LinkedIn·Friday, 7 August 2026·18d ago

From empty building to university wide innovation movement Every organisation has an origin story. For KU Lighthouse‎, it starts with…

Lighthouse

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From empty building to university wide innovation movement Every organisation has an origin story. For KU Lighthouse‎, it starts with Marius Sylvestersen being asked to leave the building. Five years ago, he arrived at what would become the focal point for a growing innovation community across Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen. The vision was clear. The building, however, was not. Renovation work was still underway and the space was occupied by others, so the first visit ended almost as quickly as it had begun. What followed was a five year effort to build not only an innovation centre, but a community around innovation, entrepreneurship and impact across the university. From establishing KU Lighthouse‎ from scratch to bringing innovation efforts together across the university, Marius Sylvestersen, UCPH's first Chief Innovation Officer, has helped shape both the organisation and the conversation around innovation, impact and entrepreneurship. Under his leadership, innovation has moved from something happening in small pockets across the university to becoming an established and strategic part of the university's direction. At the same time, KU Lighthouse‎ has always been a collective effort. Colleagues, researchers, students, partners and ecosystem actors across Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen and beyond have helped turn a vision into a thriving community. Some milestones along the way stand out: 🏗️ Building KU Lighthouse‎ from the ground up ♻️ Creating an innovation centre furnished almost entirely with upcycled furniture from UCPH 🤝 Bringing innovation efforts closer together across the university and creating a shared conversation around innovation and impact 🚀 Seeing innovation become a central part of UCPH's 2030 Strategy One idea has guided the journey throughout: innovation is strongest when different disciplines, perspectives and experiences meet. As Marius often says, at Københavns Universitet - University of Copenhagen we span from everything from Dante to quantum science. Bringing those worlds together creates opportunities that would not otherwise exist. Today, innovation, entrepreneurship and impact are increasingly embedded across university life. Perhaps the biggest change, however, is cultural. More people across the university see creating positive societal impact as a natural part of the university's mission. As Marius prepares for his next chapter, this is a moment to say thank you and reflect on how far the whole innovation community has come. Read the full interview with Marius Sylvestersen and his reflections on innovation, impact and the future role of universities via the link i comments. 📸 KU/Maria Shubhra Ovesen