Denmark’s innovation landscape is thriving, driven by significant investments in green technologies and healthcare advancements, now ranking 9th in the WIPO Global Innovation Index. (Source) This article presents two lists of the most innovative companies: one featuring companies based in Denmark, and another highlighting companies with their main headquarters outside Denmark but ranked by their patent count. These comprehensive rankings provide valuable insights into the innovation landscape in Denmark, highlighting the country’s strengths and areas of focus.
Top Innovative Companies in Denmark
Rank | Company | Patent Count | HQ Country | Sector |
1 | VKR Holding | 33 | Denmark | Building Materials Company |
2 | GN Hearing | 28 | Denmark | Hearing Aid Manufacturer |
3 | LM Wind Power | 21 | Denmark | Turbine Blade Manufacturing |
4 | Vestas | 16 | Denmark | Wind Turbine Company |
5 | Oticon | 16 | Denmark | Hearing Aid Manufacturer |
6 | Topsoe | 16 | Denmark | Gas Company |
7 | Lego | 15 | Denmark | Toy company |
8 | Stiesdal | 15 | Denmark | Climate Technology |
9 | Maersk Container Industry | 12 | Denmark | Industrial Machinery |
10 | Ecco | 10 | Denmark | Shoe & Leather Accessories |
11 | Rockwool | 9 | Denmark | Wool Manufacturer |
12 | Biograil | 8 | Denmark | Biotechnology |
13 | Bros Holdings | 8 | Denmark | Management Consulting |
14 | Coloplast | 8 | Denmark | Healthcare |
15 | Copenhagen Atomics | 8 | Denmark | Molten Salt Technology |
16 | Enabl | 8 | Denmark | Engineering |
17 | Maersk | 7 | Denmark | Shipping Company |
18 | Dansk Gummi Industri | 7 | Denmark | Industrial Machinery |
19 | KK Wind Solutions | 7 | Denmark | Greeentech Company |
20 | FlowCon International | 6 | Denmark | Industrial Machinery |
21 | Glycom | 6 | Denmark | Biotechnology |
22 | Blue World Technologies | 5 | Denmark | Fuel Cell Company |
23 | Danfoss | 5 | Denmark | Industrial Machinery |
Key Findings:
This data reveals a broad range of technological domains indicating the diverse innovation activities across Denmark:
- Renewable Energy and Green Technologies: LM Wind Power (ranked 3rd), Vestas (ranked 4th), Stiesdal (ranked 8th), KK Wind Solutions (ranked 19th) and Blue World Technologies (Ranked 22nd).
- Healthcare and Medical Devices: GN Hearing (ranked 2nd), Oticon (ranked 5th), Biograil (ranked 12th) and Coloplast (ranked 14th).
- Industrial Manufacturing: Topsoe (ranked 6th), Maersk Container Industry (ranked 9th), Rockwool (ranked 11th) and Danfoss (ranked 23rd).
- Consumer Goods: Lego (ranked 7th) and Ecco (ranked 10th).
Top Innovative Companies with Main Headquarters Outside Denmark
Rank | Company | Patent Count | HQ Country | Sector |
1 | Siemens Gamesa | 114 | Spain | Renewable Energy |
2 | General Electric | 85 | United States | Conglomerate |
3 | Sanofi | 46 | France | Pharmaceuticals |
4 | Halliburton Energy Services | 45 | United States | Oil & Gas |
5 | 36 | United States | Technology | |
6 | Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | 31 | United States | Biotechnology |
7 | Amazonen-Werke | 29 | Germany | Agricultural Machinery |
8 | MAN Energy Solutions | 23 | Germany | Industrial Machinery |
9 | Hollister Incorporated | 23 | United States | Healthcare |
10 | Signify | 22 | Netherlands | Lighting Company |
11 | Docomo | 21 | Japan | Mobile Phone Operator |
12 | Autostore Technology | 20 | Norway | Warehouse Automation |
13 | Evonik Operations | 19 | Germany | Chemicals Company |
14 | Siemens Energy | 19 | Germany | Energy Technology |
15 | Roche | 19 | Switzerland | Pharmaceuticals |
16 | Novartis | 18 | Switzerland | Pharmaceuticals |
17 | Pfizer | 18 | United States | Pharmaceuticals |
18 | Alfa Laval | 17 | Sweden | Industrial Machinery |
19 | Huawei | 17 | China | Conglomerate |
20 | DSM | 15 | Netherlands | Healthcare |
21 | Nordex | 15 | Germany | Wind Turbine Company |
22 | Yeti Coolers | 15 | United States | Ice Chest Manufacturer |
23 | BASF | 14 | Germany | Chemicals Company |
24 | Edwards Lifesciences | 14 | United States | Healthcare |
25 | Amgen | 14 | United States | Biotechnology |
26 | Boehringer Ingelheim | 14 | Germany | Healthcare |
27 | Merck | 13 | United States | Pharmaceuticals |
28 | OVH | 13 | France | Cloud Computing Company |
29 | General Electric Renewable Energy | 12 | United States | Renewable Energy |
30 | Illumina | 12 | United States | Biotechnology |
