Covid-19 does not stop growth in the Danish tech scene - but will talent?

Copenhagen, September 16, 2021.

As the Danish government lifts the very last restrictions and declares that Covid-19 is no longer a socially critical disease, we take stock of the need for hiring tech talent. A recent survey shows that after one and a half years of the pandemic forced businesses to adapt to the new normal, restrictions have not slowed down the need for digital talent as the demand surpasses the level prior to Covid-19.

Looking at the period from prior to the pandemic to the second quarter of 2021, the demand for digital integrator profiles has increased the most (22 per cent more job ads), while the demand for digital specialist profiles has increased the least (3 per cent). Following the pandemic outbreak, the demand for digital talent decreased significantly to its lowest value, reached in Q2 2020. But since Q2 2020, the need for digital talent has significantly surged, with the demand for integrator profiles doubling and specialist profiles increasing by 70 per cent.

Read the survey here.

"Covid-19 was a shock to all of us, and we looked into a time of high uncertainty. But this survey shows that Danish companies displayed the ability to embrace change and move quickly to adapt to the new normal. With a record influx of capital from foreign direct investments and national support, the lack of talent is today the biggest barrier for growth. So we are thrilled to see that Danish companies are today hiring at a higher level than before the pandemic," says CEO of Digital Hub Denmark, Camilla Rygaard- Hjalsted.

A testament to the massive growth is the Danish company Contractbook. The company secured both a Series A and Series B investment from international investors during the Covid-19 pandemic. They are now looking to hire 60 employees in Denmark over the next year.

"The increased competition for the best digital talents shows the massive growth of Danish tech startups. This is, in fact, a major success story. As a result, more people should look for work in tech. It's a booming industry, and Denmark is on the forefront of innovation, so now is a perfect time to join one of Denmark's successful business adventures," says Niels Martin Brøchner, CEO and co-founder of Contractbook.

We need more talent

The survey shows an increase of 16 per cent over four years in the total population of the Danish digital talent pool. But according to Frederik Lysgaard Vind, Head of People and Culture in the Danish health tech startup Nøie, the startup is experiencing are talent shortage from the Danish talent pool.

"Denmark is for many reasons an amazing country to live in and operate a business from, but unfortunately, especially tech talent accessibility is no longer one of the reasons. Since we raised our Series A funding at the beginning of 2021, we have doubled in size, and the growth has only begun. We are growing in all business areas, but it is no secret that we especially experience a talent shortage within tech talent. Therefore, attracting top international tech talent has become a key strategic priority at Nøie."

Looking abroad for tech talent

Job ads targeted at digital talents are far more often written in a foreign language (other languages than Danish, most often English) than job ads targeted at other academics. This indicates that the search for digital talent is mainly targeted at foreigners.

The demand for international digital specialists has risen by 200 per cent since 2010 in Denmark, and the demand for international integrators has almost doubled.

"Attracting international talent is one of the key strategic priorities. Our efforts start internally by creating a truly diverse and inclusive culture followed by a broad range of attraction initiatives, from participating in campaigns with Digital Hub Denmark to direct outreach to potential talent. Lastly, we, of cause do our utmost to ensure a smooth relocation for the talent we do bring in," says Frederik Lysgaard Vind.

Digital talents in Denmark

According to the survey, the Danish talent pool consists of 173,365 digital talents. In the survey, digital talent covers two main categories: digital integrators and digital specialists.

Integrators are advanced users of digital technology who can apply digital technology to develop new products, concepts, and business development.

For specialists, digital services are the core of their job. Therefore, specialists include profiles that can design and develop digital solutions. The two categories are split into nine profiles.

Media contact

Head of Communication and PR at Digital Hub Denmark Jakob Lindmark Frier at jakob@digitalhubdenmark.dk or +45 4279 9454

Digital Hub Denmark works to position Denmark as the home of new, sustainable, and cutting-edge digital solutions to attract top international talent, customers, and capital to accelerate growth in the Danish digital ecosphere.

Contractbook is a SaaS company that enables small and medium-sized businesses to manage the entire lifecycle of their contracts in a single, fully automated flow. The company raised both a series A and a Series B round during Covid-19. Learn more about what the massive investment means to the company's recruitment needs and what traits they are looking for when recruiting. Media contact in Contractbook: Mikkel Boris, Head of Communication, mb@contractbook.com or phone: +45 2815 8714

The healthtech startup Nøie work to improve the quality of life for people with skin concerns by creating the world's best-customised skincare. The company raised a Series A round in May this year. Learn how the "war" for international scaleup talent has entered a new high & the self-fulfilling Danish scaleup talent prophecy why the common rules of HR don't apply in startup and the connection between growth stages and people and culture. Media contact in Nøie: Frederik Lysgaard Vind, Head of People and Culture, frederik@noie.com or phone: +45 2728 1182