How (and why) to get the Startup Denmark Visa

About 7 years ago now, I was fortunate enough to be granted a visa that enabled me to establish my own business, Worthmore, in Denmark, despite not being a citizen of the European Union. I won't sugarcoat it - the process was challenging, but I can confidently say that it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If you're willing to put in the time and effort, I encourage you to take the leap and see what you're capable of achieving.

Why Choose Denmark?

Copenhagen is an incredible hub of innovation, boasting a thriving high-tech industry. But it's not just about work here - the city offers a fantastic work-life balance that's hard to beat. Plus, there's a buzzing startup community that's always hosting exciting events. The best part? You can bike to work all year round, taking in the beautiful sights along the way. And when summer rolls around, the city comes alive with music festivals and events that are not to be missed.

For young entrepreneurs looking to start their journey, Denmark is the perfect place to be. It's like following the American dream, but with a Nordic twist. There's something truly special about the Copenhagen startup ecosystem that makes it stand out from the rest.

1. There is a large group of overeducated students with little to no experience in real-world positions (sorry, Danes, but it is true). This is great news for early-stage startups as you can easily find highly qualified interns willing to gain experience in their field. On top of this, they are getting paid to study, so they are a bit more flexible in how much they actually need to earn from a part-time position. This enables them to more freely decide to work on projects they are passionate about instead of focusing on earning enough just to pay rent.
2. The cost of living is high (Copenhagen has the most expensive cappuccino (regular) in the world), but life is simpler. The Nordic minimalism is hard to notice at first, but after spending a few months here you realize they really are less capitalistic than other places. This means even though you may be making less, you will find you have more in your pocket at the end of the month because you don't waste money on useless things. You can live (not like a king) but comfortably in the city center with about $1500 a month as a single person.
3. There is a flat hierarchy in a small yet powerful community. It is not hard to land meetings with the most exclusive investors/founders in the area, who are normally quite humble. The Hub is an impressive source for finding top startup founders, investors, and talent. For instance, Worthmore has had over 500 talented applicants apply to work for our company at the time of writing this, and every serious Danish startup will have a profile there.
4. Despite popular belief, the Nordics, in general, have more than enough capital to invest, especially in early-stage companies. For instance, the government gave over €30M in grants to qualifying early-stage companies that you can receive without much hassle...(try finding that in Silicon Valley). Angels are also quite active lately. In 2020 the Danish Business Angel Network invested in more than 190 companies for a total amount of 23 mEUR. Add in Top VC firms such as ByFounders, NordicMakers, and Preseed Ventures to name a few, and you have a rapidly developing ecosystem (Click the image to view the full report from V?kstfonden)

Awesome. How do I get the Visa?

To keep it short and simple, I will describe what I did to get the Startup Denmark Visa in 5 steps. You are also welcome to write to me for advice about your idea, your visa application, or living in Denmark as an expat in general.

1. Realize this is not an easy visa to receive, you should have some connection to the country that is quite strong and be willing to put time, effort, and money into the process -- (3 months, + have savings of/access to ~25K USD). If you are thinking, why would I need ~$25K, it is because one of the initial requirements for the visa is you need to show you can support yourself for at least one year to be granted the residence/work permit. Also, there is a processing fee on your application of about $350. Read more about the requirements here.
2. Be prepared with a network, Denmark is a small country, and a huge part of getting anything accomplished is knowing the right people. Personally, if you are serious about moving to Denmark to start a company, I recommend taking a 3-6 month internship/job at a startup in Denmark. You will learn a lot about the culture, the rules, and if you would enjoy living here. If this is not feasible, I would recommend reaching out to the local co-working spaces or people on Linkedin for help establishing connections. This is a great resource for open startup internships.
3. The entire application depends on getting a business plan approved by the Danish Business Authority. I disagree with this method of filtering out startups, especially since it took them 10+ weeks to review mine. This being said, it is important to put some effort into your business plan. In my case, to make the decision more black and white, I literally took the criteria they judge your startup on and used them as headlines to develop a business plan specifically for the application. You can view the business plan that I submitted here.
4. You should start learning Danish or know someone who does. I know many people who have been here for 5+ years and do not know any Danish...this does not fly if you want to start a company here. You don't have to be fluent, but understand that every important document you get surrounding your company will be sent to you in Danish, from taxes to legal paperwork. Language schools used to be free... now they are still quite cheap. Personally, I attended UC Plus and K?benhavns Sprogcenter. I highly recommend the programs there.
5. If all goes according to plan, and you have made it this far, then finally, I believe it is important to try and be a part of the ecosystem. Scandinavia has some of the best tech events in the world. From Slush in Finland to TechBBQ in Denmark. Co-working spaces are also top-notch, with players like Matrikel1, Univate, Rainmaking Loft, and CPH Fintech lab among some of the best places to get started with your idea. Being a part of the ecosystem will help you connect with investors, potential employees, and dealmakers alike to give you the best chances of success in Denmark. Remember, the visa only lasts for 2 years, and then you are under review again, so there is not a lot of time to stand around waiting for things to happen... then again, there never is in the startup world.

Best of luck to all who wish to jump off the deep end and try to relocate/start a business in Denmark. I know for a lot of people, the above may seem scary or too difficult, but from my personal experience, it has been 100% worth it (and I moved to Denmark from Silicon Valley). The most important thing is to know that you do not have to do it all alone, and there are plenty of people along the way willing to give a helping hand. I have created a Facebook group for everyone who has received the visa - Feel free to join it here.

Due to the number of requests I have gotten from writing this article, I have started to help serious founders perfect their business plans for the visa. Currently, I have a 75%+ success rate and helped 30+ people receive the Startup Denmark Visa. I charge €150 for the process but put a lot of effort into helping you shape not only your business plan but your entire business to increase your chances of approval. On top of that, when you get to Denmark, I give you access to exclusive events and my strong network to help you have a softer landing than I did.

You can book a consultation here

I hope you found this article helpful, and if you made it this far, please give it a thumbs up so that others may be more likely to find it. Cheers for now. -TS

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