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Oslo is becoming one of the best places to build a startup, but most of the early-stage entrepreneurs we speak to aren't aware of the local tech resources that are available to help them.

With applications for the Oslo Founder Institute now open, we're excited to release the Oslo Startup Resource Guide, which is currently in Draft v1 below! It was developed by the Oslo Founder Institute and local leaders: Mehkar Sheikh (Regional Manager, Venture Cup Sweden), Naimul Abd (CEO, Connect Öst)

This is just a draft, and while we spent many hours on this research, more input is needed. Please leave your comments on this collaborative Google document to help us complete the list. There are definitely omissions on this current version. 

Are you looking to build a startup in Oslo? Then apply to the Oslo Founder Institute today!

Text version included below, for ease of searching:

Startup Stages


There is no one right way to build a technology company, but for the sake of simplicity we have outlined a basic, common, sequential framework.

1. Idea Stage

This is where new entrepreneurs get inspired, learn best practices, develop skills, validate ideas, and begin to build their team and product.

A. Inspire

  • Oslo Startup Media: Centralized local information, listings, and news. (i.e. startup blogs/ publications/ lists/ FB groups/ newsletters)
    1. DNgründer
    2. Innomag
    3. Innopodden
    4. Innovasjonsbloggen.com
    5. KarriereStart Entreprenør
    6. Nordic Startup Bits
    7. Oslo Business Region - Startup News
    8. Shifter
    9. Startup Digest Oslo
    10. Startup Events List Oslo
    11. Techstorm
    12. Teknologia.no
    13. The Nordic Web
  • Inspirational Oslo Startup Events: Open, inclusive startup events that often focus on ideation. (i.e. Startup Weekend, idea fairs, and inspirational meetups)
    1. AIM North
    2. InsurTech Oslo
    3. Oslo Artificial Intelligence Meetup
    4. Oslo Business Region events 
    5. Oslo Big Data Day
    6. Oslo Fintech Hub
    7. Oslo Identity Tech Talks
    8. Oslo Innovation Week
    9. Product Tank Oslo
    10. Startup Extreme
    11. Startup Norway
    12. The Code Pub Oslo

B. Educate

  • Best Practices: Beginner knowledge-sharing tech events. (i.e. beginner events that serve to educate more than inspire).
    1. Business Model Workshops Meetup 
    2. Cloud Native and Kubernetes Oslo
    3. EPiServer Developers Oslo
    4. IBM Bluemix Oslo Meetup
    5. Mobile Meetup Oslo
    6. Oslo Bitcoin Cash Meetup
    7. Oslo Growth Hacking Meetup
    8. Oslo Legal Tech Meetup
    9. Overachievers Oslo Meetup
    10. ShipTech Norway
    11. Startup Founder 101 Oslo
    12. Startup Norway Meetup 
    13. The Oslo Lean Meetup
  • Training & Feedback: Skill & Idea development events and startup bootcamps for entrepeneurs. (Includes comprehensive training programs, like Founder Institute, General Assembly, Lean Startup Machine, code camps, etc)
      1. Business Modelling Meetup
      2. Code Academy
      3. Founder Institute
      4. GDG Cloud Norway
      5. General Assembly
      6. Jazzcode
      7. Lean Coffee Oslo
      8. Lean Startup Machine Oslo
      9. Le Wagon 
      10. Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
      11. Oslo EdTech
      12. Oslo Startup: Idea to IPO
      13. ProductTank Oslo
      14. ProgramUtvikling

                              C. Validate

                              • Team Formation: Events for Finding Co-founders in Oslo.  (i.e. tech networking events or other resources that facilitate early-stage recruitment and cofounder matching)
                                1. CoFoundersLab
                                2. Startup Jobs Norway
                                3. Startupmatcher
                                4. The Hub
                              • Build First Product: Hackathons & product events in Oslo.
                                1. Arctic IoT Challenge
                                2. Bitraf
                                3. Hackeriet
                                4. INNOLABS Digital Healthcare Hackathon
                                5. Techfugees Hackathon Oslo

                              2. Launch Stage

                              In this stage, entrepreneurs establish and formalize the company, develop the product, get feedback from customers, and prepare for the next step.

