Arctic Innovation Week (AIW) 2023 will take place from October 16th to 22nd and is one of Norway's largest innovation initiatives, with an impact in Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark.
AIW is an annual platform where businesses, academia, societal actors, and innovation and investment communities come together with a shared vision of making Northern Norway the most growth-oriented and innovative region in Norway. Throughout the week, we will collectively showcase the creative power of the business community while activating new innovation.
AIW aims to inspire, motivate, stimulate debate, and raise awareness about business development in Northern Norway, contributing to the conversation about what Northern Norway should deliver in terms of goods and services in the future. The goal of Arctic Innovation Week is a more innovative, resilient, and diverse business sector. This is achieved when talented individuals and great ideas come together.
This year's theme is the Tipping Point. Northern Norway has long been seen as the country's treasure trove, rich in natural resources that contribute to important industries such as fisheries, aquaculture, energy, and mining. But we are now at a tipping point. We must acknowledge that we are transitioning from a time when the focus was primarily on resource extraction to a time when innovation, technology, and sustainability are the keys to economic progress, welfare, and value creation in the region.
"Arenas like Arctic Innovation Week are important for motivating and inspiring the business community in Northern Norway. We have a great need for Norwegian companies that think innovatively and collaborate, which can become success stories for Norwegian exports and
contribute to value creation nationally and regionally," says Håkon Haugli, CEO of Innovation Norway.
"We are pleased to be part of this regional initiative. It is important to show that exciting developments are also happening in smaller places in Finnmark. Kirkenes will host several events, including an Arctic hackathon, where participants will be flown to Kirkenes from both domestic and international locations to address real-time challenges posed by local stakeholders. We believe this can lead to many exciting solutions and new projects," says Sigurd Ravn Arstad, project manager, Sør-Varanger Utvikling – representing the regional resource group in AIW.
If solutions to many of the world's challenges are to come from Northern Norway, we must search where friction and different starting points ignite innovation, drive, and entirely new ways of thinking. That's why we're organizing Arctic Innovation Week."
Overview over the program: arrangementer | Arctic Innovation Week 2023
More about Arctic Innovation Week; arcticinnovationweek.no
