The year in pictures
January
Illustration: Moen Verft
Supporting the aquaculture industry’s first hydrogen boat
Through the Pilot-E initiative, we granted over NOK 28 million in funding for a hydrogen-powered aquaculture boat including associated land facilities for the production and bunkering of hydrogen. PILOT-E is a financing initiative for Norwegian trade and industry, established by The Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway and Enova.
A solution for a brighter future
Lighting and charging possibilities can change the lives of poor farmers in East Africa. The pandemic has hit them hard. Our office in Kenya assisted when Norwegian company Bright Products handed out 2000 free solar lamps in collaboration with Yara International.
February
Photo: Corvus Energy
Supporting fuel cells with NOK 54 million
Battery manufacturer Corvus Energy is developing and producing hydrogen fuel cell systems for ships, and has received NOK 54 million in support from Innovation Norway. Shipping must make sharp cuts in greenhouse gas emissions over the next few decades, and fuel cells will become an important contribution to this.
Photo: Getty Images
Norwegian trade and industry asserts itself amid international competition
Norwegian trade and industry has received approximately NOK 4.2 billion from the world’s largest research and innovation programme — the EU’s Horizon 2020. Norway’s results show that participation in the framework programme benefits the whole country.
March
One year of corona measures: Great willingness regarding green and digital restructuring
“We have seen major green investments during the crisis year”, said CEO Håkon Haugli, one year after the government introduced comprehensive infection control measures.
Jentene på tunet win the Business Development in Agriculture Award
With their handmade chocolate based on the best ingredients, Jentene på Tunet have created jobs in the local community and are now receiving international recognition for their aesthetic and tasty products. Despite facing tough competition, they managed to secure victory and received the Business Development in Agriculture Award.
April
Photo: Innovation Norway
Norwegian Travel Workshop
The travel and tourism industry’s largest event went all-digital in 2021. 8000 digital meetings between Norwegian travel and tourism employees and foreign tour operators were conducted over two days, with participants from over 30 countries.
Photo: Innovation Norway/Myreze
Virtual trade and industry visit to San Francisco
Together with Crown Prince Håkon, we took Norwegian trade and industry on a digital visit to San Francisco - an important arena where California and Norway collaborated more closely on tomorrow’s solutions within the fields of renewable energy, zero-emission vehicles and green finance.
May
Photo: Innovation Norway
New national tourism strategy
On behalf of a unified Norwegian travel and tourism industry, we presented the new national tourism strategy to the Minister of Trade and Industry. The strategy will facilitate NOK 20 billion in increased export revenues and close to 43,000 additional jobs over the next ten years, at the same time as climate emissions will be reduced by 50 percent.
Aiming to become a world leader in biochar production
Several EU countries are phasing out polluting coal, and there will be high demand for environmentally friendly alternatives. Arbaflame, the biochar manufacturer from Oslo, sees great opportunities in world markets.
June
Photo: Tom Hansen
Innovation Speech 2021: A SWOT analysis of restructuring in Norwegian trade and industry
The world is demanding green solutions. Is Norway ready to compete in the global competition for investments and contracts? At the Innovation Speech, we met innovative companies from all over the country, heard from experts about the green shift and exports, and presented our innovation policy advice to the authorities.
Wild growth for Tibber
Our customer Tibber has shown us that digitalisation is not streamlined. They are challenging the major power companies with a solution that focuses on the customer and gives the user control over their own consumption. They have experienced tremendous growth in just a few years.
July
Photo: Innovation Norway
High levels of innovation activity continue in Norwegian trade and industry
Figures from the first half of 2021 show a continued high level of innovation activity in Norway despite the pandemic. A wounded travel and tourism industry has received a boost, and foundations are being laid so the battery industry can be our next big export adventure.
Photo: Innovation Norway
Norwegian-British free trade deal important for Norwegian exports
Norway has signed a free trade deal with the UK after Brexit. The electric postal and delivery vehicle from Paxster has already been well received in the UK. They attended the event in London together with Hilde Hukkelberg who is head of Innovation Norway’s offices in the UK.
