Scaleups

© Astrid Waller

Advisory for scaleups

We support Norwegian companies with ambitions for further innovation and development, and provide tailored guidance for them at various stages of growth. We offer personalised advice on innovation processes, new business opportunities, market validation, and sustainable growth.

© Getty Images

Financing for scaleups

To support the development of new solutions, we offer both grants and loans to Norwegian companies.

Grants are awarded to projects with significant socio-economic benefits and a high degree of technical risk. The most common grant schemes are linked to environmental technology, collaborative innovation, and more sustainable use of bio-resources. In addition, EU programmes are available for radical innovation.

Innovation loans can be used for the commercialisation of new solutions, strengthening working capital, and supporting growth and internationalisation.

These services are available to businesses across all regions in Norway and within all industries. The companies have to meet the minimum standards for sound business practice.

We prioritise innovation projects that demonstrate strong utility, a high level of innovation, and a realistic chance of success. We are unable to support projects that would result in unfair competition within the industry. Therefore, the project's degree of innovation is a key consideration. We are particularly interested in how the project will enhance the company’s competitiveness and meet a clear need in the market/society.

Read more about funding of innovation projects

© Innovasjon Norge

Courses and competence

We have several courses and programmes that will help scaleups to compete and grow in an international market.

Our scaling programmes introduces Norwegian companies to people, insights and methods that prepare them for competion in a global market. The focus is on networking, how the customers’ business can meet and convince investors, on marketing, business modelling, sales, and how to set up your business for growth.

Global Growth are export programmes tailor-made for groups of companies in the same sector or market. The programme gives insight into what is needed to succeed and how to be perceived as an attractive business partner in the relevant market. We help them to reduce risk, open doors to potential partners and customers, and speed up export. The programme consists of courses, advisory and meetings in Norway and in relevant export markets. We also offer a shortened version of market visits called Trade Mission.

In addition, we have many relevant courses and events for companies with growth ambitions.

© Getty Images

Clusters and networks

The majority of Norwegian companies are small. If Norwegian business and industry are to deliver on global environmental and social challenges, we must work together.

Companies that collaborate are more innovative, more productive and more competitive. Innovation is increasingly taking place in interaction between companies, customers, suppliers and knowledge institutions.

That is why we seek to strengthen collaboration between companies and business communities through our cluster and network programmes.

© Marius Beck Dahle

Our services for specific industries

We support the major industries such as agriculture, shipping and fishery, and tourism. In addition, we prioritise specific industries where Norway has a competitive advantage and global growth potential.

The preliminary export initiatives are

• Offshore wind
• Green maritime
• Health and life science
• Manufacturing and design