Fehmarn BioLink

A Danish-German education and innovation project that strengthens cooperation between businesses, students, and research institutions in the Fehmarn Belt region.

Background and Purpose

Biosolutions play a central role in the green transition and contribute to more sustainable solutions in areas such as food production, energy, and industrial processes. At the same time, the sector is growing rapidly and has a growing need for a skilled workforce, strong innovation environments, and closer collaboration between companies and educational institutions.

The Fehmarn Belt region holds great potential to become a stronger, cohesive biosolutions ecosystem. Kalundborg is internationally recognized for bioproduction, biosolutions, and industrial symbiosis, while Lübeck and Schleswig-Holstein have strong research environments, innovation actors, and startup networks. Nevertheless, cross-border collaboration remains underutilized.

Fehmarn BioLink builds on the experiences from the Interreg project Fehmarn Belt Innovation and aims to create concrete connections between Danish and German companies, students, and knowledge communities. The project aims to strengthen innovation, knowledge sharing, and recruitment in the biosolutions sector—while also contributing to a more integrated and competitive region around the Fehmarn Belt.

How to proceed

Fehmarn BioLink brings together businesses, students, and education and innovation stakeholders through three targeted activities:

Cross-border study trips
The project organizes two study trips—one to Lübeck and one to Kalundborg. Here, students, businesses, and innovation stakeholders have the opportunity to experience biosolutions environments, research facilities, educational settings, and businesses on both sides of the border.

Case competition with businesses and students
A Danish-German case competition brings together students from both vocational and higher education programs with businesses in the biosolutions sector. Here, participants work on specific business challenges and develop ideas and solutions in close dialogue with companies and professional mentors.

Strategy and Networking Workshop
The project updates the existing mapping of biosolutions stakeholders in the Fehmarn Belt region and brings together key stakeholders for a joint strategy and networking workshop. The goal is to identify new opportunities for collaboration and develop a joint action plan for a stronger Danish-German biosolutions ecosystem.

Expected results

Fehmarn BioLink is expected to engage at least 100 participants in activities across the Danish-German border. This includes students, companies, startups, educators, researchers, and innovation stakeholders from both Denmark and Germany.

The project aims to create new relationships between companies and educational institutions, strengthen students’ international outlook, and provide companies with access to new knowledge, talent, and collaboration opportunities. At the same time, the project will contribute to a more long-term integration of the biosolutions communities in Kalundborg, Lübeck, and Schleswig-Holstein.

In the longer term, Fehmarn BioLink is intended to be a step toward establishing a Danish-German biosolutions ecosystem, where education, research, and the business community collaborate on innovation, the green transition, and the development of the workforce of the future.