Award winner praises the hybrid version of the Partner Conference:

- Definitely the best conference I have attended during the coronavirus pandemic

When the Partner Conference 2020 brought together cluster partners from two business clusters - both physical and digital - on Thursday, two winners of the "Cluster Partner of the Year" award were also announced.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm, October 23, 2020

- "It was very surprising and incredibly nice to be "Cluster Partner of the Year", and it just reinforces the impression of the business cluster," says Inge Grini, CEO of Intellectual Labs, which this year won the partner award in the Cluster for Applied AI.

The 2020 Partner Conference brought together partners from both of Smart Innovation Norway's business clusters, NCE Smart Energy Markets and the Cluster for Applied AI, after the recent AI cluster was founded last fall.

• Read also: Almost 100 attended the kickoff for the AI cluster

- We are designed to create things in collaboration with others, so we need to be part of the ecosystem of others. That's why we are part of the Cluster for Applied AI. The hope was that we could meet new friends at home and abroad, and we really have," says Grini.

He was also impressed by the hybrid execution of the Partner Conference 2020, where some participants were present in the Simulator Center, while others followed the conference via Zoom and participated in activities there. He himself was present in the hall and delivered one of five partner pitches.

- Technically and in terms of content, this is definitely the best digital hybrid conference of the coronavirus era, and I've seen a lot! The format and the center is very good, there were quite a few people in the hall and many engaged online, comments Grini.

Proud partner company

The second winner of the day was Schneider Electric, which was named "Cluster Partner of the Year" in the mature business cluster NCE Smart Energy Markets.

• Read also: NCE Smart Energy Markets recognized as GOLD cluster

- This is something we should be proud of. It was surprising and very nice! I hope it indicates that our partnership has been at the right level, that we have been active and that we have contributed something that has meant something to the rest of the cluster, says Per Gjerløw, who received the award on behalf of the company.

- For us, it is important to be part of the cluster to connect with new partners and customers, get new ideas, discuss models for future business, and check that our analytics and equipment make sense in terms of using the data we collect and process to create business - either for a customer or ourselves. Yes, it's very useful for us," he adds.

- Bringing the WOW factor and expertise

It was Smart Innovation Norway's new Head of Clusters, Eli Haugerud, who had the pleasure of presenting the awards to both winners in their respective clusters.

- The criteria for becoming "Cluster Partner of the Year" is that the company has participated and used the entire innovation platform, that they have a WOW factor and contribute expertise to the cluster. That is why Intellectual Labs and Schneider Electric won the awards this time," says Haugerud.

• Read also: The cluster celebrated 10 years during the Partner Conference 2019
• Read also: "You need to get together to grab the good ideas

The latter has also been part of the NCE cluster for a long time and has participated in several EU projects together with Smart Innovation Norway.

The most important meeting place of the year

As a recent cluster leader, Haugerud himself attended the Partner Conference for the first time and has no doubt that the meeting place concept is valuable - both for the cluster members and for Smart Innovation Norway itself. Project Manager for the Cluster for Applied AI, Marianne Bjerkman, fully agrees:

- The partner conference is the most important meeting point of the year for the cluster partners, where they get to participate in an event that enables them to get to know each other better and also get professional refreshment and competence enhancement.

The first year since the launch of the AI cluster has been very eventful. Among other things, the cluster has been mentioned in the national strategy for artificial intelligence, participated in various conferences, launched several innovation projects and welcomed new partners.

• Read also: Cluster for Applied AI gets support for further development
• Read also: Cluster for Applied AI starts collaboration with NORA network

The Cluster for Applied AI aims to increase the use of artificial intelligence in Norway and facilitate the adoption of new technology. The focus of the cluster is to make the entire ecosystem work together - from development to application.

- The future looks bright. We are working towards increasing the synergy that arises when the cluster partners meet," Bjerkman concludes.

The country NOK 100,000 in design support:

- Means that the platform we develop gets a real boost

The start-up company Smart Cognition is one of two among a total of 68 applicants who have been awarded support from the Norwegian Design and Architecture Foundation (DOGA) for their project "Active leisure with the help of organized information and inclusive communication".

By Mari Kristine Buckholm , 30 June 2020

- We have received NOK 100,000 in so-called design support, all of which goes to a professional design partner. We have already entered into an agreement with the design agency Halogen, and the work will start in August, says a happy Sven Erik Tønnesen, founder and general manager of Smart Cognition.

At the beginning of June, the news came that the company, which is a cluster partner in the Cluster for Applied AI, had come through the eye of the needle in competition with 67 other companies. The application was prepared in collaboration with Sunnaas hospital and the support is awarded by the foundation Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA).

- DOGA is genuinely concerned with inclusion. They look for projects that can contribute to a more inclusive society in an innovative way through the development of a new everyday product, service or digital solution for the enjoyment and benefit of everyone, regardless of functional ability, age, cultural or linguistic background, explains Tønnesen.

