Hvordan kan startups og ny teknologi være med til at udvikle Aarhus? Hvad skal politikerne prioritere i næste valgperiode?

​Danske Tech Startups og Startup Aarhus inviterer til en valgdebat, hvor vi stiller skarpt på, hvordan iværksættere kan bidrage til byens velfærd, klima, mobilitet og erhvervsudvikling. Kommunalpolitik handler i høj grad om rammerne for hverdagen, men også om at skabe de bedste forudsætninger for innovation, vækst, nye arbejdspladser - og for at starte og vokse virksomhed i Aarhus.

​Startups er kendetegnet ved at være hurtige til at udvikle nye løsninger - ofte på netop de områder, hvor kommunerne står over for store udfordringer. Alligevel oplever mange iværksættere, at det er svært at komme i spil i kommunale sammenhænge. Udbud, samarbejdsmodeller og risikovillighed er blot nogle af de barrierer, der skal overvindes, hvis byens innovationskraft skal udnyttes fuldt ud.

​Til debatten samler vi startups og kommunalvalgskandidater for at  diskutere:

• ​Hvordan kan kommunen bedst sikre, at startups bliver aktive medspillere i at løse byens udfordringer?
• ​Hvilken rolle kan AI og digitale løsninger spille i fremtidens velfærd?
• ​Hvad bør politikerne prioritere, hvis Aarhus skal være blandt Europas bedste byer at starte og skalere virksomhed i?

​Deltagende byrådskandidater:

• ​Steffen Skovfoged, Venstre
• ​Metin Lindved Aydin, Radikale Venstre
• ​Shawn Patrick Owens, Det Konservative Folkeparti
• ​Sarah Jarsbo, Enhedslisten

​Debattens ordstyrer er Mette Hoberg Tønnesen fra Startup Aarhus.

​Kom og vær med til en inspirerende eftermiddag, hvor vi sætter startup-perspektivet ind i kommunalpolitikken og ser på, hvordan lokale beslutninger kan skabe global impact.

Join us for this edition of VC Series with Creator Fund. The event is for Aarhus based startups and scaleups.

Program

14:00 - Arrival, networking and drinks

14:30 - Short welcome by Startup Aarhus

14.35 - Introduction to Creator Fund

14.50 - Fundraising for Deep Tech startups

15:15 - Q&A, 1on 1's, and networking

16.00 - Thank you and goodbye!

ABOUT THE EVENT
This morning we’re joined by Faundit, a start-up that helps hotels reunite guests with their lost belongings. They’ll share their journey of turning a simple idea into a growing business, and what it’s like to build a company from scratch while being a fulltime university student.

For the very first time, INCUBA is bringing an exclusive tech female founder pitch event to Aarhus – hosted together with their strong partners.

Join them for an inspiring afternoon where top tech female founders pitch their companies live, followed by networking, drinks, and snacks.

Please note: The programme will be in Danish, but some pitching founders may present in English.

Agenda

15:00 – 15:20 Welcome – Incuba & introductions by: Nordea · DanBAN · Tech Nordic Advocates · EIFO

15:20 – 16:20 Pitches from 6 outstanding female founders → Each founder: 4 min. pitch + short Q&A (approx. 2 questions)

16:20 – 17:00 Roundtables, open discussions, networking with drinks & snacks 🍸🥂

This is your chance to be part of the very first pitch event of its kind in Aarhus – showcasing the strength and potential of female-led tech companies.

‍

Om workshoppen

Vil du have en bedre teknologiforståelse, et dybere kendskab til kunstig intelligens og har du lyst til at prøve kræfter både med kode og NoCode-værktøjer?

Så er det nu, du skal sætte kryds i kalenderen. Weekenden giver dig en grundlæggende forståelse for kodning og teknologi, så du er bedre klædt på til at realisere dine iværksætterideer eller andre projekter. Du vil få en introduktion til kode helt fra bunden og vi skal lege med NoCode-værktøjer, hvor vi kan bygge digitale løsninger uden at skrive en eneste linje kode.

