Known for its oil and gas production and seafood industry, Norway isn't best known for its startup scene. But could that be about to change with a push into FinTech? Those of you living in Norway will know the country is highly digitised. Banking has been digital ever since I moved here, but things have really moved on in the last few years. I almost never use cash. In fact, I actually had to go to an ATM to withdraw some cash so I could show off the Norwegian banknote designs at a recent talk. That's because I never carry any! I use the banking apps on my phone, and I send and receive small ..read more

An economic driver for the whole of Norway, the Norwegian Continental Shelf is a geographic feature home to critical industries. Here’s what you need to know. If you have an interest in all things Norwegian, you may have heard or read about the Norwegian continental shelf, also known under the abbreviation NCS. It is often talked about without any explanation as to what it is, as if people are expected to know. Ekofisk oil field on the Norwegian continental shelf. We’re here to clear up the confusion. Read on and we’ll tell you what the NCS is, why it’s a big deal, and how it holds some of Nor ..read more

Life in Norway Show Episode #64: Today we’re talking about a gap in Norway’s immigration rules which entrepreneurs can easily fall into and find themselves forced to leave Norway despite having built a life here. Starting a business in Norway is challenging enough at the best of times. But doing so as an immigrant is a path that's full of uncertainties. While work permits are available for starting a sole proprietorship, starting a limited company is a much more difficult process for a foreigner. One person who found that out the hard way is today's guest Kyle Havlicek-McClenahan, co-founder ..read more

Norwegian authorities and the business community will work closely together to increase exports outside the oil and gas industry by 50% by 2030. While the Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent demand for Norwegian oil and gas through the roof, change is ahead. The upcoming energy transition will see the phasing out of Norway's cash cow. Jan Christian Vestre, Norway's minister of trade and industry. Photo: NFD. Norway's minister of trade and industry Jan Christian Vestre has announced a program of reform designed to fill the export gap left by the declining oil and gas industry over the decades ..read more

Life in Norway Show Episode 61: Jason Turflinger of the American Chamber of Commerce in Norway joins the show to talk business culture in Norway and the US. Today I’m joined by Jason Turflinger, Managing Director of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Norway. Jason has lived in Norway for more than 20 years and has a huge amount of insight into the business world. Jason Turflinger of the American Chamber of Commerce in Norway at a Thanksgiving event. We talk about the purpose and work of the AmCham organisation, and whether the stereotypes are true about the difference in working cult ..read more

The Norwegian ‘clean battery’ maker Freyr now plans to build several battery gigafactories in Northern Norway. From Mo i Rana to New York! Freyr Battery became the 8th Norwegian company to list on the New York Stock Exchange last week. The company is expected to receive approximately $850 million in equity proceeds. Freyr plans to build new gigafactories in Mo i Rana. Illustration: Freyr The successful listing follows a business combination with Alussa Energy Acquisition Corp. Now operating as the combined company Freyr Battery, the stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the tick ..read more

Young entrepreneurs are testing out drone transport of medical samples between two hospitals 100 kilometres apart. The distance between Røros and Trondheim is about 100 kilometres as the crow flies. Three NTNU entrepreneurs want to use drones to transport medical samples between them. This sight could become commonplace in the future. Delivery drones do jobs faster and require fewer working hours. Photo: Aviant Røros Hospital is a branch of St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim. The hospital takes medical samples all the time, but these often have to be analysed in Trondheim. Today, these medical sa ..read more

The latest status of the 5G rollout in Norway. Find out everything you need to know about the next-generation mobile data network and how it will change the way you use technology. The launch of the iPhone 12 featuring 5G support has left many people in Norway wondering what the support for the next-generation global wireless standard is like in the country. With the flagship Apple device is about to hit the streets, most major smartphone manufacturers have at least one phone capable of supporting 5G. The iPhone is hugely popular in Norway, but will users of the new model be able to use the n ..read more

Who are Norway's wealthiest people in 2021? Discover the top 10 Norwegian billionaires thanks to the latest ‘rich list' published by a Norwegian business magazine. It's that time of the year again! Each year, Norwegian business magazine Kapital publishes its annual list of the 400 wealthiest people in Norway. The list does not consider income, but the value of total assets held. This year's report shows that all of Norway’s 400 richest people are billionaires in Norwegian kroner. In fact, the magazine calculated that there are 407 Norwegians worth more than one billion kroner. “Never before h ..read more

The Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has lost out in the race to supply Norway’s 5G infrastructure for the second time. Just a few months ago, Telia dropped Huawei in favor of Ericsson when choosing the supplier of their next-generation mobile network infrastructure. Now the Norwegian giant Telenor has done the same. With over 180 million customers in nine countries in Europe and Asia, Telenor’s decision is a notable one. It’s been widely reported by media around the world. Last week Telenor announced the long-awaited decision on which 5G supplier they would turn to for a nationwide rollout. Des ..read more