August
Photo: Christian Lunde
Future entrepreneurs met at Emax
Young entrepreneurs from across the country met for a digital day of networking, problem solving and coaching. Norway needs young entrepreneurs who can start new companies and who dare to think big and internationally. They learn to do this at Emax.
Aqua Nor
Sustainability, smart technology and exports were key words when the world’s largest technology trade show for the aquaculture industry took place in Trondheim. Inseanergy is one of the companies contributing to the green shift in the aquaculture industry, with a solution based on both reuse and green energy.
Photo: Anita Arntzen
Raising the export banner during Arendal Week
New export industries, the EU Green Deal and the future of travel and tourism were topics we put on the agenda during Arendal Week. Exciting guests from both industry and government contributed their views on how Norwegian trade and industry can succeed with exports and the green shift in the future.
September
Photo: Marius Fiskum/Selfa Arctic
NOK 1 billion to 11 major restructuring projects
Through the Green Platform, 11 ambitious projects across the country will receive between NOK 50-120 million each to develop initiatives such as waste-free construction sites, a holistic green value chain for ocean-based aquaculture, increased reuse of wood, and technologies that facilitate permanent CO2 storage.
Epiguard receives innovation award during Oslo Innovation Week
During the corona crisis, our customer Epiguard has delivered their Epishuttle to countries all over the world. During Oslo Innovation Week, they received the Oslo Innovation Award for their solution. The award was presented by Innovation Norway and the City of Oslo.
October
France invests in Norwegian offshore wind
France is in the process of making major investments in offshore wind and is looking to Norway for help with their development. A French delegation from the Mediterranean region of Occitanie visited Norway to look at the world’s first floating wind turbine, and sign an agreement with the Norwegian offshore wind cluster.
Photo: Innovation Norway
Starting where the need for restructuring is greatest — the Minister of Trade and Industry visited Rogaland
Jan Christian Vestre started his work as Minister of Trade and Industry with a promise of meeting 100 businesses in 100 days. The Minister of Trade and Industry’s journey started with a visit to Stord, before moving on to Haugesund and Stavanger. On the journey, Vestre placed great emphasis on meeting enterprises in the renewable sector and new technologies, as well as within the fields of oil, oil services and maritime industries.
Photo: Innovation Norway
Opening of the Norwegian Pavilion in Dubai
The Norwegian pavilion at World Expo 2020 in Dubai was officially opened. Norway’s participation will highlight that Norwegian trade and industry is among the best in the world when it comes to sustainable development within a number of marine industries.
November
Photo: Tom Hansen
New members from around the country join the cluster programme
Two new communities became Arena clusters, and four clusters gained Arena Pro status. In addition, four projects received support for mature clusters, while two communities became pilots in a new scheme where smaller networks with less experience are linked to established clusters.
Photo: Getty Images
Showcased the health solutions of the future
In Norway, there is an increase in the number of start-ups within the healthcare industry every year. We work with several of these companies, connecting the best of them to needs abroad. At the E-Health in Norway conference, several of the companies participated at an entrepreneurial pavilion organised by Norway Health Tech, Norwegian Smart Care Cluster and Innovation Norway.
December
Photo: Nofence
Supporting Nofence with almost NOK 29 million
Innovation Norway’s Board of Directors agreed to allocate NOK 13.75 million in grants and NOK 15 million in loans to Nofence. “This is a good example of how Norwegian agricultural technology can take international positions”, says CEO Håkon Haugli.
Photo: ACD Pharma
NOK 60 million for a bacteriophage plant in Lofoten
Innovation Norway’s Board of Directors decided to support the construction of what will be the world’s largest large-scale bacteriophage plant with pharmaceutical approval at Leknes in Lofoten. The grant is the largest single allocation from Innovation Norway in 2021.
A big year for the FREYR battery initiative
In 2021, Innovation Norway’s Board of Directors decided to support FREYR with NOK 39 million for further development, planning and construction of a battery cell factory in Mo i Rana. The factory alone can provide the local Rana community with 1500 new jobs. We were together with FREYR and others at the New York Stock Exchange in December, where the company was listed on the stock exchange in July of the same year.