Highway to Material Science

Why a "Highway" for Materials Science?

Materials are a fundamental part of everyday operations at many Danish companies—from metal and plastic to construction, textiles, and new bio-based solutions. The choice of materials has a significant impact on a product’s properties, lifespan, recyclability, and carbon footprint, and therefore plays a central role in the development of future products.

Denmark has strong research communities and extensive knowledge of new materials and technologies that can create new opportunities for companies across various industries. However, the latest knowledge does not always reach the companies that can turn it into concrete products and solutions quickly enough. Access to up-to-date knowledge about materials is therefore crucial for companies that want to strengthen their competitiveness, develop new products, and operate more sustainably.

The "Materials Knowledge Highway" helps ensure that companies benefit from the knowledge and opportunities available in this field.

From Knowledge to Value

The path from research to application can be long and complex. That is why we call this project “Highway to Materials Knowledge.” Our goal is to create a fast and efficient link between the researchers who develop new knowledge and the companies that can turn that knowledge into value.

The project brings together universities, technological service institutes (GTSs), and local business development organizations in a joint effort to strengthen companies’ access to relevant materials knowledge by bridging the gap. The LINX Association serves as the project’s driving force and coordinator by establishing connections between the stakeholders, facilitating networks and partnerships, and ensuring that knowledge and experience can be more easily shared across the research and business communities.

The project is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises, but across all industries. The information on materials is relevant to all companies that develop, manufacture, or use physical products; therefore, what matters is not the industry to which the company belongs, but its level of maturity and its ambition to work with new materials and sustainable product development.

What difference does the project make?

The Materials Knowledge Highway enhances Danish companies’ ability to take a strategic approach to material selection and derive greater benefit from the latest knowledge about materials and technology. The project strengthens the sharing of knowledge about materials and makes it more accessible, so that more companies can take a strategic approach to both existing and new materials and capitalize on the opportunities created by the green transition.

In the long term, the goal is to strengthen the competitiveness of the Danish business sector and lay a stronger foundation for the circular economy and sustainable product development. When the latest material science findings make their way more quickly from research communities into the day-to-day operations of companies, they become a driving force for green innovation, enhanced competitiveness, and future growth.