![\"Oslo](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/dk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/0x0.jpg\")
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Oslo Innovation Week 2025 Banners in Karl Johan street in Oslo city centre. <\/p>\n
Credit: Gorm K. Gaare<\/p>\n
The 21st iteration of Oslo Innovation Week, held in late October, brought together 15,000 attendees from businesses, public institutions, investors and academia to witness the opportunities for driving climate action through the combination of research and entrepreneurial drive. <\/p>\n
According to the latest State of the City report<\/a>, annual venture capital in Oslo has grown 13 times its original value since 2014, reaching $650 million in 2024 – an appreciation that has been bolstered by the appetite to advance clean and green technology, maritime technology and life sciences. Authors acknowledge that the city must decide on which sustainability advantages to double down on, particularly if it is to reach its emissions reduction targets of at least 55% by 2030<\/a>, compared to 1990 levels. The imperative to decarbonize is clear, given Norway\u2019s position as a leading oil and gas producer<\/a>. <\/p>\n So where do Oslo\u2019s sustainability advantages lie? Startups and scaleups at Oslo Innovation Week spanned a myriad of industries, from measuring climate risk in real estate, to driving the electrification of the city\u2019s tourism, petroleum free material adoption and a rewiring of current food systems. Here are the ones to watch. <\/p>\n Norwegian Mycelium (NoMy) <\/p>\n Named the winner of the Oslo Innovation Award 2025, NoMy<\/a> is working to transform the food industry\u2019s side streams such as waste from sugar and dairy supply chains into mycoproteins using fungal mycelium. Mycoproteins are a protein-rich and high fiber food ingredient found in meat alternative products. The company uses unique AI-driven fermentation technologies to do so and recently raised \u20ac1.25 million euros<\/a> to expand the commercialization of its technology. Since its founding in 2020, NoMy\u2019s potential has been realized across the world, having entered into a strategic parentship in Japan with Nippon Beet Sugar Manufacturing<\/a> to reimagine sugar production byproducts. <\/p>\n Addressing the environmental footprint of the food industry is paramount, according to CEO and co-founder Ingrid Dynna. \u201cTo meet the growing demand for 15% more protein globally, we need to find different ways to produce food, approaches that stay within planetary boundaries.\u201d said Dynna in an interview.<\/p>\n The second iteration of the EAT Lancet report<\/a>, published in early October, underpins what is needed to secure a just transition to healthy, environmentally sustainable diets. I asked Dynna her thoughts on this. \u201cThe goal isn\u2019t to replace existing proteins, but to complement them, creating new ways of producing food that decouple environmental impact from production itself.\u201d she commented. <\/p>\n With a significant commercial partnership underway after years of research and development, what\u2019s next for NoMy? \u201cOur ambition is to deploy our technology across many markets, putting our products into the hands of customers to help feed a growing population, address food security and build a more resilient food system.\u201d Dynna said. <\/p>\n Avisomo<\/p>\n Avisomo<\/a> is pioneering modular vertical farming to address the food industry\u2019s challenges linked to unpredictable deliveries and short shelf life of fresh produce, which often lead to excessive waste and costs. Through hands off technology and automated robots, it is working to deliver high quality fresh produce that requires minimal resource input. In February of this year, the company secured \u20ac5.2 million in funding<\/a>, including a grant from Innovation Norway, to build its indoor farming solutions. <\/p>\n Avisomo\u2019s chief commercial officer, Endre Thesen Harnes set out how the company is working to reduce the carbon footprint typically associated with vertical farming. \u201cThe primary driver of the environmental impact is related to energy use, so integrating renewable energy into operations is a clear step. In Norway, most of our energy comes from hydro power, so the facility we\u2019re starting now will have a beneficial carbon profile.\u201d he said. <\/p>\n Harnes discussed the value of experimentation, \u201cWe currently utilize multiple strategies to increase growth without increasing energy use – from choosing the right plant breeds to changing the specific types of light frequencies, light intensities, irrigation cycles, and nutrient mixes at different times of a plant’s growth cycle.\u201d <\/p>\n Inside the Avisomo vertical farm facility in Norway <\/p>\n Credit: Avisomo<\/p>\n The facility Harnes refers to is an important step for scaling its operations, with a foray into growing leafy greens. The company\u2019s pilot with Coop, one of Norway\u2019s largest grocery retailers illustrates how vertical farming can be integrated into a supply chain to replace imported varieties and reduce transport-related emissions. Avisomo\u2019s facility sits adjacent to the Coop\u2019s largest distribution center, situated on the periphery of Oslo. <\/p>\n \u201cThe close proximity enables an improved forecasting of production, which can drastically reduce the waste in the leafy greens supply chain.\u201d Harnes added. Harnes was quick to point out leafy greens are just a starting point for Avisomo and the company plans to expand its product portfolio over the next decade. <\/p>\n Agoprene<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re sleeping on oil and most people don\u2019t realize.