AquaCloud_blue_symbol Text: Tanja Hoel
Facebook, Amazon and Google have been named the world's most innovative and profitable companies. They couldn't have done it without collaboration with startups. Google has built an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, co-working spaces, capital, business developers and international partnerships that facilitate collaboration. In return, Google receives innovative ideas that make them a world-leading innovation company.
We have good local examples
In Bergen we find a world-leading Media Cluster. TV2 has contributed to a large budding of new innovative Media Tech companies. VIRZT currently delivers media technology to over 100 countries with a turnover of over 150 million dollars. They could not have done that without the collaboration with TV2. Today, both companies are co-located in Bergen Media City where they have facilitated a joint Media Startup Hub in collaboration with Bergen Technology Transfer and the Media Cluster.
The Norwegian Seafood Industry has a leading market position, technologically and innovatively we are far ahead. This creates a strong attractiveness for start-up companies and new technology suppliers. One of the most important tasks in The NCE Seafood is to promote more entrepreneurship and innovation in the seafood industry in Norway. We are committed to creating an ecosystem that promotes the growth of new growth companies and increases the supply of innovative supplier companies to the industry. We recently organized the "world's" first aquaculture Hackathon, AquaHack. Here we invited students and entrepreneurs to solve some concrete challenges in the industry, in 72 hours. The event was in collaboration with the Media Tech cluster, Grieg Seafood, IBM and Deloitte. The event was a huge success. Entrepreneurs from all over the world expressed their interest. The solutions were impressive. The ideas are free.
Recently, BOSCH was in contact with the cluster. BOSCH is the world's largest supplier to the automotive industry. They are looking for new markets and are now exploring opportunities within the Norwegian seafood industry. Our collaboration with IBM around AquaCloud shows new global digital suppliers that are fully entering the industry. It creates new innovation.
Every week, we receive inquiries from international startups. Several of them have chosen to establish themselves in Norway, in our ecosystem. AquaByte is one such example. Through cooperation with the cluster, they have a shared office that gives them access to test infrastructure, expertise and networks. Through good cooperation with Bergen Technology Transfer, Invest in Bergen, Innovation Norway and local authorities, we collaborate to give new startups good guidance to be able to establish themselves in Norway. The feedback is that there is no other country in the world that can compare to what we can offer here in Norway in terms of an innovation ecosystem.
In recent years, new business development programs for start-up companies in the seafood industry have been established. X2 Labs, Ocean Of Opportunities, ACCEL Seafood and HATCH. The latter is an international Accelerator program that brings Venture capital to invest in start-up companies. This week, 8 of the companies from HATCH will present themselves at the Bergen Aquarium, 7 of them are international. The results from these programs are new innovative companies for the industry, Blue Lice, Fishency Innovation on lice technology, Eir of Norway on new seafood products, Manolin on digitalization, Seasmart on underwater drones. All talented young seafood entrepreneurs, several of them female tech entrepreneurs.
DNB recently launched its own Venture Fund. Statoil, BKK Invest have done the same. What they all have in common is that they invest in start-up and growth companies that develop disruptive/innovative solutions within their business areas and industries.
The NCE Seafood has an ambition to establish a Norwegian Venture Fund for the seafood and aquaculture industry focused on disruptive solutions for our members' business areas.
We see new investment funds focusing on seafood and aquaculture. MSD Animal Health, AquaSpark, in the Netherlands, Triton and Kverva Technology in Norway are good examples. AquaSpark recently visited Bergen with a number of investors and journalists to learn more about Norwegian aquaculture. They were very impressed. Celebrity chef Christopher Haatuft is involved in new start-ups within sustainable seafood production and has established a collaboration with a French Venture Capital fund.
The seafood industry should utilize entrepreneurship as an opportunity for increased innovation and greater value creation
We believe it will trigger more innovation and greater value creation and realize faster sustainable growth of Norway's most important future industry. To succeed, it requires a willingness to invest, from the state, the private sector and, not least, established seafood companies must be open to collaboration with young seafood entrepreneurs.
The potential is great, Norway has every opportunity to become Silicon Valley for seafood and aquaculture technology.
The article was first published in the fishing magazine Fiskaren on July 4, 2018.
