Power Plant for the Planet

After nearly 70 years of operation, Copenhagen’s majestic old power plant, Svanemølleværket (est. 1953) is no longer an integral part of Copenhagen’s power infrastructure and will soon be taken out of service. As future owner, the Copenhagen City and Port Development Company (By & Havn) plans for a new era of meaningful service for the iconic buildings by the northern entry to downtown Copenhagen, which also marks the gateway to the North Harbor district.

One of the power plant building blocks is projected to house Denmark’s new science and technology museum. The remaining two thirds of the 22,000 m2 complex is envisioned as a powerhouse for green tech innovation and purpose start-ups.

In March 2020, Group NAO was commissioned to help test and qualify the future vision for the building through market research, international case studies and extensive consultations with a wide range of key stakeholders and potential future partners.  

After 8 months of stakeholder engagement, agenda analysis and international benchmark studies, Group NAO presented findings and recommendations in a closing report for the project owners: Copenhagen City and Port Development Company, the Danish Museum for Science and Technology and the Danish Industry Foundation (Industriens Fond). 

CLIENT

Copenhagen City and Port Development Company (By & Havn), the Danish Museum for Science and Technology. The project was funded by The Danish Industry Foundation (Industriens Fond)

WHAT WE DID

Group NAO organised and moderated a series of roundtable meetings and interviews with key stakeholders and potential strategic partnersWe analysed 14 tech clusters in Denmark to identify the market potential and optimal tenant mix for a new hub. Finally, we identified, examined and benchmarked 24 international tech incubators and innovation communities in Europe and North America to inspire the positioning, organisation and the business model of a potential hub in the old power plant.