                              A. Start

                              • Establish: Oslo law firms & banks for startups
                                1. BAHR
                                2. Bank Norwegian
                                3. Bank2
                                4. BN Bank
                                5. Bull & Co.
                                6. CLP
                                7. Codex Advokat
                                8. Cultura Bank
                                9. Danske Bank
                                10. DNB Bank
                                11. Handelsbanken
                                12. Kluge Advokatfirma
                                13. Kvale
                                14. LawTech AS
                                15. Onsagers AS
                                16. Ræder
                                17. SANDS
                                18. Santander Consumer Bank
                                19. Sbanken
                                20. Selmer
                                21. Simonsen Vogt Wiig
                                22. Storebrand Bank
                              • Oslo Workspaces: Co-working and flexible workspaces for startups in Oslo.
                                  1. 657 Oslo
                                  2. BI Co-working Space
                                  3. Evolve
                                  4. Epicenter
                                  5. GoWork
                                  6. Greenhouse Oslo
                                  7. House of Business
                                  8. Kjellerinnovasjon
                                  9. Kroloftet
                                  10. Mesh
                                  11. Oslo International HUB
                                  12. Rebel
                                  13. SoCentral
                                  14. Spaces Oslo Kvadraturen (many locations in Oslo) 
                                  15. Teknologihuset
                                  16. Tøyen Startup Village
                                  17. WeWork
                                  18. Workhouse
                                  19. WorkPlay
                                  20. XLR8HUB

                                                                      B. Develop

                                                                      • Formalize: Oslo accounting, development and HR tools for early-stage startups.  
                                                                        1. Agens
                                                                        2. Amesto AccountHouse
                                                                        3. Athene Group AS
                                                                        4. Bleed
                                                                        5. Bluegarden AS  
                                                                        6. Capus AS
                                                                        7. Cefalo
                                                                        8. Contus Anna Regnskapsbyrå AS
                                                                        9. Ecovis
                                                                        10. Eminentia Regnskap
                                                                        11. Gründergarasjen (Simula Garage)
                                                                        12. Intellectsoft
                                                                        13. Kodework
                                                                        14. KPMG
                                                                        15. Langseth Services AS
                                                                        16. Miles 
                                                                        17. Norus Regnskapsbyrå AS
                                                                        18. Prima Regnskap
                                                                        19. Shortcut
                                                                        20. Thorgate
                                                                        21. Tight
                                                                        22. TribecaDigital
                                                                        23. Unfold
                                                                                                                    • Oslo Incubators: Groups that prepare companies for seed investment and provide advanced mentorship. (i.e. advanced knowledge sharing, later stage events and resources)
                                                                                                                      1. Aleap
                                                                                                                      2. Arkwright X
                                                                                                                      3. Charge
                                                                                                                      4. Digital Well Ventures
                                                                                                                      5. Driv Inkubator
                                                                                                                      6. Impact Startup
                                                                                                                      7. Kjeller Innovasjon Incubator
                                                                                                                      8. Oslo Cancer Cluster Incubator
                                                                                                                      9. Oslo International Startup Program 2018
                                                                                                                      10. Sharelab
                                                                                                                      11. StartupLab
                                                                                                                      12. Techstars - Equinor
                                                                                                                      13. The Life Science Cluster

                                                                                                                    C. Launch

                                                                                                                    • Oslo Seed Accelerators: Seed funding mentor programs (Techstars-style programs that provide funding)
                                                                                                                      1. Antler.no 
                                                                                                                      2. Charge
                                                                                                                      3. DNB NXT Accelerator
                                                                                                                      4. The FinTech Factory
                                                                                                                      5. Katapult Accelerator
                                                                                                                      6. MashUP Accelerator
                                                                                                                      7. Nordea Accelerator
                                                                                                                      8. Nordic VR Startups Accelerator Program
                                                                                                                      9. Norselab 
                                                                                                                      10. Pangea Accelerator
                                                                                                                      11. SmartOslo Accelerator
                                                                                                                      12. StartupLab Accelerator
                                                                                                                      13. StartupLab Catalyst
                                                                                                                      14. Techmakers Green Accelerator Program
                                                                                                                      15. The Factory
                                                                                                                    • Pitch & Demo Events: Tech events that showcase Oslo startups for investment.
                                                                                                                      1. Demo Day TheFactory
                                                                                                                      2. DNB NXT Accelerator
                                                                                                                      3. HR Tech Demo Day
                                                                                                                      4. Norway Health Tech Demo Day
                                                                                                                      5. Oslo Startup Day: Pitching Back
                                                                                                                      6. SmartOslo Accelerator Demo Day
                                                                                                                      7. Startup Extreme Norway Demo Day
                                                                                                                      8. StartupLab Winter Pitch Party

                                                                                                                    3. Growth Stage

                                                                                                                    Here, a startup proves their utility, receives recognition, and scales up. This usually requires funding, angels, VCs, and ways to connect them to startups.

