The first focus group meeting with Norwegian stakeholders

On Tuesday 22nd of August 2023, Trondheim Tech Port invited innovation actors from across Trøndelag and Norway to participate in the first cross-sectoral focus group, which was held digitally.

Representatives from all three focus areas ⏤ clean renewable energy, sustainable manufacturing, and bio-based circular economy ⏤ were present.

More complex problems require more people, with different skills, to work together. This leads to a growth for the project (expansion of the working group/partnerships) which leads to more innovation, say the participants.

There were good discussions and the participants agreed on many issues. One of the main topics of discussion revolved around policies and funding schemes. Here, the participants agreed that, in Norway, there is often a mismatch between who creates the calls for funding and the organisations receiving the funds.

Participants also reported that it is generally challenging to foster a wide network of potential collaborators on projects; it is hard to know everyone and what they are doing. Moreover, they all agreed that it is fundamental to have a clear strategy and goals right from the start, especially when considering cross-sectoral projects and collaborations.