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A unique gateway to STEM talent

The MIT ECF is the largest Europe-focused career fair in the US, attracting over 3,000 attendees annually, including graduates, PhDs, postdocs, and experienced professionals from some of America’s most prestigious universities, like MIT and Harvard, particularly in STEM disciplines. This year, Denmark’s delegation, featuring Novo Nordisk, the University of Copenhagen, DTU Biosustain, Odense Robotics, Fulbright Denmark, and Science Hub Denmark, engaged with 2,500+ potential candidates, all eager to explore career opportunities in Denmark. During the fair, we were active with two international talent attraction campaigns under our place brand, ”A State of Denmark”, offering 70+ open jobs.

Novo Nordisk: From pioneer in Boston to powerhouse

Novo Nordisk, one of the first companies to join the delegation in 2015, was back in 2025 as they are expanding their Boston-based R&D facilities. Reflecting on the event, Tine Krogh Jørgensen, Head of Global Nucleic Acid Therapies Executive Office & Strategy at Novo Nordisk, said:

“Participating in the MIT European Career Fair is a vital opportunity to meet qualified STEM candidates from some of the best universities in the Boston region. We were thrilled to be back this year, especially as we expand our R&D footprint in Boston. We experienced huge interest and had a constant line of students eager to talk with us all day.”

Delegates also had the unique opportunity to visit Novo Nordisk’s expanding R&D Lab in Lexington, gaining first-hand insight into Denmark’s cutting-edge research opportunities.

A changing political climate increases Denmark’s attractiveness

With severe cuts in research funding in the US and shifting immigration policies under the Trump administration, uncertainty for international professionals is rising. Stricter visa regulations and unpredictable policies make long-term career prospects in the US more unstable, leading many international talents to explore opportunities in Europe instead. Denmark’s proactive approach to attracting global talent has never been more crucial.

“Denmark has gained significant visibility here due to our consistent presence at MIT. We see more candidates returning to engage with us, and companies have increasingly recognized the value of this event. This year, the uncertain political climate has been especially noticeable—many international candidates are unsure about their future in the US, and that we clearly felt.” - Merete Sandager, organizer of the Danish delegation, Copenhagen Capacity

Denmark is not alone in its pursuit of highly skilled professionals. Western European countries like Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium and more compete for the same talent pool. Copenhagen Capacity’s long-standing presence at MIT ECF highlights Denmark’s dedication to standing out as a leading destination for international researchers and professionals. Now, due to political insecurities, the focus on talent from the US is stronger than ever.

Exclusive networking & Expanding Denmark’s research focus

This year also saw the debut of Science Hub Denmark, a new initiative funded by Novo Nordisk, Lundbeck, and the Willum Foundation, bringing an increased focus on Power-to-X, Neuroscience, and Biosolutions research. Head of Science Hub Denmark, Alexander Watts and leading Danish experts Mark de Vos (University of Copenhagen), Dr Andreas Worberg (DTU Biosustain), and Professor Sinan Erzurumlu (Fulbright Fellow) highlighted exciting research opportunities in Denmark.

Since 2019 Denmark has enhanced its presence at MIT ECF with an exclusive Career in Denmark networking event. In collaboration with the Innovation Center Denmark in Boston, DI and MIT-Denmark (MISTI), this special networking event brings together top STEM talent, Universities and Danish industry leaders. This year, over 100 handpicked candidates from MIT, Harvard, NYU, Boston University etc. engaged with 20+ Danish representatives, and former U.S. Ambassador Alan Leventhal delivered an inspiring keynote, emphasizing why Denmark continues to be a top destination for international talent.

Do you want to join us next year?

Are you and your company or university ready for MIT ECF 2026? The next delegation takes place on February 28, 2026. Join us in attracting the best STEM talent to Denmark!

Contact Merete Sandager, msa@copcap.com to get involved.

Thanks to our partners, the European Social Fund, the Danish Agency for Business Development, and Science Hub Denmark, made this initiative possible!