Vi kan love dig en fantastisk hyggelig weekend i AUs iværksætter hub The Kitchen. Her holder vi et dejligt digitalt lejrbål, med plads til at hygge sammen med andre, der også gerne vil lege med kode.

Igennem kurset får du:

Viden om brug af teknologi, kunstig intelligens og digitalisering i forbindelse med iværksætteri.

En basal forståelse for kunstig intelligens, udvikling af hjemmesider og de dertilhørende kodningssprog.

Udvidet dit ordforråd, så du nemmere kan kommunikere med IT-eksperter og stille relevante spørgsmål i forbindelse med udvikling af digitale løsninger og produkter.

Større kendskab til NoCode-værktøjer, hvor du kan bygge digitale løsninger uden at skrive en eneste linje kode.

Du kan forvente en introduktion til:

Begreberne kunstig intelligens (AI), data og machine learning

Programmeringssproget Python samt hands-on øvelser med Python

Webudvikling og den bagvedliggende arkitektur

HTML-kodning som i dag bruges i hjemmeside- og appudvikling

NoCode-værktøjer, som bruges til at bygge digitale løsninger uden kode

Og et nyt netværk med andre ligesindede, hvor der er plads til vidensdeling og støtte.

Krav for deltagelse:

Da vi gerne vil have en dedikeret deltagergruppe på weekenden, screener vi alle tilmeldinger. Du er derfor først officielt tilmeldt, når du modtager en bekræftelse derpå.

Det er IKKE et krav, at du har kodet før eller har erfaring med de teknologier vi gennemgår i løbet af weekenden. Vi lærer det i fællesskab!

Weekenden er for kvinder eller personer som identificerer sig som kvinder.

Du skal være studerende eller ansat på Aarhus Universitet

‍

ABOUT THE EVENT
Founders’ Entry is your way of becoming a member of The Kitchen and accessing our services.
You will get access to office facilities, advisory services, funding, advanced workshops, and more. Everything is aimed at helping your startup succeed.

PROGRAM
– Welcome and intro. to The Kitchen
– Presentation of and by participating startups
– Meet a startup from The Kitchen, incl. tour of the house

WHAT YOU NEED TO JOIN THE KITCHEN
To become a part of The Kitchen you need an idea – but what qualifies as an idea?
At The Kitchen, no ideas are too small, too big, or undercooked. If you’ve spotted a problem you want to solve, have research with commercial potential or a product/service you want to develop, then that is already a start!

When should you join?
As soon as you have an idea, sign up for Founder’s Entry! Don’t wait until everything is fully baked. No matter where you are on the journey, we are here to support you.

Why join early?
Because our community and experts can guide you through shaping and validating your idea – no matter how loose it may be right now. Our workshops and advisory service can help you build and grow your business.

As a member of The Kitchen, we expect you to take active part in our community, be the initiator of your project and take responsibility for your own process.
You or one from your founding team must be a researcher, student, or an employee at Aarhus University.

STILL IN DOUBT?
If you want to be a part of The Kitchen, but you need more information before attending Founders’ Entry, do not hesitate to contact us on thekitchen@au.dk

PRACTICALITIES
Date: 3 November 2025
Time: 2:00-3:30 PM
Place: The Kitchen, Universitetsbyen 14, 8000 Aarhus C

‍

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

A Customer Relationship Management tool (CRM tool) is your startup’s commercial control board. It becomes key when designing and managing your customer journeys and they help you close as many customers as you can and lets you automate parts of your sales efforts.

When using CRM tools, you take a structured and strategic approach to managing and analyzing customer interactions, making the most of all your customer interactions.  At the same time, it becomes a treasure trove of data to support your business case to investors, funding applications and financial forecasting in your startup.

