Report from the Board

Innovation Norway’s role

Innovation Norway promotes commercially and socio-economically profitable industrial development throughout the country and triggers the business opportunities of different districts and regions. We will achieve this by contributing to innovation, internationalisation and promotion.

Innovation Norway’s board, from the left Egil Hagen, Ove Haaversen-Westhassel (employee representatives), Elin Tveit Sveen, Leif Frode Onarheim, Roar Flåthen, Arild Øien, Kjell Storeide (Chairman), Gunn Ovesen (CEO), Kirsten Verdal (Vice Chairman), Siri Bye Johansen, Kirsti Saxi and Eli Blakstad.

From Bodø to Beijing

Innovation Norway has a network of offices in every county and in over 30 countries. The vision “We give local ideas global opportunities” expresses our strength and gives us a unique opportunity to link knowledge of local conditions and the opportunities of companies with international technology, expertise and market- and value-adding opportunities.

The companies that succeed most are those which combine a strong ability to innovate with international competitiveness.
Innovation Norway can work with the company all the way from the creation of a local idea until a global opportunity is realised. The cooperation between the offices is given a high priority and has developed positively in 2006. The board considers this development to be positive, because it was an important justification for the founding of Innovation Norway in 2004.

Together with cooperation partners both in Norway and abroad, Innovation Norway is developing a package of services which meets regional and national needs for knowledge-based business development. We exploit our broad interface and presence through our offices abroad and in Norway and develop arenas in which knowledge and experience are produced. The board believes that this provides us with a basis from which to give advice concerning the business and innovation policies of tomorrow

An integrated public support system

Innovation Norway provides financing, expertise, networks and consultancy services to innovation projects in the companies. Our general prioritised initiative areas are:

• Entrepreneurship
• Small and medium-sized companies with international growth ambitions
• Travel and tourism
• Food and agriculture
• Network-based innovation and regional restructuring

The board strives to ensure that Innovation Norway’s customers encounter an integrated, service-oriented and effective support system through our offices in Norway and abroad. We implemented business-oriented initiatives with respect to individual companies and groups of companies. Innovation Norway is developing innovation systems and sees innovation, promotion and internationalisation in context.

Innovation increases profitability

While good economic framework conditions and tax incentives will encourage greater innovation across Norwegian business, Innovation Norway will activate profitable innovation projects in established companies and in start-up enterprises where the risks are particularly great.

Long-term investments to enhance the ability to innovate and strengthen innovation environments are fundamental to securing competitive businesses and to developing a more knowledge-based Norwegian industry. This will in turn facilitate the necessary growth in productivity and trigger new opportunities for business development based on new technology and knowledge. International experience also strengthens the ability of companies to innovate, and creates long-term profitability.