On December 1, the Centre for Advanced Sensor Technology, CAST, opened. Danish companies and knowledge institutions have been given a place to go when they lack test facilities, expertise, and advice.

1 December 2021

Advanced sensors do not only support the digitisation of Danish companies, but also their green transition and the IoT of the future. That’s the idea behind the Centre for Advanced Sensor Technologies - CAST, which FORCE Technology has just opened.

The centre is going to bring together important stakeholders in the field and ensure that the technology and knowledge developed at universities and research institutions reaches the companies and becomes integrated into society – with a sustainable aim.

“The Centre for Advanced Sensor Technologies is going to strengthen the ecosystem within sensor technology, create better conditions for Danish startups and enable them to compete internationally when it comes to sensor solutions. It will strengthen Denmark's competitiveness and create growth,” says Hanne Christensen, CEO of FORCE Technology.

The twin transition

“Danish companies are in the middle of two large and enormously important transformations - a green one and a digital one. All too often the two are perceived as different things that proceed independently of each other, but the truth is that one is the prerequisite for the other. It is a "twin transition", and we will have far greater success with the green transition if we let digitisation play an important role in it ", she says.

“CAST is going to combine sustainability and digitisation. Sensors give us data and a better starting point for making good decisions, and good decisions are going to lead us to a more sustainable future", says Hanne Christensen.

Sensors are one of the technologies that can help us reach the UN's sustainable development goals. In cities intelligent sensors can control all electricity in public areas and private homes saving enormous amounts of electricity. In agricultural areas, the sensors can control irrigation of crops, so that the yield is maximised.

A place for stakeholders to meet

CAST caters to all stakeholders in the field and will collaborate with both small startups, large well-established companies, deep tech investors, clusters, universities, authorities, etc.

The centre is going to:

  • Support ideas and projects that arise at the universities - eg SkyLab at DTU
  • Establish relationships with investors or companies that can produce, further develop or want to use the advanced sensor technology
  • Validate new sensor technology and help get the idea translated into a product that is market approved and ready
  • Increase innovation, especially in small and medium-sized companies. For example, through prototype advising
  • Assist Danish deep tech startups in sensor technology and support their commercial scaling and expansion into new markets.