CRM-systems come in many different shapes and sizes. In this workshop we will cover CRM-systems from a basic spreadsheet to dedicated CRM-software and build-it-yourself with NoCode/LowCode tools.

We will cover the pros and cons of different methods and help you assess which CRM-system is the best fit for your startup and help you get started.

‍

YOU WILL GET

• An understanding of why startups use CRM – even early stage
• Introductions to 3 types of implementable CRM tools
• Hacks and tips to how to get started for free

‍

PRACTICAL INFO

DATE: November 5, 2025
TIME: 9.00-12.00
LOCATION: Conference Room, The Kitchen
SIGN UP: sign up link available from mid-September

Workshops that take place after November 1 will not open for sign-ups until mid-September. This is due to the implementation of a new event management system at Aarhus University. We apologize for the inconvenience.

‍

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Are you seeking private investors? Prepare yourself to navigate the funding process with confidence.

Securing private funding for the first time often raises important questions:

• What type of investor should we contact, how and when?
• How much equity should we offer and at what valuation?
• What ticks the boxes for private investors?

At this workshop we equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to raise private capital successfully.

‍

YOU WILL GET   

• An intro to investor types, funding rounds and types of investments.
• A Cap-table Excel spreadsheet to plan future ownership distribution.
• Expert tips to make you irresistibly appealing to investors

P.S. If you’re exploring alternative funding avenues like public soft funding, be sure to check out our “Finding the right funding for your startup” workshop!

‍

PRACTICAL INFO

DATE: November 6, 2025
TIME: 9.00-12.00
LOCATION: Conference Room
SIGN UP: sign up link available from mid-September

Workshops that take place after November 1 will not open for sign-ups until mid-September. This is due to the implementation of a new event management system at Aarhus University. We apologize for the inconvenience.

‍

Mastering your startup’s financial future
Financially sound operations are key to any startup that wants to be in the market for the long run. However, accurately predicting a startup’s future financial standing presents a challenging task.

‍

Ever wondered:

• Will your startup ever achieve profitability?
• When do you potentially run out of cash?
• Do you need investment or alternative sources of cash? And if so, how much and when?

In this workshop, you’ll acquire the essential skills to craft your own cash flow statement and forecast your financial trajectory.

‍

Who should attend?
This workshop is tailored for startups that anticipate incurring development costs before reaching profitability. No prior financial expertise is necessary – all you need are basic Excel skills and a positive attitude.

Y

OU WILL GET

• A Financial Forecast Excel spreadsheet to start plotting your numbers and foresee your startup’s financial future.
• A Cash Flow Excel spreadsheet that keeps you informed about potential cash shortages.

P.S. If you’re exploring sources of funding, be sure to check out our “Finding the right funding for your startup” workshop

‍

PRACTICAL INFO
DATE: November 12, 2025
TIME: 12.30-15.30
LOCATION: Conference Room, The Kitchen
SIGN UP: sign up link available from mid-September

Workshops that take place after November 1 will not open for sign-ups until mid-September. This is due to the implementation of a new event management system at Aarhus University. We apologize for the inconvenience.

‍

An Open Entrepreneurship event on Tech Entrepreneurship in the Defence Sector

ABOUT THE EVENT
How does a startup navigate the complex landscape of the defence industry? What does it take to sell to the Danish Defence, and how do you finance your tech company when the focus is on dual-use tech-nology?

We invite you to an afternoon where we focus on deep-tech and entrepreneurship in the defence sector. We dive into everything from digital solutions and drones to advanced surveillance technology, and discuss the boundaries between civil, public, and military application. Gain insight into the unique challenges and opportunities awaiting tech entrepreneurs in the growing defence sector.

Hear inspiring stories and get concrete advice from:

- An innovative startup successfully selling to the defence

- A leading researcher working with groundbreaking technology

- An experienced funding specialist focusing on early stage defence tech

‍

How can we bring more women and more perspectives into Danish entrepreneurship?

We bring together founders and stakeholders to share experiences and build connections across industries.

