Innovation and growth by Nordic collaboration

ROGER MOE BJØRGAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, NORDIC INNOVATION NORDIC GROWTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP SEMINAR, 13 SEPTEMBER 2012

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Nordic Innovation Board

Nordic Innovation

The Nordic Council of Ministers Business, Energy and Regional affairs - Ministers of trade & industry

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- Committees of senior officials

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- Committees of senior officials

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- Committees of senior officials

Nordic added value – more than the sum of its parts

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Nordic cooperation builds upon common values and economic structure - among the oldest and most extensive regional co-operation in the world We can create “Nordic added value” by working together Common projects and analysis can pave the way for better national policies and initiatives.

Nordic Innovation – some facts

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An institution under the Nordic Council of Ministers. Located in Oslo, operating pan-Nordic. We facilitate sustainable economic growth in the Nordic region through international cooperation. 25 employees. Yearly turnover ca. 80 mill. NOK. Our focus is innovation, not research (NordForsk): “A new or improved product, service, process, or concept that creates economic or other societal value. Innovation is important in all sectors”

Build relationships

Remove barriers

Stimulate innovation

We orchestrate increased Nordic value creation through international

co-operation

”

Our vision The Nordic countries as a world-leading region

for innovation and sustainable growth

www.nordicinnovation.org

Nordic Innovation’s operations

Add value by • Mapping national initiatives • Identifying best practices • Identifying Nordic synergies & common opportunities • Facilitating and leading joint efforts • Building critical mass and impact • Executing political initiatives • Improving Nordic innovation ecosystem No duplication of national initiatives!

Financier of • Innovative projects with a clear Nordic value • Projects that contribute to free trade of goods and services • Requires relevant actors from at least 3 Nordic countries

Innovation: “A new or improved product, service, process, or concept that creates economic or other societal value. Innovation is important in all sectors”

www.nordicinnovation.org

Reports & new knowledge

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Platforms, conferences & networks

Examples of projects • The Nordic to Global Initiative

Establishing gateways between Nordic public seed investors and strategic partners in foreign markets & company showcasing

• Measured and Managed Innovation (MMI) From product development to value creation: Mapping and developing innovation strategies in Nordic companies

•Current call for proposals proposals for Nordic projects in the field of Innovation Procurement within the Health Sector

www.nordicinnovation.org

Nordic Entrepreneurship Project - Focus areas

One of the political initiatives, “Lighthouse Projects”, of Nordic Co-operation Programme for Innovation and Business policy 2011-2013 Lighthouse project on Entrepreneurship Project name: Nordic Entrepreneurship Project (NEP) Responsible country: Finland, Ministry of Employment and the Economy

Project kick-off: Nordic Entrepreneurship Conference, October 2011 Three focus areas identified with added value from Nordic collaboration:

Growth Programmes

•Forums for exchanging knowledge on policy and programme level of Nordic initiatives (e.g. accelerator programmes);

•One of main themes of kick-off conference, several other meetings and seminars over 2011-2012

•Theme 2 of Seminar

Entrepreneurship Education

•Entrepreneurship education in the Nordic countries: Study on good practices and projects, to be completed in fall 2012

Data and Analysis

•First joint ”Nordic Growth Entrepreneurship Review”, to be published in fall 2012

•Theme 1 of Seminar

www.nordicinnovation.org

Learn more about our organisation at www.nordicinnovation.org

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