Economy and Business Committee on 28 October 2026
Economy and Business Committee endorsed rejection of Radikale’s rent-free tech incubator
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On Wednesday the Economy and Business Committee endorsed the recommendation to reject Radikale Venstre’s proposal for a nonprofit tech-startup incubator in a vacant municipal property with low or no rent.
- Erhverv og beskæftigelse
- Økonomi og budget
- Document date
- Section
- Committees
- Status
- Beta
Summary
On Wednesday the Economy and Business Committee endorsed the recommendation to reject Radikale Venstre’s proposal for a nonprofit tech-startup incubator in a vacant municipal property with low or no rent. The perspectives from the proposal will instead feed into work on the new business strategy.
What this means for you
There will not be a municipally supported incubator with cheap or free rent for early-stage tech startups. Entrepreneurs in the transition from idea to first customers should instead look to existing environments, while the municipality clarifies the need for new innovation environments in the upcoming business strategy.
Background
Radikale Venstre, through Mahad Yussuf and Metin Lindved Aydin, proposed that Aarhus Municipality establish a nonprofit tech-startup incubator in a vacant municipal property. The aim was to close a gap between The Kitchen and more commercial environments such as INCUBA.
The Mayor’s Office and the Municipal Executive department for Technical and Environmental Affairs recommended that the decision proposal be rejected, because the municipality cannot lawfully make premises available free of charge or at reduced rent. The municipality may rent out temporarily vacant premises on market terms. Technical and Environmental Affairs pointed to Tomsagervej 27 in Åbyhøj as the only suitable municipal property. Without funds for maintenance and renewal, letting would have to be to a single primary tenant with the right to sublet and with maintenance and risk borne by the tenant — a model the administration judged incompatible with the target group’s finances. An initial mapping also pointed to existing offers with spare capacity, including Next Level Founder Hub, which launched in April 2026.
The City Council referred the case to municipal executive processing on 3 June 2026. The Municipal Executive recommended on 29 September 2026 that the city council endorse the recommendation of 21 September 2026. On 7 October 2026 the City Council forwarded the case to the Economy and Business Committee.
Figures and facts
- Radikale Venstre envisaged capacity for roughly 20–30 startups and a fee of roughly DKK 1,000 per month. (Appendix — Appendix 1: Decision proposal RV 20.05.2026)
- The lease at Tomsagervej 27 covers 418 m² — 241 m² on the ground floor and 177 m² basement. (Appendix — Recommendation)
- Annual market rent is calculated at DKK 197,700 excluding utilities at DKK 600 per m² for the ground floor and DKK 300 per m² for the basement. (Appendix — Recommendation)
- According to the recommendation, the tech sector accounted for roughly 14 pct. of employment in Aarhus versus 9 pct. nationally. (Appendix — Recommendation)
- Eighty-four new IT companies were established in 2023 — the lowest level since 2010. (Appendix — Recommendation)
- Each cohort of entrepreneurs traditionally contributes roughly 1,800–2,000 new jobs in Aarhus. (Appendix — Recommendation)
Who said what
At the city council meeting on 7 October 2026, Steffen Wich (S) called Radikale’s inquiry fine and backed taking the perspectives into the business strategy under development. (Appendix — City Council debate 07.10.2026)
Metin Lindved Aydin (RV) stressed filling the gap between The Kitchen and INCUBA with affordable physical space and a professional community. He said he was satisfied that the proposal’s perspectives would be carried forward in the business strategy.
At the committee meeting on 28 October 2026, Christian Lambertsen, cofounder of ClearContract, addressed the udvalg (committee). «The committee could unanimously endorse the recommendation in line with the Municipal Executive’s recommendation.» (translated from Danish) (Minutes — Response to RV proposal on establishing a tech-startup incubator in Aarhus) Hüseyin Arac was unable to attend.
What happens next
The case goes back to Aarhus City Council. The proposal’s perspectives will be included in work on the new business strategy to clarify need and possibilities for new innovation environments, possibly in cooperation with relevant actors and existing environments.
Sources
- Minutes — Response to RV proposal on establishing a tech-startup incubator in Aarhus
- Appendix — City Council debate 07.10.2026
- Appendix — Recommendation
- Appendix — Committee statement
- Appendix — Appendix 1: Decision proposal RV 20.05.2026
- Aarhus Municipality meeting documents — meeting
- Aarhus Municipality
Other appendices
Transcript
Transcript of the council debate with speakers named, from the official signed record.