Norway aims for offshore wind growth with new program for startups

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The new acellerator is first of its kind in Norway. 

Today Norwegian Offshore Wind launched the NOW Accelerator, designed to foster growth of startups and scaleups in the offshore wind industry.

The program is first of its kind and will start in August. The accelerator will run in close collaboration between strong industry partners and Norwegian Offshore Wind, Norway´s largest offshore wind representative body - now counting 375 members.

-We see that innovation comes from every corner of the industry. Startups and scaleups develop solutions that can reduce cost and help solve many of the challenges we face, says manager of Norwegian Offshore Wind, Arvid Nesse.

The two-year program offers continuous incubation activities and accelerator initiatives that focus on pressing industry topics. It promises a comprehensive platform for participants to develop, validate, and scale their solutions, backed by world-class mentorship, training, networking opportunities, and exposure to global markets.

-The main idea behind this accelerator is to create a springboard for innovative solutions, where the industry itself is involved throughout the process, says Nesse.

The startup scene in Norway has fostered offshore wind innovations in floater technology, AI and predictive maintenance, drone technology, mapping of areas and other groundbreaking innovations. Norway has the most floater technologies under development in the world, and the world leading Marine Energy Test Centre on the country´s West Coast is a driving force for innovation in the offshore wind industry.

-With the ambitious goal of the Norwegian government to make offshore wind our main strategic export industry alongside developing 30 GW here in Norway, we see a pressing need to commercialize good ideas as quickly as possible, says Nesse.

Partners of the program are Blåvinge consortium (Fred Olsen Seawind, Hafslund Eco, Ørsted), Equinor, Deep Wind Offshore, EDF Renewables, Corio Generation and Å Energi. The accelerator is created in collaboration with Flow Accelerate

Contact Marius Selsø Håkonsen to sign up: msh@norwegianoffshorewind.no

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