IFAD TS A/S and its employees, together with Benny Graff Mortensen, have been nominated for EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2024. Together with my colleague Amalie L. Berg, and Kim Klixbüll from Danske Bank, I have had the pleasure of visiting Benny and IFAD in their beautiful historic premises in central Odense.

The history of IFAD goes back more than 30 years and started as a research institute under the leadership of Benny. Together with other stakeholders in the Funen environment, they wanted to strengthen innovation on Funen and ensure that local research continued to be carried out for the benefit of Funen companies. Over time, the focus changed, and in 2004 it was decided to close down the institute and instead start working commercially with the development of simulation tools.

As a leading developer of tactical simulators, IFAD TS A/S, under the leadership of Benny, has played a key role in improving the training standards of military personnel. Their innovative approach and tailored solutions have not only improved training efficiency, but also contributed to increased safety for users as IFAD's products provide the opportunity to train and prepare for a wide range of scenarios that can occur in war situations without the risks and costs associated with "live" training. This not only optimizes the training process, but also supports a more efficient and safe preparation for realistic operational situations.

We wish IFAD TS A/S and Benny good luck in the competition and look forward to celebrating them and the other nominees on 5/11 for the regional ranking at P. Christensen.