NordicBlue ApS

📌 Meet Inês Gil, Scientist at NordicBlue Inês’ passion for enzymes and their potential in biocatalysis makes her a standout in NordicBlue’s research team. Her academic journey, marked by accolades and hands-on experience, showcases her dedication to scientific excellence.   🔬 Highlights: Industrial Internship at Bayer AG Master's thesis on biocatalysis at Delft University of Technology. Skilled in advanced laboratory techniques, including HPLC and enzyme characterization. ✨ With her curiosity-driven mindset, Inês is pushing boundaries in sustainable biotechnology.   #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #newbeginnings #deniminnovation 3 quick questions to Inês: 1) What drew you to the field of biocatalysis? How versatile enzymes are and their potential applications. 2) How has your experience at Bayer and Delft shaped your research approach? It taught me to approach research methodically while preserving the rigor of academia. 3) What role do you see biocatalysis playing in the future of sustainability? I believe that enzymes can replace chemical reactions that are highly pollutant making biocatalysis extremely important for a more sustainable future.

📌 Introducing Ditte Welner, CEO at NordicBlue A seasoned leader with expertise in protein chemistry and structural biology, Ditte has spent over a decade leading innovative enzyme development projects. Ditte's career exemplifies scientific excellence and visionary leadership, from pioneering sustainable solutions to fostering a collaborative team culture. 🔬 Highlights: Group leader at The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability since 2017. Postdoctoral work at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, optimizing enzymes for industrial applications. Extensive publication record, reflecting her contributions to enzymology and structural biology. 🌍 Ditte’s visionary approach to sustainability shapes NordicBlue’s research and inspires her team to achieve more. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #newbeginnings #deniminnovation 3 quick questions for Ditte: What has been your proudest achievement in enzyme development? Easy, the development of an enzymatic solution to blue denim dyeing How do you foster innovation and teamwork in your group? With transparency, compassion, and high expectations What future trends in protein chemistry excite you the most? The quick advancement of artificial intelligence-aided functional prediction and engineering. Photo: Esben Zøllner Olesen for BioInnovation Institute.

It felt like the first day at a new school – a new building, new "classmates," and a completely new "curriculum." Exactly one week ago, we moved out of academia from DTU Biosustain in Lyngby to the start-up center of Copenhagen. Despite an unfamiliar environment, small things, like seeing our name tag on the lab fridge and the suppport from the community at the BioInnovation Institute already make us feel at home 🔬 We want to extend our thanks to the BII Venture Lab team for the warm welcome during the Venture Lab Bootcamp. We’re excited to start this new chapter alongside eleven other amazing start-ups from across the life sciences. But now it’s time to settle in. If you'd like to learn more about us and what we do, visit us on our homepage (https://www.nordicblue.dk/) and feel free to reach out. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #newbeginnings

Truly honored to be amongst these carefully selected teams. Imagine the impact possible, if we all succeed in our adventures!!!

Finally, it is official!! After months of evaluations, pitches, due diligence, and multiple meetings, we can reveal that NordicBlue has been accepted at BII (BioInnovation Institute). We are amongst 12 new companies, which over the next 12 months, will have funds, support, guidance, and facilities to take our eco-friendly denim dyeing to the next level. Our team, consisting of Ditte, Christian, Ruben, Mandy, Ines, and soon Irene is having our first day in school today, in the facilities of BII. Ahead lies 12 months of intensive work, R&D, commercialization, and pitching for VCs. Join us on this incredible journey, where we pursue the end goal of helping the textile industry, get rid of conventional dyeing with hazardous chemicals, into a future where worry-free denim is available for all. https://lnkd.in/dn-mn5Er

🌟 Looking back to 2019, when Ditte and her team at DTU made headlines in The Danish Newspaper, Politikken, highlighting the hidden ecological costs of denim dyeing. By uncovering the true price of denim production on our environment, they are not only raising awareness but also driving real change. This is a significant step towards reducing the environmental footprint of the fashion industry, that we are still celebrating today. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #healthcare #science #technology #joinus #newbeginnings Read the full article here: DTU Researcher: "Few people know how environmentally harmful their jeans are"

