2010 - ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR COPENHAGEN CAPACITY

- 43 new companies (a 38,7% increase on 2009)
- 1,184 new jobs (a 19,7% increase on 2009)
- 3.6bn DKK in new capital investment (a 968,2% increase on 2009)
- 223m DKK returned to the Danish economy (a 19.9% increase on 2009)

“It is difficult to feel pessimistic in the light of these results. Although we can still sense the financial crisis in terms of international investors’ slight hesitation in investing - and with a constantly more fierce competition for attracting foreign investment - I am incredibly proud that we have created a record-breaking result” says Steen Donner, CEO of Copenhagen Capacity.

“We had a good year in 2009 as well, but in 2010 we set a record in each of the four parameters that we measure ourselves on: Number of investments, Size of investments, Number of jobs and Improvement of the public economy. This proves that our strategy in targeting specific industries in certain countries has been the right one” he continues.

Copenhagen Capacity is the Capital Region’s official inward investment promotion agency, and primarily focuses on the ICT, life science and cleantech sectors. These record-breaking results set high expectations for the year ahead - partly because the crisis is beginning to wear off, but also because Copenhagen Capacity has implemented a new strategy, which emphasizes higher value creation.  

Steen explains: “Our previous 3-year strategy was focused on channeling resources in order to strengthen the organisation internally, and by creating a strong foundation we became one of the World’s best investment promotion agencies. Our new strategy focuses on the three years ahead of us, with the ambitious goal of creating the same value from 2010 in each coming year. At the same time we will endeavor to strengthen the region’s clusters, whilst attracting and retaining foreign talent - which we consider to be instrumental in whether foreign investors decide to invest in Denmark, as they look to countries with opportunities for growth.”

“This requires that we have an even stronger capital region, as the right framework and growth in the capital region will create more jobs and further growth in the rest of Denmark. For example, 100 new jobs in Copenhagen generate 20 new positions in the rest of Denmark, whilst conversely 100 jobs in the provinces generate only 7 new jobs in Copenhagen. Prosperity for Denmark therefore starts and ends with Copenhagen.” 

Despite its name, Copenhagen Capacity is attracting ever more cleantech, transport and logistics companies to the Region of Zealand, which provides some excellent opportunities for foreign investors. The southern part of Zealand particularly will play a more significant role, especially when you consider the prospect of the Fehmarn Belt.

Steen Donner says that: “2010 has been an excellent year in terms of our efforts in the Zealand Region. We drew six companies to the region - creating a total of 320 jobs - and thereby doubled the number of new work places in comparison to 2009. At the same time we have built up good relations with possible future investors, and feel confident that once companies begin to invest further over the course of the next years, Zealand will present itself as the ideal link to the rest of Scandinavia.”

In 2010, Copenhagen Capacity received the United Nations’ prize for best inward investment agency in terms of green investments, and was elected by the Financial Times as has having the best business strategy. In 2009, it was named as the World’s best regional inward investment agency by the World Bank.