                                                                                                                    A. Recognition

                                                                                                                    • Oslo Investor Networking:  Events and groups that connect professional investors with founders.
                                                                                                                      1. Angel Challenge
                                                                                                                      2. Business Angels Norway
                                                                                                                      3. FERD
                                                                                                                      4. Fintech Angels
                                                                                                                      5. Keiretsu Forum Nordics
                                                                                                                      6. Nordic Business Angel Network
                                                                                                                      7. Norwegian Business Angel Network
                                                                                                                      8. Norwegian Investment Forum
                                                                                                                      9. Pangea Angel Investor Program
                                                                                                                      10. Scandinavian Investment Network
                                                                                                                      11. Seed Forum Oslo
                                                                                                                      12. Silicon Vikings
                                                                                                                      13. Women Investor Network
                                                                                                                    • Major Media: Mainstream local business press that often showcase local startups
                                                                                                                        1. Aftenposten
                                                                                                                        2. Avisa Oslo
                                                                                                                        3. Dagbladet
                                                                                                                        4. DN
                                                                                                                        5. E24
                                                                                                                        6. Finansavisen
                                                                                                                        7. Hegnar
                                                                                                                        8. Nettavisen - NA24
                                                                                                                        9. VG.no

                                                                                                                                      B. Funding

                                                                                                                                      • Oslo Angel Investors: Seed-stage investors and micro-vcs.
                                                                                                                                        1. Anders H. Lier
                                                                                                                                        2. Anne H. Worsoe
                                                                                                                                        3. Brian Weisberg
                                                                                                                                        4. Carine Zeier
                                                                                                                                        5. Chris Barchak
                                                                                                                                        6. Daniel Jones
                                                                                                                                        7. David Baum
                                                                                                                                        8. Espen Getz Harstad
                                                                                                                                        9. Gil Dibner
                                                                                                                                        10. Gustav Jebsen
                                                                                                                                        11. Håkon Knappskog
                                                                                                                                        12. Hans Christian Bjørne
                                                                                                                                        13. Håvard Wall
                                                                                                                                        14. Henning Rokling
                                                                                                                                        15. Ingar S. Bentsen
                                                                                                                                        16. Ivar Schmidt
                                                                                                                                        17. Magnus Rinnan Gaarder
                                                                                                                                        18. Maja Adriaensen
                                                                                                                                        19. Max Hofer
                                                                                                                                        20. Nick Avedesian
                                                                                                                                        21. Penny Venture
                                                                                                                                        22. Per John Thorenfeldt
                                                                                                                                        23. Pili Drangert-Hveding
                                                                                                                                        24. Rudi Skogman
                                                                                                                                        25. Sean Percival
                                                                                                                                        26. Ståle Løvbukten
                                                                                                                                        27. Trond Riiber Knudsen
                                                                                                                                        28. Truls Berg
                                                                                                                                      • Oslo Venture Capitalists: Series A and beyond
                                                                                                                                        1. 500 Nordics
                                                                                                                                        2. Alliance Venture
                                                                                                                                        3. Altor Funds
                                                                                                                                        4. Argentum
                                                                                                                                        5. Convexa
                                                                                                                                        6. Credo Partners
                                                                                                                                        7. Cubera Private Equity
                                                                                                                                        8. Custos Group
                                                                                                                                        9. EQT Partners
                                                                                                                                        10. Ferd Capital
                                                                                                                                        11. FSN Capital AS
                                                                                                                                        12. Herkules Capital
                                                                                                                                        13. Hitecvision
                                                                                                                                        14. Katalysator
                                                                                                                                        15. Kistefos
                                                                                                                                        16. Longship AS
                                                                                                                                        17. Nordic Capital
                                                                                                                                        18. Norfund
                                                                                                                                        19. NorgesInvestor
                                                                                                                                        20. Northzone
                                                                                                                                        21. Norvestor
                                                                                                                                        22. Nova Founders Capital
                                                                                                                                        23. Reiten
                                                                                                                                        24. Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures
                                                                                                                                        25. Skagerak Maturo
                                                                                                                                        26. SNÖ Ventures
                                                                                                                                        27. StartupLab Founders Fund
                                                                                                                                        28. Summa Equity
                                                                                                                                        29. Televenture
                                                                                                                                        30. Verdane Capital

