Impact projects

The Novo Nordisk Foundation supports research that can create new knowledge on how spending money on research affects society and the economy.
Denmark invests billions of Danish kroner into research each year in both the private and public sectors, but evidence-based knowledge on the specific impact on society of this investment is very limited.
We therefore support social science research projects that seek to create evidence-based knowledge on the impact of research, including how research influences such areas as job creation, health and education and the knock-on impact on the economy.
We also support research aiming to develop or further develop models or methods for analysing the socioeconomic impact of research and thereby acquire new knowledge on the economics of funding research in Denmark.

Overall, through our grants in this area, we aim to contribute to improving evidence for and knowledge on how public and private investment in research, including companies, councils and foundations, affects society and the economy. The goal is to learn how we can optimally use our common research resources and thereby how to optimally structure research policies.