This is the last in a six-part series by our CEO, Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, about how the Novo Nordisk Foundation is changing. Read Part One here, Part Two here, Part Three here, Part Four here, and Part Five here.
I’ve always been a risk-taker. Not in the reckless sense, but in the belief that if we only invest in what is certain, we can miss opportunities for progress that are hidden around the corner.
Over the past century – and even more so in recent years – the Novo Nordisk Foundation has taken a similar approach. We’ve stepped into areas where the challenges are complex, the timelines long, and the outcomes uncertain, but where the potential benefits for society are profound. These include antimicrobial resistance, cardiometabolic diseases, and global food systems – some of the topics I’ve explored in this series.
Another such area – and the last I’ll address in The Road Ahead – is quantum technology. If developed carefully and used responsibly, quantum could help transform human and planetary health. And at the Foundation, we’ve committed to playing our part in realising that potential.
Why now, why here, and why us
For decades, quantum computing has largely been a field of research and experimentation. But that’s starting to change. Progress on both hardware and software has improved scalability and quality to a point where the conversation is now moving from whether the technology works in principle to what it might be used for in practice – from research to commercialisation.
Quantum sensing is advancing particularly rapidly. By using quantum mechanics to measure things like magnetic fields or gravity with unprecedented precision, it’s opening up new possibilities – from improving the resolution in MRI scans to detecting cardiac dysfunction far earlier than we can today.
We’re also starting to see how quantum and artificial intelligence (AI) can be combined to push each other forward. Together, they could help us predict the effects of climate change with immense accuracy, accelerate the discovery of more effective drugs for countless diseases, and develop new sustainable materials that we can hardly imagine today.
At the same time, the challenges are real. Quantum systems remain fragile and error prone, scaling them is complex, and we still don’t fully know which problems they will solve best, or when meaningful applications will emerge.
But this combination of progress and risk is precisely where long-term, mission-driven funding and investment can make a difference.
And it makes good sense to anchor our efforts in Denmark. It was the work of Niels Bohr and his contemporaries in Copenhagen a century ago that laid the foundation for our understanding of quantum physics – and their curiosity-driven, collaborative approach that enabled the new knowledge to spread across borders and disciplines.
The quantum ecosystem is strong in Denmark. By boosting this further and developing connections across the Nordics and Europe, we want to help researchers and innovators develop solutions to improve the health of people and environments globally.
Research, innovation, and bridging the gaps
Throughout this series, I’ve emphasised the importance of working in partnership and across the full scientific journey – from education and basic research to translation, innovation, and implementation. Our approach to quantum is no different.
We support fundamental research through open calls, helping sustain excellence in core science and build bridges between disciplines. At the same time, often together with others, we invest in mission-driven research and development programmes, as well as critical infrastructure that enables researchers and innovators to move ideas forward.
This includes developing quantum computers designed to tackle problems far beyond the reach of classical computing. Through the Novo Nordisk Foundation Quantum Computing Programme and Quantum Foundry Copenhagen, we’re supporting work to bring these technologies closer to industrial scale and broader use, while also strengthening the ecosystem by developing and supplying quantum chips.
As a step on the path, we’re working with others to deploy Magne in 2027 – a commercial quantum computer system that will help prepare the Nordic ecosystem for what lies ahead.
The Foundation also supports translational programmes, testbeds, and ecosystem initiatives that connect researchers, innovators, and industry – because translating knowledge into solutions remains one of the biggest challenges.
Novo Holdings – the Foundation’s investment company – complements this work through investments that also help bridge that gap. From the world’s first dedicated quantum fund, 55 North, to investments in emerging companies, their efforts are strengthening the quantum ecosystem in Denmark and Europe, helping move this technology closer to real impact on human and planetary health.
There’s so much we still don’t know. And there are no guarantees that this technology will enable the solutions we dream of. But, based on our estimates, backing them is a risk worth taking.
The road ahead
When I began this series, I reflected on a few guiding principles for the Foundation as we grow our international efforts: we must be bold and take risks, we must partner with others who share our vision, and we must be ready to learn and evolve.
Whether we’re working on food systems, biosolutions, global health challenges or quantum technology, those principles will continue to guide us.
There will be obstacles on the road ahead, but we will overcome them alongside others, working together towards a healthier future for people and planet.
