Nanoscience student wins at SDC Ideathon 2026 co-organised by Morten Foss
In March 2026, the SDC Ideathon in Beijing brought together more than 150 master’s students for 36 hours of transdisciplinary innovation. The event was co-organised by Morten Foss from iNANO (Aarhus University), while Nanoscience student Line Grølsted (also from Aarhus University) was part of one of the two winning teams.
In March 2026, the SDC Ideathon in Beijing showcased Aarhus University (AU)’s contribution to the Sino-Danish collaboration in innovation and education. The event was co-organised by Morten Foss from iNANO, AU, and one of the two winning teams included AU student Line Grølsted from the Nanoscience education.
The SDC Transdisciplinary Innovation Ideathon brought together more than 150 master’s students from seven MSc programmes at the Sino-Danish Center. Over 36 intensive hours, students worked across disciplines to identify real-world problems, develop solution concepts, and present their final pitches. This year’s challenge themes were linked to the Danish-Chinese Green Joint Work Programme and focused on plastic consumption and healthy ageing.
For AU, the event highlighted both Morten Foss’ role in shaping a successful international innovation format and the strong performance of a student from the Nanoscience education at AU. In addition to serving as co-organiser, Morten Foss is Danish Principal Coordinator for the Nanoscience research area at SDC.
AU was also represented in the programme by iNANO-affiliated researchers Troels Skrydstrup and Kim Daasbjerg, who contributed as mentors during the Ideathon. Troels Skrydstrup also took part in the programme as a speaker, addressing the theme of plastic consumption.
At the same time, the event delivered a notable result for the Nanoscience education at AU. Line Grølsted was part of one of the two winning teams behind the concept SENSORT, which addresses a challenge common in waste-sorting facilities, where plastic bags can become stuck early in the process, causing downtime and creating safety risks for employees.
According to the team’s pitch, SENSORT combines drones, AI, and infrared/NIR sensors to detect and remove plastic bags from conveyor belts before they reach the first sorting stage. The aim is to improve both operational efficiency and worker safety, while making the solution possible to integrate into existing sorting facilities. The team also proposed a leasing-based business model with service and maintenance included.
With Morten Foss among the organisers and Line Grølsted among the winning students, SDC Ideathon 2026 highlighted AU’s contribution to international collaboration in innovation and education.