                                                                                                                                      C. Growth

                                                                                                                                      • Infrastructure: Office space, HR, local business insurance. (i.e. office space/ HR/ insurance providers for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
                                                                                                                                        1. Allianz
                                                                                                                                        2. Arctic Insurance
                                                                                                                                        3. Dynamic People
                                                                                                                                        4. Experis
                                                                                                                                        5. HR Manager Talent Solutions
                                                                                                                                        6. Hudson
                                                                                                                                        7. Insr Insurance Group
                                                                                                                                        8. Instant Offices
                                                                                                                                        9. Protector Forsikring
                                                                                                                                        10. Regus
                                                                                                                                        11. RiskPoint
                                                                                                                                        12. Search Office Space
                                                                                                                                        13. Target Offices
                                                                                                                                        14. Technopolis
                                                                                                                                        15. WebScout
                                                                                                                                        16. Zurich Insurance
                                                                                                                                      • Expansion: Oslo Growth accelerators and consultants. (i.e. programs and business consultants for capital-rich companies to grow and scale)
                                                                                                                                        1. Accenture
                                                                                                                                        2. Aon
                                                                                                                                        3. AT Kearney
                                                                                                                                        4. Atkins
                                                                                                                                        5. Avanade
                                                                                                                                        6. Bain & Company
                                                                                                                                        7. BearingPoint
                                                                                                                                        8. BMC
                                                                                                                                        9. Boston Consulting Group
                                                                                                                                        10. Capgemini
                                                                                                                                        11. Coinno
                                                                                                                                        12. Cognizant
                                                                                                                                        13. Deloitte
                                                                                                                                        14. Ernst and Young
                                                                                                                                        15. Gartner
                                                                                                                                        16. Gilb
                                                                                                                                        17. Grant Thornton Norge
                                                                                                                                        18. Hay Group
                                                                                                                                        19. Hill+Knowlton Strategies
                                                                                                                                        20. IKM Consultants
                                                                                                                                        21. KPMG
                                                                                                                                        22. McKinsey & Company
                                                                                                                                        23. Mercer Norge
                                                                                                                                        24. PwC Norge
                                                                                                                                        25. PIER X
                                                                                                                                        26. QVARTZ
                                                                                                                                        27. Sogeti
                                                                                                                                        28. Tata Consultancy Services

                                                                                                                                      4. Oslo Startup Success Stories

                                                                                                                                      Successful homegrown companies that have raised significant institutional funding, employ a large workforce, or have achieved liquidity.

                                                                                                                                        1. Aprila
                                                                                                                                        2. Auka
                                                                                                                                        3. Bolink - Gjensidige Bolighandel
                                                                                                                                        4. Cognite
                                                                                                                                        5. Documaster
                                                                                                                                        6. Funcom
                                                                                                                                        7. Fuse Tools
                                                                                                                                        8. Gelato
                                                                                                                                        9. GRAPHIQ
                                                                                                                                        10. Huddly
                                                                                                                                        11. Imerso
                                                                                                                                        12. Inzpire.me
                                                                                                                                        13. Iris.AI
                                                                                                                                        14. Kahoot!
                                                                                                                                        15. Kebony
                                                                                                                                        16. Kikora
                                                                                                                                        17. Kolonial
                                                                                                                                        18. Konsus
                                                                                                                                        19. Luca Labs
                                                                                                                                        20. mCASH
                                                                                                                                        21. Meshcrafts
                                                                                                                                        22. Opera
                                                                                                                                        23. Optinose
                                                                                                                                        24. Otovo
                                                                                                                                        25. Preplay
                                                                                                                                        26. Schibsted
                                                                                                                                        27. Scrimba
                                                                                                                                        28. Socius
                                                                                                                                        29. Spacemaker
                                                                                                                                        30. Swarm64
                                                                                                                                        31. Tagbeat
                                                                                                                                        32. Thin Film Electronics ASA
                                                                                                                                        33. Timely
                                                                                                                                        34. Trybe
                                                                                                                                        35. VILLOID
                                                                                                                                        36. Visma
                                                                                                                                        37. Xeneta
                                                                                                                                        38. XeThru
                                                                                                                                        39. Zwipe

                                                                                                                                      Supporters


                                                                                                                                      To facilitate the steps, every ecosystem needs strong supporters.

                                                                                                                                      1. Oslo Startup Leaders

                                                                                                                                      Successful local founders who lead the ecosystem & frequently mentor newbies.

