The year in pictures
January
Three Norwegian companies receive NOK 110 million from the EU
DigiFarm produces digital solutions for agriculture and uses satellite data to develop AI for agricultural production. It is one of three Norwegian companies to have received a combined total of NOK 110 million in funding from EIC Accelerator. The scheme is considered a sort of Champions League for companies and only the very most innovative are successful.
Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell wins the Business Development in Agriculture Award
Øyna Kulturlandskapshotell in Inderøy Municipality in Trøndelag won the Business Development in Agriculture Award. With its sustainable design and material choices, and food based on local ingredients, this Inderøy company has created an attraction with jobs and international recognition.
February
Green transition projects receive NOK 160 million
Two new projects will receive Green Platform funding, a joint initiative that provides industry, commerce, and research institutions with funds for the green transition. The Green Platform is a collaboration between the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, and Siva. The projects are helping to strengthen the battery industry in Norway and taking important steps to transition the processing industry from being carbon-based to renewables and sustainability.
A gateway to the business support system
Innovation Norway is a gateway to the business support system for Norwegian industry and commerce.
“Companies shouldn’t have to find out which of the public agencies can provide the help they need, that’s our job,” says CEO Håkon Haugli.
March
Female Norwegian entrepreneurs doing brilliantly in the battle for EU funding
Four Norwegian companies have received funding from Women TechEU, a new initiative under Horizon Europe, the world’s largest programme for research and innovation. Women TechEU is designed to help with funding, coaching, and accelerator services for technology companies headed by women.
‘All of Norway Exports’
‘All of Norway Exports’ is the name of the government’s new initiative designed to strengthen Norwegian exports. The goal is to increase exports other than oil and gas by 50 per cent by the end of 2030. Innovation Norway will be responsible for two new programmes: a grant programme for promoting businesses and participating in trade fairs and a competence programme for brand building.
April
Trond Riiber Knudsen on Innopodden
Trond Riiber Knudsen promotes entrepreneurs with green ideas and believes it is now easier to attract investment for sustainable start-ups than for projects in established heavyweights.
A new form of cooperation for higher ambitions
Aker ASA and Innovation Norway have signed a cooperation agreement that will benefit the whole of Norway. The cooperation is designed to help make Norway a world leader in green technology and sustainability, and to encourage the world to view Norway as one of the most innovative countries in Europe.
May
Innovation Speech 2022
“Norway has perhaps the best starting point within agriculture and energy production to meet the world’s growing demand for sustainable solutions. Innovation Norway's contributions within offshore wind, batteries, hydrogen, and green shipping are yielding results in the form of development, testing, and piloting, but these end when companies start producing and to grow,” said Håkon Haugli during the Innovation Speech.
Innovation Norway opens office in Brussels
Minister of Trade and Industry Jan Christian Vestre cuts the ribbon to mark the co-location of Innovation Norway with Norway House, the headquarters for Norwegian interests in Brussels. Vestre and Innovation Norway believe Europe’s green transition will provide great opportunities.
June
Europe’s best tourism marketer
In June, Visit Norway was named the most inspiring tourism marketer in Europe by the hospitality association HSMAI Europe. Visit Norway won no fewer than 14 prestigious international marketing awards in 2022.
Norwegian health technology companies receive NOK 95 million from the EU
InVivo Bionics from Oslo has made it through the eye of the needle in the EU Horizon Europe programme. The company has developed a new technology for measuring bladder pressure. The EIC Accelerator funding scheme is considered a sort of Champions League for innovation. The funding is intended for breakthrough innovations that have major, international growth potential and a substantial positive impact on the environment and society.
July
A calf called Norge on a farm in Kenya
Several Norwegian business delegations visited Kenya in 2022 to see how Norwegian companies can meet the needs of an important growth market. A calf was born during the visit and named Norge.
Norwegian ATV on its way to market
A desire to ensure that people with disabilities can also get around in nature provided the inspiration behind Exotek, a company from Sunnmøre. The first fully-electric, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) will soon be for sale.
August
Major grant for fire extinguishers
There are estimated to be more than ten million fire extinguishers in Norway. Around one million of them need servicing or replacing every year. The Lier-based company Miljø Norge wanted to do something about this. Its solution could create jobs and contribute to a major cut in CO2 emissions, and it has now received an environmental technology grant from Innovation Norway.
Arendal Week 2022
Innovation Norway put entrepreneurship and scaling on the agenda at Arendal Week 2022, held a panel debate on Norway’s role in the European energy crisis, and took part in a number of activities related to green business development and industry.
September
24 companies get NOK 22.7 million from STUD-ENT
Innovation Norway has been given responsibility for STUD-ENT, a programme for new graduates looking to establish their own company. 24 companies at campuses across Norway received a combined total of NOK 22.7 million.
”We were very impressed and pleased with the quality of the projects. Some of them are among the best entrepreneurial projects we have seen for years in Innovation Norway,” says Frode Braadland at Innovation Norway.
Aiming to become the first CO2-free ferrosilicon producer
The Senja-based company Finnfjord is aiming to become the world’s first CO2-free ferrosilicon producer and uses algae to reduce its CO2 emissions. The company will receive support of up to NOK 100 million. The funding is designed to help realise the goal of CO2-neutral production and lay the groundwork for a new industrial company with high value creation potential on the industrial area near the smelting works.
October
Bionova added to Innovation Norway in Innlandet County
Bionova, which is the Government's new national initiative for bioeconomy and climate initiatives for agriculture, forestry and aquaculture, will be part of Innovation Norway and based in its office in Brumunddal. The establishment of Bionova represents an important contribution to achieving Norway’s climate goals for 2030 and the goal of being a low emissions society by 2050.
New programme provides NOK 325 million for battery production
Innovation Norway is providing loans of NOK 100 million to Beyonder and NOK 150 million to Morrow Batteries under the new green growth loan programme.
“These are pure battery factories that are developing new technology, so it will take a long time before they generate significant income. A green growth loan allows us to share the risk with the companies and help them ensure that they get the opportunities they need to produce the batteries the world needs in new ways,” says Innovation Norway’s CEO, Håkon Haugli.
November
Norway and Sweden open joint export office in Nairobi
On 24 November, Innovation Norway and Business Sweden opened a joint office in Nairobi.
“Kenya’s economy is making strong progress and there is great potential for Nordic companies that offer products, services, and solutions that contribute to food security and a more technological society,” says Eli Bleie Munkelien, who heads Innovation Norway’s initiative and East Africa office.
Powerful Norwegian offshore wind initiative in Japan
Large-scale investment in offshore wind energy in Japan is creating new export opportunities for Norwegian technology and expertise. This offshore wind initiative in Japan is part of Innovation Norway’s targeted export programme for Norwegian industry and commerce, called High Potential Opportunities (HPO).
December
Offshore wind to be the first export initiative
Offshore wind will be the first export initiative in the ‘All of Norway Exports’ export reform. The ambitions are high: by 2030, Norway wants to have taken 10 per cent of the global offshore wind market, which entails a turnover of around NOK 85 billion. By 2040, Norway wants to have installed 30GW of offshore wind, which corresponds to around 1,500 offshore wind turbines.
Developing green business
Innovation Norway provided NOK 6.6 billion in loans and grants to Norwegian companies in 2022. Two out of every three kroner went to projects that have a positive environmental impact.
“Our largest disbursements in the year went to projects related to the circular economy, bioeconomy, clean energy, and energy storage. We have been really impressed by what we have seen of this type of innovation across Norway,” says CEO Håkon Haugli.