In a significant leap for international green innovation, Clean – the Danish national cluster for water and environmental technology – has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS). The agreement marks the beginning of a five-year strategic partnership to establish new innovation clusters in China, aimed at accelerating solutions within environment, climate, and green transformation.
The MoU signing coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and China, and aligns with the “Green Joint Work Programme” between the two governments. Together, Clean and UCAS will build a platform for cleantech innovation and green industry that connects Danish startups and SMEs with Chinese industrial parks, research institutions, and government initiatives.
“Creating those clusters together is a major step for Clean. We see enormous willingness on both sides to collaborate,” said Kim Fredenslund, CEO of Clean.
This isn’t just about developing new technologies – China has shown impressive capacity to scale green solutions. The MoU gives us a clear mandate to help Danish startups and SMEs connect with China’s fast-moving green tech ecosystem – opening real opportunities for collaboration and scale.
Bridging Continents Through Green Collaboration
The MoU was signed during a parallel event to the China-Denmark Green Research & Innovation Day, held in both Beijing and Copenhagen. Minister Yin from China’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) was received in Denmark, while Danish delegates and representatives attended speeches and sessions in Beijing.
A key theme of the day was the shared responsibility to tackle climate challenges through international cooperation. Denmark’s Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, said:
Marking our continued strengthened cooperation, we’re reminded that global challenges require global joint action. Your visit shows that together we can address those challenges.
Among the speakers from China, it was also noted that China is a world leader in renewable energy and clean tech deployment. While Denmark is a small country, it brings unique strengths to the table. The speakers emphasized that collaboration is essential – especially in today’s geopolitical landscape, where research and innovation partnerships must be both smart and strategic.
Triple Helix in Action: Politics, Academia, and Business
The agreement is a textbook example of Triple Helix collaboration, bringing together government, academia, and industry to accelerate cleantech impact. Clean, known for its role as an effective platform for fast, results-driven collaboration, will support Danish startups and SMEs to access new opportunities and scale their technologies through this upcoming China-based establishment.
The MoU signing was followed by a joint session at the Embassy of China in Denmark, focusing on collaboration between Danish clusters and Chinese industrial parks. Clean introduced the Danish cluster ecosystem, joined by representatives from State of Green, TechBBQ, and Asia House. On the Chinese side, five high-tech zones were presented – each already deploying large-scale environmental innovations.
The session laid the groundwork for future working groups and project exchanges focused on scaling innovative green technologies. As a direct follow-up to the MoU, Danish and Chinese stakeholders participated in knowledge exchange and dialogue to identify collaboration opportunities and align on key areas of interest.
