Data Science

Danish Data Science Academy renews its essential work with additional funding

The field of data science continues to accelerate as a discipline of its own, while at the same time being adopted across many domains and sectors. Danish Data Science Academy (DDSA) has been granted DKK 75 million by Novo Nordisk Foundation to renew its work from 2027-2031.

Marie Helene Andersson, Managing Director at DDSA – The Danish Data Science Academy. Photo: Hanne Kokkegård

Tuesday 17 February 2026

Better use of data in the Danish society, including research and businesses, is one of the most important factors in the Danish economy in the future and a necessity to accelerate progress across virtually all areas of the public and private sectors, including research and education.

Since 2021, Danish Data Science Academy (DDSA – located at DTU Compute) has established itself as a national and independent organisation with a track record of supporting excellent talent and ensuring scientific encounters for professionals in data science. The academy will renew its work from 2027-2031 with a grant of DKK 75 million from Novo Nordisk Foundation.

DDSA Chair and Professor at DTU Compute Lars Kai Hansen is very pleased about the grant:

“We are very excited to continue our numerous programs and activities in DDSA as well as initiate new activities benefitting both emerging and senior experts working in Denmark. We are so grateful that the Novo Nordisk Foundation share our enthusiasm for data science and AI and consider them crucial for the Danish competitiveness now and in the future.”

Data science is becoming increasingly important

The grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation will support the continuation of activities supporting talents including postdoc fellowship, the continuation of events and the annual data science conference, a renewed focus on training and education including life-long learning and grants for data science resources.

”The field of data science is becoming increasingly important, as it serves as basis for generative AI and is widely adopted to accelerate development and insights across domains and sectors. Danish Data Science Academy has proven itself as a central player in the expanding data science ecosystem in Denmark, and as part of our contributions to expand and consolidate this ecosystem in Denmark, we have decided to renew our funding for the Academy,” says Lene Oddershede, Chief Scientific Officer, Planetary Science & Technology, Novo Nordisk Foundation.

In the future we also aim to be an even stronger public voice within data science and the ethics behind it when it comes to using data science in research, welfare and industry products.

Managing Director Marie Helene Andersson. DDSA.

The long-term perspectives for DDSA

The Danish Data Science Academy is built in a modular manner and will continue to fundraise to expand with more activities to the data science community, including access to greater computing capacity, which data science experts widely identify as a key factor in enabling their important research and development.

Managing Director Marie Helene Andersson, DDSA, elaborates:

“I am excited about the long-term perspectives for DDSA being the Danish powerhouse for data science professionals and the trusted partner for building data science competencies across sectors and domains. In the future we also aim to be an even stronger public voice within data science and the ethics behind it when it comes to using data science in research, welfare and industry products.”

Read more about the strategy for the next five year period in DDSA here.

Contact

Marie Helene Andersson Managing Director mariehelene@ddsa.dk