Nowadays we are witnessing a boom in innovative start-ups. Small companies generate revolutionary ideas. These companies unite young, energetic, ambitious, and flexible people who live their idea and understand its processes, but most of them do not have sufficient knowledge / competence in many areas of business, business processes, fundraising and they need support.
As in many European countries, in Norway small and medium-sized enterprises receive support at the state level, which offers business incubation programs, business centres with business consulting, technology parks, investments into infrastructure and direct investments in innovative companies. The main mechanisms of state support in Norway are provided by SIVA, Innovation Norway, the Research Council of Norway, Counties, Municipalities etc.
SIVA is a public enterprise owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Fisheries. It’s a part of the public funding agencies for innovation and work closely with Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian Patent Office. SIVA supports innovations by creating a well-developed infrastructure for SME. SIVA is a co-owner of over 100 innovation companies. SIVA offers advice, locations and networks. Most companies participate in SIVA’s development program for incubation and business gardens.
Innovation Norway
Innovation Norway is a financial and consulting instrument to support companies at all stages of their development: start-up, companies with capacity for growth and clusters, companies with international ambitions, companies with an environmentally focused profile.
Another financial tool is the Research Council of Norway, which supports scientific research, joint projects of research centres, educational institutions, and business companies, as well as the development and implementation of innovative technologies, participation in international projects.
At the level of Counties and Municipalities, there are own mechanisms and programs to support and develop local small and medium-sized enterprises.
First of all, innovations in business are related to the development and new technologies adoption: IT, Communication technologies, Digitalization, new sectors of the economy (virtual and augmented realities, artificial integrity, robotics technology, autonomous vehicle, drones, blockchain etc). The driving force behind most innovations is the university and scientific centres. UiT Campus Narvik has competence in the most promising and demanded technology industries: computer science, engineering design, industrial & electrical engineering, satellite engineering. These areas are important for the development of innovation.
FPNs Incubator in Narvik
In 2007 FPNs Incubator was opened to connect the local Industries, the university and research community in Narvik. FPN's Incubator aims to establish new technology companies and strengthen existing business.
The priority sectors of FPNs Incubator correlate with the main disciplines at UiT Campus Narvik and some strong business activities in the region: energy, IT, industry, engineering, construction, mechanics, electronics, space transport, transport & logistics and health technology.
FPNs Incubator works a classical incubation model and gives support from the stage of idea upto a self-standing company. FPN is one of 35 approved SIVA’s partners in business incubation and it means that all consulting support to the companies in pre-incubator and incubator phases comes with 75% discount from the market price and is covered by SIVA. FPN's Incubator Program is funded by SIVA, Nordland County and Futurum (Idea phase).
Since 2007 about 60 companies went through the FPNs Incubation program. Bright examples can be HeatWork AS which has developed its heating/thawing concept, and is the only company in Europe to manufacture its systems. Ascas Miljø AS has developed a method how to clean polluted ground from oil or hydrates. 2K Tools AS has invented and patented Drill String Internal Wiper System (DSIWS). The DSIWS cleans the drill string as it is retracted from the borehole. Solbes AS has a strong expertise in analysing, engineering and installing sollar panels in the high north.
For now, FPNs Incubator is working with 15 ideas, 12 projects in pre-incubation, 12 companies in incubation phase and 5 business innovations.
