During a tailored week of advice, inspiration and insights, five Danish startups expanded their knowledge and perspectives on the AI ecosystem in Silicon Valley during spring 2025. The week was packed with opportunities to network as participants met potential business partners, other startup founders, and established Silicon Valley actors, pitched in front of venture capitalists and participated in this year’s Startup Grind conference in Redwood City.

Among the participating startups was IDUN audio. Founded in 2018, IDUN audio has become the leading provider of dynamic spatial audio for headsets, earbuds and VR/AR/XR glasses. The program in Silicon Valley turned out to be an eye-opener for the company, as artificial intelligence has not been a major part of their developments so far.

Unlike most spatial audio solutions, which need computers or smartphones to process spatial audio, IDUN’s software runs directly inside the headphones and dynamically adjusts to head movements in real time, creating a more accurate, responsive, and lifelike listening experience.

IDUN audio’s unique technology transforms how we listen by adding a sense of space and direction to sound, making everything from listening to music and watching movies to playing games and taking video calls feel natural, immersive, and effortless.

Their audio software engine places sound in a 3D space, processed naturally by the brain. That makes it easier to focus, follow conversations, and enjoy rich, three-dimensional audio, and it allows users to manipulate and replicate specific auditory ambiences in the sound experience in a 3D environment. Since it is essentially virtual- and augmented reality audio, it is perfect for using in smart glasses.

Technically, the software tracks your head movements in real time and adjusts the sound accordingly. This is possible because all the signal processing happens directly inside the headset, not on an external device like a phone or a computer. That setup eliminates Bluetooth latency issues and allows for accurate, dynamic spatial audio - even with many moving sound sources. The software works seamlessly across all major playback devices, including iPhone, Android, PC, Mac, TVs, and of course, smart glasses.

Participating in the AI market immersion in Silicon Valley proved to IDUN audio’s founder, Pauli Minnaar, that their approach to AI has to change.

“This week has shown us how we can improve the spatial audio experiences through AI by integrating it with all different kinds of AI services and processes,” says Pauli Minnaar about the outcome of the week.

Rooted in Copenhagen’s vibrant audio tech scene - often dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of audio’ - IDUN audio is part of a wave of Danish-educated experts shaping next-gen sound at top U.S. companies, placing the company at the forefront of global audio innovation.

IDUN audio’s interest in Silicon Valley is part of an effort to combine the strengths of both ecosystems, leveraging Denmark’s world-class engineering talent alongside the visionary tech environment and capital access in the U.S. - and combining those qualities means it’s time for IDUN audio to find out how the company can exploit AI.

The program showcased how AI is transforming not only products, but business models - a message reinforced during a visit to GPU and chip producing company NVIDIA, whose products are key components in many of today’s AI advancements. NVIDIA furthermore offers various services to startups, many of which were of IDUN audio’s interest.

But the week was not just about artificial intelligence. The goal was to equip startups with tools to succeed in Silicon Valley. It takes more than just AI - it also requires legal counselling, a supporting bank, refined pitching techniques and a broad network to make it happen.

Hence, the program also offered pitch training with experienced venture capitalists, conversations with lawyers about American and Californian regulations when expanding to the United States, network dinners with renowned Silicon Valley actors, meetings with bankers about the requirements and opportunities when seeking funding and a casual conversation with another Danish startup founder who has grown a business in the Silicon Valley tech hub.

Finally, the startups participated in the Startup Grind conference that took place in Redwood City. Here, well-known speakers shared experience and advice on stage, telling stories about their own startup journeys. The conference was buzzing with hopeful startups and curious venture capitalists, and we know that the participants made interesting connections during the conference.

After the program in Silicon Valley, the IDUN audio team brought home new inspiration and a determination to use AI in the future of the company.

“When we came here, we were not an AI company. Now, we leave Silicon Valley knowing that we must think AI into our business - it’s just a question of how,” says Ivan Sandager, CCO at IDUN audio.

Beyond AI, the week gave IDUN audio a deeper insight into the U.S. market. With spatial audio being the future, it’s important for IDUN audio to stay ahead and keep advancing - now with a broader network in Silicon Valley and with inspiration on how to utilize AI.

The market immersion programs are core to who we are at ICDK. Our mission is simple: to help your company unlock and navigate the potential of Silicon Valley. Through tailored programs, we guide startups through the world’s leading tech hub and connect them with the right partners. For IDUN audio, that meant discovering how to integrate AI and building valuable business relationships - all in just one week.

From day one to unicorn status, our advisors are ready to support your journey. Whether you're aiming for U.S. expansion, fresh insights, or funding opportunities, we have the network to get you there. Want to join our next program or explore Silicon Valley up close? We’d love to help.