On December 12, 2022, two companies, Novozymes and Chr. Hansen, entered into a merger agreement to form the global leader in a rapidly growing, increasingly essential category: biosolutions.

Chr. Hansen (“Christian Hansen”) was founded in 1874 and Novozymes, spun out of Novo Nordisk in 2000, traced its origins to 1925. Worth $12.3 billion, the deal is the largest Danish merger on record. Novo Holdings A/S, a subsidiary of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, is the owner.

At the start of 2024, Novonesis was born. 

The focus in 2023, then, was finding the right ways to bring two healthy cultures together—Zymers and Hansenites—in a meaningful way.

Here is Letterhead’s rationale explaining the choice of Novonesis to employees:

Our biosolutions build on billions of years of natural progress to help enzymes and microbes transform how we live and thrive in a healthier, more sustainable way. Today we recognize the great opportunity and critical responsibility to better our world with biology.

The merger of our great companies and proud histories creates a global leader. Leveraging more than a hundred years of expertise, unparalleled resources, complementary portfolios, and our shared commitment to the highest standards, we stand ready to define a category, drive a market, and develop the best and broadest range of biosolutions.

To reflect this ambition—as a company, for the field, and in our labs—we embrace a new name to share and champion. We are all Novonesis.

There are 5 key reasons we selected Novonesis as our name.

Novonesis means a new beginning.
Science relies on classical roots to identify innovation and categorize discovery. We honor that tradition as we join novo and genesis—the Latin for ‘new’ with the Greek for ‘beginning, origin, or source’—to launch the future of biosolutions. Previous hybrids of Latin and Greek include automobile, television, and neuroscience.

Novonesis is stedsegrøn. Evergreen.
Every new idea jotted down, every innovation scaled up, every partnership we initiate exemplifies a new beginning. Life itself, no matter how small, begins, grows, and renews. In this way, we are always oriented to the future and focused on our path. No matter what we do or where we go—even beyond enzymes and microbes—Novonesis will always be true. And optimistic.

Novonesis will be trusted from Day 1.
We aren’t a startup. Directly referencing the strength, stature, and support of the Novo Group is a powerful promise of our capability and commitment in the life sciences community, to partners and prospects, and around the world. Novonesis will make a difference for many people and be a leader for a long time. 

Novonesis is unique to us.
Distinct in the marketplace, different in tone from existing Novo names, and ownable as a strong trademark on a global scale, our novel identity signals a cutting-edge company ready to tackle humanity’s most difficult challenges. From the start, our intent has been to secure intellectual property that will build value, expand reach, and grow in influence over time.

Novonesis is interesting and appealing.
Four syllables that flow easily, the first and third both beginning with N, alternating between consonant and vowel in a rolling way everyone can scan and pronounce, anchoring in the two deep oo’s before moving through the faster, lighter, more sci-fi ending, Novonesis is ready to celebrate this moment, work effectively with us over time, and become the new home we all love as much as the last one.