Clear focus on inclusion

Smart Cognition delivers an innovative interaction platform for sharing information about culture and leisure activities between municipalities, voluntary organisations, teams/associations, private individuals or others who have an activity offer they wish to convey information about, and people with and without disabilities. The platform transforms an organizer's information about leisure activities into content adapted to the individual user of a specially developed app, so that everyone can understand – regardless of functional level.

• Also read: - Understanding and being understood is a fundamental prerequisite for a good quality of life
• Also read: Smart Cognition launches its innovative interaction platform

The allocated design funds from DOGA are earmarked for the project "Active leisure time with the help of organized information and inclusive communication".

- The project has many good qualities and potential in it which DOGA would like to see further into an inclusive solution for a large diversity of people. According to the foundation, we stood out because of our clear focus on inclusion. Involving people with disabilities permeates everything we do. For us, it is completely natural, almost automatic, to think how the work we do can benefit absolutely everyone, says Tønnesen.

Will contribute to a change in attitude

DOGA is part of the Norwegian policy apparatus for creating new products and services and is a driving force for sustainable value creation through design and architecture. The Smart Cognition founder sees the award as solid recognition of both the work the company does and their focus on inclusion.

- The support means that the platform we are developing gets a real boost. Design is a separate subject area in which we do not have our own expertise, and getting professional help to design, for example, user interfaces is something we have long wanted, Tønnesen points out. He adds:

- But the most important thing is that increased attention about us means increased attention about people with functional impairments and their situation. In addition to developing good solutions, we must also contribute to raising awareness and changing attitudes in society about people with disabilities and the resources they actually possess.

Contentful autumn ahead

The next step for the start-up is, alongside the collaboration with Sunnaas, Halogen and DOGA, to further develop its Active Leisure platform to include the leisure card scheme together with Halden municipality.

• Also read: Twelve municipalities will trial a scheme with leisure cards for children and young people
• Read also: Halden municipality provides support for the town's children and young people

- The municipality recently received NOK 10 million from Bufdir for the leisure card, a subsidy scheme from the government which will help more children and young people participate in leisure activities. We believe that Halden municipality's clear focus on inclusion was instrumental in Halden being chosen as one of twelve out of 193 municipalities that applied, says Tønnesen.

He is looking forward to an exciting and hectic autumn, and appreciates Halden municipality's efforts to get everyone involved.

- We will do our utmost to make the leisure card a success story. Increased activity is important for everyone, regardless of functional ability, and we must contribute to that, asserts Tønnesen.

Cluster for Applied AI receives support for further development:

- We have shown that the environment is viable and that the ecosystem can already show results

Smart Innovation Norway has received funding from Viken County Council to further develop the Cluster for Applied AI on behalf of the cluster's partners.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm , 24 June 2020

Last September, the initiators Smart Innovation Norway, eSmart Systems, IFE and Østfold University College launched a new, national cluster for artificial intelligence, called Cluster for Applied AI .

• Read also: Smart Innovation Norway launches new AI cluster

- Through the work with the cluster in phase 1, we have shown that the environment is viable and that the ecosystem can already show results. The new funds are a prerequisite for being able to continue the work of supporting and developing the offer for the partners, and we are pleased that the county council wants to contribute to this important initiative, comments Marianne Jansson Bjerkman, project manager for the Cluster for Applied AI at Smart Innovation Norway .

Good offer for partners

The industry cluster will contribute to Norway taking a leading position in the profitable and sustainable application of artificial intelligence (AI) in a business context. This means making Norwegian companies sustainable and ready for a new world - which will be largely governed by artificial intelligence.

• Read also: Almost 100 attended the kickoff for the AI cluster

The support from the county council amounts to NOK 725,000 (total budget for the project is NOK 1,450,000), and the project period extends until the end of February 2021.

- For Smart Innovation Norway, the new funds mean that we can continue the work we do to facilitate the cluster and the network in a good way, and for the partners it will mean a continued good offer going forward, says Jansson Bjerkman.

AI for the good of society

Already at the launch this autumn, Smart Innovation Norway had gathered over 40 key organizations from both private business, the public sector and academia in the cluster. Today, the Cluster for Applied AI consists of more than 60 members and partners.

The project manager hopes that the development will continue and that more small and medium-sized companies that use artificial intelligence today or that aim to start using the technology will join the good AI community.

- The cluster's vision is to create a world where Norwegian business is equipped to be able to use AI for the good of itself and society. To achieve this, together with our partners, we will work to develop the environment and the network, contribute to Norwegian and Nordic cooperation, initiate projects where artificial intelligence is used, develop and carry out training activities and cooperate with authorities. We will also look at opportunities to help Norwegian partners offer their solutions internationally, Jansson Bjerkman points out.

Eventful autumn

She encourages all interested actors and partners to follow the cluster's activities throughout the autumn. Among other things, training in innovation methodology is offered, and 15.-16. September, the very first edition of the conference AI+ will take place - which this year will be run digitally.

• Read also: Next year, the major initiative AI+ will be organized for the first time

- We start up after the summer with a breakfast seminar related to security together with our cluster partner Zacco, and we look forward to an exciting autumn!, concludes the project manager.