Europe has a great history of converting biotechnology concepts into stable and growing biobased businesses on a global scale. The NNF Biotechnology Research Institute for the Green Transition (BRIGHT) aims to take a prominent role in bringing Europe to the next level of sustainable economic development towards an increasingly circular and competitive bioeconomy — a lighthouse guiding the way to a more sustainable and resilient future.

DTU is rated among the top 5 universities in the world in biotechnology research and innovation, making DTU the natural home for BRIGHT. Building on this foundation of scientific excellence, BRIGHT will be the driver that connects and amplifies biotechnology and bioproduction research, innovation, and education across the entire university – accelerating the development of sustainable biosolutions for Europe and beyond.

As a lighthouse, BRIGHT will illuminate possibilities, lead the way, and invite partners and innovators from all sectors to collaborate on this mission.

Groundbreaking biotech research and developing cutting-edge technology is at the core of BRIGHT. The initiative works across the entire value chain — from bold ideas in the lab to real-world implementation in industry.

An ambitious push towards an economy increasingly driven by biosolutions calls for a new generation of engineers and researchers that can harness the potential of biotechnology. BRIGHT will leverage DTU’s leading education programmes to present students with real-life challenges from industry and research, allowing them to master cutting-edge technologies for the benefit of society.

Three main missions comprise the focus of BRIGHT’s research, innovation, talent development, and education activities:

• Sustainable materials
• Microbial foods
• Microorganisms for net-zero agriculture

The aim is to develop scalable solutions and bring them to market in collaboration with industry in each of these areas, creating competitive alternatives to fossil-based products and processes.

The world’s most urgent challenges can be solved by collaborating openly, sharing knowledge generously, and daring to make bold decisions. At BRIGHT, biosolutions are not just scientific breakthroughs but pathways to a sustainable and economically viable future — for businesses, for society, and for generations to come.