World-Class Help for Start-Ups

To help start-ups succeed with commercialisation, Innovation Norway offers four excellent tools that can make a big difference for them on the way to success.

There are several solid finance funding programmes available tailored towards helping founders, inventors and start-ups, but the road to success is also dependent on advice and guidance to reach the targets. Below we have listed four of Innovation Norway’s strong programmes that can help start-ups on the way to success.

Mentor Programme

In some instances, start-ups will benefit from personal guidance and advice to lift the company to success. The mentoring programme is a unique offer to start-up companies, and includes mentor guidance up to 30 hours free of charge. Mentors are carefully selected to suit the individual company’s needs and a great network of mentors and investors that will suit the company are available at its disposal. There are 4 application deadlines in Hordaland in 2018. The first deadline is 28 February. More information at Innovation Norway Mentor Application.

Angel Challenge

For the third year, Innovation Norway are partners with the Angel Challenge Bergen from 4 April to 12 June. The winner of the challenge will be selected during Startup Extreme 2018, a programme for start-ups in the earliest stages, typically at the market clarification stages or commercialisation/financing stages. The award is a convertible loan of 1 MNOK from a group of 20 investors. Even if you don’t win you will get top-shelf mentoring and networking. More information at Angel Challenge.

Start-up Extreme 2018

Start-up Extreme is a venue in Bergen/Voss in the period 12 – 14 June. The venue is created by a team from the Angel Challenge and Start-up Norway, with support and help from professionals in the Norwegian start-up ecosystem. The first day is kicked-off with a conference open for all, but the last two days is a by-invitation-only networking conference, including a demo day 12 June. Selected companies for the demo day will have unique exposure to international investors and media. More information at Start-up Extreme.

Board Competence Course

In our experience we see that many start-ups have the need to professionalise their board of directors. Innovation Norway has for many years cooperated with BI Norwegian Business School to deliver courses within Board Competence (the course will give credit points). The course costs 16.300,-NOK and Innovation Norway can cover 50 per cent of this cost to companies in Hordaland that have already received "Etablererstipend" from Innovation Norway. More information about the course at Handelshøyskolen BI.