It started in the backyard of Lewi’s in California…. Back in December 2013, a Danish postdoc traveled from Denmark to The Joint Bioenergy Institute at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to work with structural biology including enzyme optimization and stabilization. During the 2-year and 8-month stay in Emeryville, California, the interest in denim dyeing via enzymes was sparked. Coming back to Denmark, in the role of assistant professor at DTU Bioengineering, Ditte Welner was curious about how hazardous chemicals could be removed via enzymes in the dyeing process. The idea caught the interest and in 2016 sparked a Novo Nordisk Foundation fellowship grant, to start enzyme tech development. The many trials, analyses, and numerous reach outs to the industry, have brought new dimensions and opportunities into the world. We are proud, to persistently have kept the faith and motivation, that we could produce a solution that would benefit the industry, consumers, and mostly our earth. Help us also raise awareness, that we must act now to respectfully improve the way we treat our resources and earth. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #healthcare #science #technology #joinus #newbeginnings

Did you know that the vibrant blue color of your favorite jeans has a rich chemical history? 🌍👖 In the late 19th century, the era of synthetic dyes began, revolutionizing the industry. Adolph von Baeyer’s groundbreaking work in the 1870s led to the first synthetic indigo, offering a cheaper and purer alternative to natural dye. After years of refining the process, BASF introduced the first commercially successful synthetic indigo in 1897. By 1913, synthetic indigo had largely replaced the natural version, driven by its lower cost and superior quality. BASF had revolutionized the industry with a synthetic alternative, making indigo more accessible but highly dependent on petrol-based building blocks. Today, 124 years later, synthetic indigo remains the standard in the denim industry, but it's a reminder of how chemistry continues to shape the fashion world. 🧪👗 At NordicBlue, we're RETHINKING indigo production—developing eco-friendly processes that protect our planet while keeping the iconic denim. Follow our journey as we continue to support and share the incredible work being done to create a greener, more eco-friendly world. We are committed to making a difference! #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #healthcare #science #technology #joinus #newbeginnings

🌿 The Journey of Indigo: From Ancient Plant to Iconic Hue 🌍 Indigo, a captivating blue hue, has a rich history that spans continents and millennia. Originating from the Latin word indicum, meaning "Indian," indigo was initially extracted from the Indigofera tinctoria plant in ancient India and later spread through East Asia, Egypt, and Peru. This vibrant dye was revered across cultures, with the earliest evidence dating back to 4000 BC in Peru! In Europe, indigo's journey began with woad (Isatis tinctoria), but as global trade flourished, the sought-after "true indigo" from India took center stage. Spanish explorers further expanded the cultivation in the Americas, making indigo a key cash crop in colonial South Carolina. 🔵 Before the Revolutionary War, indigo made up over a third of the American colonies' export value! Today, indigo remains a symbol of global exchange and innovation in fashion, but there aren’t enough plants on earth, to satisfy the demand for clothes dyed with natural indigo. At NordicBlue we are writing a new chapter for indigo dye, so like, share, and follow for more insights into the world of colors and how we can impact on a better world for all of us. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #healthcare #science #technology #joinus #newbeginnings

🌿 The Journey Towards Sustainable Denim Dyeing Begins! 🌿 Almost six years ago, the first milestone towards eco-friendly denim dyeing was made in a groundbreaking study. Researchers were able to mimic nature's brilliance by stabilizing indoxyl with a glucose molecule, a discovery allowing us to re-think conservative denim dyeing. Among these researchers was Ditte Welner – being part of the denim revolution since Day 1. The importance of this study cannot be overstated. It represents a major step forward in our quest to create sustainable fashion practices and highlights the potential for scientific innovation to solve real-world problems. Check out the study here: https://lnkd.in/eVxCtq43 Stay connected with us to follow these exciting developments and be part of the change in creating a more sustainable fashion industry. #Nordicblue #biotech #innovation #startup #healthcare #science #technology #joinus #newbeginnings