IPU was founded in 1956 by four visionary professors at the Technical University of Denmark. Their mission was to create a bridge between cutting-edge academic research and the practical needs of industry. From the very beginning, IPU has been guided by two core principles: understanding the real-world challenges faced by our partners, and working with the agility and focus needed to deliver business impact and meaningful results. Over the years, IPU has evolved alongside Danish and international industry and universities. In 2022, IPU changed the name to IPU Fonden (foundation) and split commercial activities into the subsidiary IPU P/S. We have completed +6000 industrial projects and +400 research projects with leading universities, helping to turn advanced research into practical solutions that benefit companies and society. Today, both IPU Fonden and IPU P/S are still driven by the power of collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to making a difference.

We execute our purpose through three strategic pillars: - Grow IPU Fonden’s capabilities and impact - build awareness, strengthen capital for donations, and maintain/expand specialist competencies that address key challenges. - Enable key megatrends through technology - support relevant research activities, talent initiatives, strategic donations (e.g., instruments and setups), and programs that accelerate implementation of advanced technologies. - Promote collaboration across the ecosystem - deepen partnerships between IPU Fonden, IPU P/S, industry, DTU, and academia to move innovation from lab to market and advance sustainable development. We review and adapt the strategy periodically, to stay effective in a changing technological landscape and to ensure measurable progress against our objectives.

IPU Fonden strengthens Denmark’s competitiveness and societal development by promoting technical‑scientific research and development, and by bridging advanced knowledge from universities into industry and the public sector. We work in tandem with IPU P/S to ensure research-based technologies become real‑world solutions, with profits reinvested in research, innovation, and education

In 2025, IPU Fonden established the IPU Prize (IPU Prisen) to recognize and celebrate outstanding achievements in technical and scientific research with clear industrial relevance. The prize is awarded annually to individuals or teams whose work demonstrates exceptional innovation, bridges the gap between academia and industry, and creates significant value for Danish society. With this prize, IPU Fonden aims to inspire new ideas, strengthen collaboration, and highlight the importance of research-driven innovation for Denmark’s future.