                                                                                                                                        1. Alexander Weiss Richter
                                                                                                                                        2. Anita Krohn Traaseth
                                                                                                                                        3. Arif Shafique
                                                                                                                                        4. Benjamin Sommer
                                                                                                                                        5. Berg Moe
                                                                                                                                        6. Børge Dvergsdal
                                                                                                                                        7. Chisom Udeze
                                                                                                                                        8. Daniel Döderlein
                                                                                                                                        9. Dimitris Polychronopoulos
                                                                                                                                        10. Erlend Sand
                                                                                                                                        11. Esben Keim
                                                                                                                                        12. Faraaz Ali
                                                                                                                                        13. Fredrik Winther
                                                                                                                                        14. Hans Christian Bjørne
                                                                                                                                        15. Ingar S.Bentsen
                                                                                                                                        16. Javad Mushtaq
                                                                                                                                        17. Jonas Tesfu
                                                                                                                                        18. Kremena Tosheva
                                                                                                                                        19. Kristian Aartun
                                                                                                                                        20. Lars Føleide
                                                                                                                                        21. Lars Johan Bjørkevoll
                                                                                                                                        22. Maja Adriaensen
                                                                                                                                        23. Matthew Smith
                                                                                                                                        24. Maria Amelie
                                                                                                                                        25. Nassir Achour
                                                                                                                                        26. Nadia Serpilova Alexander
                                                                                                                                        27. Nicolai Løvdal
                                                                                                                                        28. Nina Heir
                                                                                                                                        29. Raja Skogland
                                                                                                                                        30. Rick Salmon
                                                                                                                                        31. Rolf Assev
                                                                                                                                        32. Simon Ruud
                                                                                                                                        33. Tine Thygesen
                                                                                                                                        34. Tor Grønsund
                                                                                                                                        35. Tore Rasmussen
                                                                                                                                        36. Therese Helland
                                                                                                                                        37. Vegard Jørmeland

                                                                                                                                      2. Oslo Government Startup Resources

                                                                                                                                      Public organizations that facilitate local economic development

                                                                                                                                        1. AmCham
                                                                                                                                        2. Innovation Norway
                                                                                                                                        3. Interreg
                                                                                                                                        4. Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries
                                                                                                                                        5. Oslo Chamber of Commerce
                                                                                                                                        6. The Research Council of Norway
                                                                                                                                        7. SIVA: Industrial Development Corporation of Norway

                                                                                                                                        3. Talent

                                                                                                                                        Major local business or tech universities and employers that attract and retain local talent.

                                                                                                                                        • Local Oslo Tech Universities (universities with prominent technical or business programs)
                                                                                                                                            1. BI Norwegian Business School
                                                                                                                                            2. NLA Høgskolen
                                                                                                                                            3. Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences
                                                                                                                                            4. University of Oslo
                                                                                                                                            5. Westerdals Oslo ACT
                                                                                                                                            6. Høyskolen Kristiania
                                                                                                                                            7. USN
                                                                                                                                                      • Oslo Tech Employers
                                                                                                                                                          1. Aker Solutions
                                                                                                                                                          2. Avanade
                                                                                                                                                          3. Cisco
                                                                                                                                                          4. Citrix
                                                                                                                                                          5. Computas
                                                                                                                                                          6. Dell
                                                                                                                                                          7. DNV GL
                                                                                                                                                          8. Facebook
                                                                                                                                                          9. FMC Technologies/Technip
                                                                                                                                                          10. GE Healthcare
                                                                                                                                                          11. Gelato
                                                                                                                                                          12. Google
                                                                                                                                                          13. HCL Technologies
                                                                                                                                                          14. HP
                                                                                                                                                          15. Huawei
                                                                                                                                                          16. IBM
                                                                                                                                                          17. Infosys
                                                                                                                                                          18. Microsoft
                                                                                                                                                          19. Miles 
                                                                                                                                                          20. Nokia
                                                                                                                                                          21. Netlight
                                                                                                                                                          22. Opera Software
                                                                                                                                                          23. Oracle
                                                                                                                                                          24. Orange Business Services
                                                                                                                                                          25. Samsung
                                                                                                                                                          26. Siemens
                                                                                                                                                          27. SINTEF
                                                                                                                                                          28. Statoil
                                                                                                                                                          29. Telenor Group
                                                                                                                                                          30. Tesla
                                                                                                                                                          31. Tieto
                                                                                                                                                          32. Verifone
                                                                                                                                                          33. Vivaldi 
                                                                                                                                                          34. Yara
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          *  *  *

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Learn more about the Startup Ecosystem Canvas here, and leave us your thoughts on the Oslo Canvas on this collaborative Google document (This is just a draft, and more input is needed!)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Are you looking to build a startup in Oslo? Then apply to the Oslo Founder Institute today

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