\u201d, a sobering remark from Celine Sandberg, CEO and founder of material innovator Agoprene<\/a>. <\/p>\n Petroleum based foam can be found in furniture, mattresses and fashion accessories like shoes and bags. In a bid to remedy this, Agoprene has developed a sustainable alternative from seaweed foam that is free of not only petrochemicals, but toxic chemicals. <\/p>\n Agoprene originally started as an idea to replace synthetic wetsuits but has since evolved to address the needs of manufacturers in the furniture and packaging industries through its creative approach to using locally sourced seaweed and crab shell waste to create a bio-foam. Like many early stage companies, it is currently working in a lean structure with available funding, including a grant awarded in 2023 for $81,900 from the European Union<\/a>. <\/p>\n Until recently, Agoprene had been handmade in a facility outside of Oslo. But, earlier in October the company successfully launched their first automated production process, with a full launch planned for December following a 100kg test run. \u201cThis has proven our ability to scale responsibly and efficiently,\u201d Sandberg reflected. <\/p>\n I asked Sandberg about Agoprene\u2019s environmental impact. \u201cUnlike traditional versions, this foam doesn\u2019t introduce new carbon into the system. Petroleum foams store carbon from fossil sources, but in this case, the carbon is already captured within the recycled material. Even if it\u2019s burned, it won\u2019t release additional carbon beyond what\u2019s already circulating in the system.\u201d she said. <\/p>\n Sandberg relayed that certain regulations make Agoprene even more attractive in certain countries, \u201cThe U.K. is a particularly interesting market due to its high standards for flame retardancy in furniture foam, meaning products have to be specifically made for that market.\u201d <\/p>\n Elsewhere, company targets on sustainable material adoption are driving interest too. \u201cCompanies like IKEA have communicated their plans to replace petroleum-based foam by 2030 as part of their broader sustainability goals. That\u2019s where materials like Agoprene come in, we\u2019re enablers. Material innovation is what makes those corporate climate targets possible, even if the timelines are tight. 2030 isn\u2019t that far away.\u201d Sandberg finalized. <\/p>\n Brim Explorer <\/p>\n Oslo is one of the top five maritime cities in the world<\/a>. It is also pinned by the Destination Sustainability Movement as the top ranked city for a sustainable tourism supply chain<\/a>. Yet, the health of Norway\u2019s fjords and its ecosystems are in jeopardy, driven by waste and noise pollution. Aboard the Brim Explorer, the possibilities of remedying this are stark. The company\u2019s hybrid electric boats offer an opportunity to travel on silent vessels that connect people with the oceans and marine wildlife. Policy is pushing for this too. In 2018, the Norwegian Parliament passed a resolution that by 2026 the fjord zones would become zero-emission zones at sea for tourist ships and ferries<\/a>. <\/p>\n MS Brisen, one of Brim Explorer’s electric vessels in Oslo<\/p>\n Credit: Brim Explorer <\/p>\n \u201cThe idea was to enable tourism in an emission-free way, allowing close proximity to wildlife without disturbing them. The business came from a combination of interest in technology, green tourism, and a need to raise the standards of the industry.\u201d said Agnes \u00c1rnad\u00f3ttir, CEO and co-founder of Brim Explorer in an interview. <\/p>\n Co-founder Espen Larsen-Hakkebo shared that when Brim was established in 2018, the technology for an electric fleet didn\u2019t really exist. \u201cMost systems were designed for either diesel or hybrid combinations that relied on large mechanical gear systems requiring heavy maintenance. We asked ourselves why that was necessary.\u201d he commented. To solve this, the Brim team partnered with an Italian producer of electric motors who had the technology capabilities of meeting the challenge. <\/p>\n Brim has ambitious plans on the horizon to add to its existing fleet of five hybrid electric vessels. In June, it was announced that the company received 40 million NOK to build what will be the world\u2019s first two all-electric high-speed trimarans for passenger transport.<\/a> <\/p>\n Beyond this, the company is looking to apply its technical expertise to help others in the industry. Larsen-Hakkebo commented that \u201cOur next trajectory is to take this vessel solution concept, optimized and proven and apply it to fast ferries and fishing vessels.\u201d <\/p>\n Beyond the technology, Brim is using tourism as a lever to advocate for the sustainable behavior of citizens. In addition to its Ocean Ambassador Program, the business has made the conscious decision to not serve meat and use less environmentally impactful products where possible. \u201cOur crew are mostly marine biologists who share stories about the ocean and marine mammals. Through them, we have been able to influence awareness and understanding.\u201d said \u00c1rnad\u00f3ttir<\/p>\n \u201cNext year, we expect to have more than half a million people on our tours. The message we want to share is one of technological optimism, we want to demonstrate that there are solutions and reasons to be hopeful.\u201d finalized \u00c1rnad\u00f3ttir. <\/p>\n Telescope<\/p>\n Telescope<\/a> acts as a \u201cgoogle maps for climate risk\u201d, Gustav Haaland, CEO, told me in an interview. Founded in 2022, the company\u2019s AI driven platform works to translate environmental data on physical climate risks like extreme weather events, biodiversity loss and more, to insights that can help identify areas of high priority for mitigation and action across real estate portfolios. <\/p>\n Earlier this year, climate change and extreme weather events were described as a systemic risk that threatens the foundation of the financial sector in an open letter by G\u00fcnther Thallinger<\/a>, chairman of the sustainability board for Allianz SE, one of the world\u2019s leading insurers and asset managers. \u201cIf insurance is no longer available, other financial services become unavailable too\u201d, he wrote. Both Haaland and Telescope\u2019s CFO, Marit Bjerkreim, referenced this important statement in our conversation. <\/p>\n \u201cInsurance companies have long faced the consequences of extreme weather, but now the broader market is beginning to catch up, with the effects increasingly impacting financial stability. Regulation like the EU Taxonomy is one catalyst, but extreme weather itself has become a catalyst for action too.\u201d Haaland said. <\/p>\n