31 | Ericsson | 12 | Sweden | Telecommunications |
32 | Thyssenkrupp | 12 | Germany | Steel Manufacturer |
33 | Apple | 11 | United States | Technology |
34 | Carrier Corporation | 11 | United States | Electric Appliance |
35 | SHL Medical | 10 | Sweden | Healthcare |
36 | ZTE | 10 | China | Telecommunications |
37 | IHI | 9 | Japan | Industrial Machinery |
38 | Sonova | 9 | Switzerland | Hearing Aid Manufacturer |
39 | Siemens Healthcare | 9 | Germany | Healthcare |
40 | Altus Intervention | 8 | Norway | Oil & Gas |
41 | Bayer | 8 | Germany | Pharmaceuticals |
42 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | 8 | United States | Pharmaceuticals |
43 | GE Video Compression | 8 | United States | Multimedia |
44 | Geberit | 8 | Switzerland | Industrial Machinery |
45 | Sivantos | 8 | Singapore | Hearing Aid Manufacturer |
46 | Herbert Kannegiesser | 7 | Germany | Industrial Machinery |
47 | Intervet | 7 | United States | Animal Health |
48 | Air Liquide | 7 | France | Oil & Gas |
49 | Mölnlycke | 7 | Sweden | Medical Device Company |
50 | ISOVER | 7 | Germany | Insulation Solutions |
51 | Electric Wind Power Group | 7 | China | Wind Turbine Company |
52 | SICPA | 7 | Switzerland | Chemicals Company |
53 | Siemens Mobility | 7 | Germany | Railway Company |
54 | Telia Company | 7 | Sweden | Telecommunications |
55 | Weatherford | 7 | Ireland | Oil & Gas |
56 | AGCO | 6 | United States | Agricultural Machinery |
57 | Aquanova | 6 | Germany | Bathroom Accessories |
58 | Eli Lilly | 6 | United States | Pharmaceuticals |
59 | Heineken Supply Chain B.V | 6 | Netherlands | Logistics Company |
60 | Nel Hydrogen A/ | 6 | Norway | Fuel Cell Company |
61 | Nexter | 6 | France | Software |
62 | Ocado Innovation Limite | 6 | United Kingdom | Retail Company |
63 | OilQuick Deutschland | 6 | Germany | Industrial Machinery |
64 | Sumitomo Electric Industries | 6 | Japan | Fiber Optic Cable Manufacturer |
65 | TotalEnergies | 6 | France | Oil & Gas |
66 | Abbott Diabetes Care | 5 | United States | Healthcare |
67 | Biogen MA | 5 | United States | Biotechnology |
68 | China Three Gorges Corporation | 5 | China | Renewable Energy |
69 | Celgene | 5 | United States | Pharmaceuticals |
70 | Daikin | 5 | Japan | Conglomerate |
71 | Deme Offshore | 5 | Belgium | Oil & Gas |
72 | Danisco US | 5 | United States | Biotechnology |
73 | Dewertokin Technology Group | 5 | China | Electronics |
74 | E.ON SE | 5 | Germany | Electric Utility |
75 | Fisher & Paykel Healthcare | 5 | United States | Medical Device Company |
76 | GEA Group | 5 | Germany | Industrial Machinery |
77 | GSK | 5 | United Kingdom | Pharmaceuticals |
Note: For some companies, especially those with multiple headquarters or operating in diverse sectors, we’ve provided the primary headquarters country and the primary sector they are associated with.
Key Findings:
The data set reveals the technological diversity in the innovation landscape:
- Energy: Siemens Gamesa (ranked 1st), General Electric (ranked 2nd), Halliburton Energy Services (ranked 4th), MAN Energy Solutions (ranked 8th), Siemens Energy (ranked 14th), Electric Wind Power Group (ranked 51st) and TotalEnergies (ranked 65th).
- Pharmaceutical and Healthcare: Sanofi (ranked 3rd), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (ranked 6th), Roche (ranked 15th), Pfizer (ranked 17th), Amgen (ranked 25th) and Abbott Diabetes Care (ranked 66th).
- Telecommunications: Docomo (ranked 11th), ZTE (ranked 36th) and Telia Company (ranked 54th).
- Industrial Machinery: Amazonen-Werke (ranked 7th), MAN Energy Solutions (ranked 8th), Alfa Laval (ranked 18th), Herbert Kannegiesser (ranked 46th) and GEA Group (ranked 76th).
- Consumer Goods: Yeti Coolers (ranked 22nd) and Heineken Supply Chain B.V. (ranked 59th).
Insights and Takeaways:
- The healthcare and pharmaceutical sector is highly represented, highlighting the industry’s focus on innovation and development of new treatments and technologies.
These rankings showcases Denmark’s extensive innovation landscape, characterized by technological diversity and strong patent activities across various sectors. This diversity not only drives the country’s economic growth but also positions Denmark as a global leader in technological advancements and industrial innovation.
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