AALEX is developing software that uses flight data to simulate operational requirements and automatically generate staff schedules for airports. The idea originated at Aalborg Airport, where founder Emil Louis Hansen experienced first-hand how time-consuming and complex workforce scheduling can be through his work.
"Airport staff scheduling is far more complex than many people realize. Flight traffic, collective agreements, and employee shift preferences all need to fit together. Managing this manually requires a tremendous amount of time and oversight," says Emil.
This marked the beginning of AALEX, founded with the ambition of making airport staff scheduling faster, more transparent, and better aligned with real operational needs. Today, Emil runs the company together with his partner and wife, Julia Bøgh Adsersen, who is responsible for the commercial side of the business.
Access to a Real-World Test Environment
The local business development organization, Business Aalborg, referred AALEX – Airport Scheduling to its colleagues at Billund Erhverv after learning about the opportunity to test solutions through Billund Airport Innovation Hub. AALEX subsequently entered into a dialogue with Billund Erhverv, which facilitated contact with Billund Airport and made it possible to launch the test project.
In Billund, Emil and Julia are testing their scheduling system in a more complex operational environment, including cargo operations, where flexibility and rapid adaptation are constant requirements.
"For us, it is crucial to test in a real-world environment. This allows us to determine whether the idea actually works in practice and to gain valuable input from the people who will ultimately use the solution," explains Emil.
The collaboration creates value not only for AALEX, but also for Billund Airport:
"We have found it very interesting to gain insight into what a startup can develop within workforce scheduling. There is certainly potential in the next generation of solutions in this area, and we are happy to contribute our knowledge and experience to the development process," says Lau Sunde, Head of Payroll & Planning at Billund Airport.
The partnership is built around real-life operational scenarios, with Billund Airport providing expertise and use cases that support AALEX's continued system development. This enables ongoing refinement of the solution and allows it to be tested against realistic scheduling challenges while respecting the demands of airport operations.
A Shortcut for Startups
Billund Airport Innovation Hub is an innovation and testing environment established through a collaboration between Billund Erhverv and Billund Airport. The hub is aimed at startups and SMEs developing digital or technological solutions relevant to airport operations, with a particular focus on transportation, logistics, and operational efficiency.
Billund Erhverv serves as the gateway for companies interested in exploring testing opportunities through Billund Airport Innovation Hub.
For AALEX, the collaboration with Billund Erhverv has made a significant difference in the development of its solution:
"Billund Erhverv made it much easier for us to get started. There was a clear pathway into the airport environment, and we always had a dedicated contact person to turn to whenever challenges arose," says Emil.
The opportunity to test solutions through Billund Airport Innovation Hub ensures that ideas do not remain assumptions but are validated in day-to-day operations. Here, startups gain access to the environment, data, and people who will ultimately use their solutions. This makes it possible to accelerate development and make better-informed decisions earlier in the innovation process.
"It's a completely different experience than simply making educated guesses," concludes Emil Louis Hansen.
