Our Network
Invest in Bergen maintains an extensive network of partners within Greater Bergen. This stretches throughout the region’s industrial, public and research landscapes. Our network is instrumental in assisting firms that aim to establish themselves in the region.
As Greater Bergen’s official investment promotion agency, Invest in Bergen has cultivated cooperative relationships with various regional and municipal administrations.
This includes Vestland County Council, as well as the municipalities of Alver, Askøy, Austrheim, Bergen, Bjørnafjorden, Eidfjord, Fedje, Gulen, Masfjorden, Modalen, Osterøy, Samnanger, Ullensvang, Ulvik, Vaksdal, Voss, and Øygarden.
Industry clusters
Greater Bergen is home to a number of key industry clusters. They work to promote collaboration, inspire innovation, and drive overall growth across multiple sectors.
GCE Ocean Technology is an initiative for the ocean industries. Consisting of more than 120 members and partners, it operates within offshore wind, subsea energy and marine minerals. In addition, it is also involved in several interesting hydrogen and alternative energy projects.
NCE Seafood Innovation is a cluster comprising of companies from the entire seafood and aquaculture value chains. The cluster works to contribute to sustainable seafood growth through tech-driven innovation.
Maritime Bergen and Maritime CleanTech are the oceanic transport clusters for the region. Maritime Bergen works to strengthen the region’s position as a blue economy hub through competence building, “blue business” development, sustainability, and digital innovation. Maritime Cleantech serves as a springboard for developing new, eco-friendly solutions for the industry. Zero-emissions technologies and energy-efficient propulsion systems are their key areas of focus.
Media City Bergen is a sprawling location in central Bergen, serving as the hub for the Norwegian media cluster. The hub is made up of firms operating within augmented reality, Artificial Intelligence, virtual studios, broadcast technology and advance storytelling tools.
NCE Finance Innovation is Greater Bergen’s fintech cluster. The cluster works to empower a thriving Norwegian fintech ecosystem in Bergen by facilitating tech innovation and collaboration within the financial sector.
NCE Finance Innovation is the heart of Greater Bergen’s fintech hub. Photo: NCE Finance Innovation
The Norwegian Oil Spill Control Association (NOSCA) is an innovation cluster dedicated to tackling global challenges stemming from pollution and oil spills. Leveraging decades of experience from the oil and gas sector, NOSCA works to combat the harmful effects of petroleum, organic and plastic pollution.
Overall, these clusters offer valuable guidance and collaborative opportunities within their respective industries. Companies will greatly benefit from their collective knowledge.
Universities and Schools
Education is a cornerstone of Bergen. As one of Norway’s most popular university cities, it offers a variety of educational opportunities.
The University of Bergen (UiB) is one of Norway’s biggest universities. Recognised for its academic diversity and high quality of education. It’s also Norway’s largest marine university, housing several world-leading research environments.
The University of Bergen is an internationally recognised research university with academic diversity and high quality, housing seven faculties. UiB hosts four National Centres of Excellence. The university participates in many national and international centres, as well as coordinates several other centres.
The Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) is another foremost institute for higher learning in the region. With five separate campuses through the region, HVL cultivates a strong professional environment with a focus on natural, social and health sciences, engineering, teacher education, maritime sciences, culture and sports, economics and management.
The Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) is a key Norwegian business school with an international profile and a diverse student body. Recognised as one of Europe’s leading business schools, NHH is both an accredited research environment and a top choice for students wanting to study business administration in Norway. NHH has an international profile and cooperates with 195 universities and business schools in more than 50 countries.
The BI Norwegian Business School is another internationally recognised school of business and management. With campuses in Bergen and other key Norwegian cities, the school is renowned for annually producing graduates in finance, business culture, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
In addition to its stellar institutes of higher learning, Bergen also caters to international students through the International School of Bergen. Created to serve the needs of both Bergen’s local and expat communities, it provides a comprehensive and internationally accredited education for students from pre-kindergarten to grade 10.
The Internation School of Bergen offers students a fully accredited curriculum. Photo: ISB
VIS
Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap AS (VIS), formerly known as Bergen Teknologioverføring AS (BTO), is Bergen’s technology transfer office. VIS is the regional centre of expertise for innovation and commercialisation of research results. It offers a number of services for researchers and entrepeneurs.
Connect Vest
Connect Vest (only in Norwegian) is an independent, non-profit organisation consisting of early-stage investors, advisors, private firms, and public sector organisations. Working within western Norway’s innovation arena, it aims to use its resources and network to help entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized businesses develop innovative ideas into viable products and services. By connecting them with “people, knowledge and capital”, its overall goal is to stimulate business development and job creation in the region.
Innovation Norway
Innovation Norway is the Norwegian Government's most important instrument for innovation and development within Norwegian enterprises and industries. They support companies in developing their competitive advantage and to enhance innovation. Norwegian enterprises have access to a broad business support system as well as financial means. Innovation Norway provides competence, as well as advisory, promotional and network services. There is a local Innovation Norway office in Bergen.
Invest in Norway
Invest in Norway is Norway’s official investment promotion agency, working closely with Invest in Bergen. Both organisations assist firms aiming to establish themselves in Norway.
Ocean Innovation Norwegian Catapult Centre
Beyond marine research, the region also has a wealth of technical expertise and real-world test environments for the ocean industries.
The Ocean Innovation Norwegian Catapult Centre provides organisations that have proprietary concepts with the means to scale. It offers design, prototyping, testing and verification facilities and services. It also provides competence and access to advanced infrastructure through its own network of collaborative partners.
Research groups
With innovation being a key area of focus, we also have collaborative relationships throughout Greater Bergen’s research community.
The Norwegian Research Center (NORCE) is one of Norway’s largest independent research institutes. With its main office in Bergen, this forward-thinking, multinational organisation focuses on a wide variety of research areas, including energy, health care, climate, environment, society and technology. Their solutions address key challenges for society and contribute to value creation on the local, national and global levels.
The Institute of Marine Research (IMR) is one of the largest marine research institutes in Europe, working as a research, advisory and monitoring body. It’s a neutral knowledge provider, publicing research results both in Norway and internationally. The IMR is a leading supplier of knowledge relating to the sustainable management of the resources in our marine ecosystems and the whole food chain from the sea to the table. Through research and advice, IMR seeks to help society to sustainably exploit the valuable assets in the sea.
The Bergen Offshore Wind Centre (BOW) is a recently opened research centre. Formed by the University of Bergen, it works to drive research and competence on the emerging offshore wind sector.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry Alliance
The Bergen Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the city of Bergen serves as the hub for the several chambers of commerce in Greater Bergen overall. Their role is to develop and strengthen ties between local businesses, regional administrations, government bodies and research institutes.
Highlighting the region’s commercial networks and diverse business sectors, they also work to set agendas for current trade and industry politics.
Interested on getting in touch with our network?