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

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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

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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

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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