The topics cover a wide range – from pitching techniques to funding and scaling – and across all sectors.

Join the network where we celebrate entrepreneurship and diversity.

Deadlines
Registration deadline: November 13, 2025
Cancellation deadline: November 13, 2025

‍

Join us on Women’s Entrepreneurship Day for a special Morning Talk with Gina Perier, co-founder of Lapee – the world’s first female urinal designed to make public spaces more equal.

Urinals for men have been around for a long time, but women and people who squat to pee have long been overlooked — they queue 34 times longer for toilets than men.

Relieving themselves often becomes time-consuming, unhygienic, and in the worst cases, unsafe.

To solve that problem, Gina Perier and her partner designed Lapee – a simple, practical solution to a long-standing example of gender inequality. Lapee gives women and people who squat to pee a quick, safe, and hygienic solution at events and in public spaces.

At this Morning Talk, Gina will share the story behind founding Lapee, her journey as an entrepreneur and designer, and how innovation can drive social change.

Free breakfast will be served. So join us from 8.15, grab coffee and a bun, and join the conversation!

PROGRAM

8.15-8.30: Check-in and breakfast
8.30-9.00: The story of Lapee w. Gina Perier
9.00-9.20: Facilitated Q&A

PRACTICAL INFO

DATE: November 19 from 8.15-9.20
LOCATION: Playground, The Kitchen
CATERING: Buns, cheese and coffee/tea

ABOUT THE WORKSHOP

Are you new to the world of Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales? This workshop is designed to demystify the key elements that drive success in selling products and services directly to consumers.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a new sales professional, or simply curious about how businesses connect with customers, this session will provide you with practical insights and strategies.

Workshop Objectives: Our workshop will break down the complex world of B2C sales into 4 essential components, helping participants understand how successful companies create and maintain strong customer relationships.

More and more corporates are exploring ways to engage with the venture ecosystem – not just through direct startup investments or accelerators, but by becoming LPs in VC funds. This model can open doors to deal flow, strategic insights, and long-term partnerships, but it also requires a clear strategy, internal alignment, and the right fund fit.

In this session, we’ll hear perspectives from both sides of the table:

• VCs who are actively looking for corporate LPs
• Corporates who have already taken the leap

You’ll get inspiration, honest reflections and concrete input on how to approach the LP role – as well as the opportunity to meet a selection of funds looking to engage with corporates.

Please note – Sign up required to participate!

‍

ABOUT CAPITAL CONNECT
Capital Connect is created by the investor ecosystem in Aarhus as an informal “Open-Office-Hours” opportunity for you as a promising entrepreneur/startup to meet investors. The attending investors vary from event to event, as each quarterly edition brings together a new mix of committed investors – all ready to support and advise you

At Capital Connect, you have the chance to:

• Talk to private and public funding facilities for advice
• Test your pitch
• Seek investment advice and opportunities for your startup

You will participate in informal 1:1 sessions of 20-30 minutes duration with investors and receive valuable insights and connections to accelerate your capital journey.

‍

WHO YOU CAN MEET
At the event, you can potentially meet Accelerace, Antler, AURA Ventures, Basecamp Invest, BioInnovation Institute, Christian Nielsens Fond, Danish Business Angels, EIFO Eksport- & Investeringsfonden, Founderment, Greenwise Invest, Heartcore, ICP, Innovationsfonden, Keystones, Nordic Makers, People Ventures, PreSeed Ventures, Rockstart, The Footprint Firm, Noon Ventures, Startup Aarhus and The Kitchen AU.

‍

WHEN: Wednesday, 26 November at 10.00-12.00.

WHERE: The Kitchen, Universitetsbyen 14, 8000 Aarhus C

‍

Join Gin & Tech at INCUBA for an engaging evening where early-stage startups present their ideas to a panel of mentors, investors, corporates, and specialists. The event kicks off with a focused pitching session, followed by G&Ts and informal networking.