS, and we will utilise all the strength needed to ensure a solid future for this strategically well-placed science park.

Our focus in 2010 will remain on expanding the Science Park to include strategically important locations in Denmark other than Northern Zealand. The idea is to enable our nationwide owner, DTU, to provide science park facilities in other parts of the country. Many of the conditions are met, but not all. Nevertheless, Scion DTU is actively involved in clarifying the prospect of establishing science and development parks in Kolding and Roskilde.

These commitments are the way forward for Scion DTU and reveal a strong belief in the future, but also that we have to create it ourselves!