NORA chief praises the cluster initiative:

- The key is to find the specific projects where there is a problem that is interesting to solve

As a national network consisting of seven universities and two research institutions, NORA works to strengthen Norwegian research, education and innovation in artificial intelligence. NORA and the business cluster Cluster for Applied AI have now entered into a collaboration.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm, September 30, 2020

- We help develop joint research projects between partners, says Klas Pettersen, General Manager of NORA (Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium).

This month he attended the AI+ conference, organized by IFE, eSmart Systems, Halden Municipality and Smart Innovation Norway in collaboration with the Cluster for Applied AI, where he was both a speaker and part of the panel discussion on day 1.

• Also read: Top speakers defied time zones to contribute to AI+

- "Initiatives and arenas like this are important because applied artificial intelligence (AI) is an exciting and application-oriented field with great opportunities for collaboration between academia and industry. You have the innovation cycle with incubators, investors and many other pieces that can help each other move forward," says Pettersen.

Connecting actors

Earlier this summer, NORA and the newly formed Cluster for Applied AI signed a cooperation agreement to ensure that the right actors are connected and help each other with research, innovation and application of AI - across sectors.

• Read also: Almost 100 attended the kickoff for the AI cluster
• Read also: Cluster for Applied AI gets support for further development

- For example, NORA includes several universities, including the University of Tromsø, which is collaborating with the cluster company eSmart Systems in a project where drones and machine learning are used to inspect power lines. "This has raised a number of research questions that are interesting and important both from a basic research perspective and for the company's use," Pettersen points out.

Strong forces with the same goal

The NORA manager appreciates the cluster's initiative for cooperation between the two networks with their respective partner companies from different sectors.

- The Cluster for Applied AI has brought together the strong forces in Norway. We have NORA, which is the broadest network in academic terms. We also have a large network in Trondheim with the Norwegian Open AI Lab at NTNU, which works closely with Telenor and Sintef, among others. In addition, we have DigitalNorway, which aims to accelerate the digitization of Norwegian business and industry," says Pettersen (pictured).

Going forward, the parties will have regular meetings with the aim of finding interesting problems to solve with AI. NORA is contributing highly competent researchers in several fields who wish to participate in industrial collaboration.

- The key is to find the specific projects where there is a problem that is interesting, also from a researcher's perspective at a university, and I think there are many of them," Pettersen concludes.

The Pangstart winners landed NOK 1.4 million from Innovation Norway:

- An extremely important grant for us

The start-up company Völur won Pangstart Gründer in autumn 2019. In April 2020, they were granted a grant of NOK 1.4 million from Innovation Norway after a good and efficient application process.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm , 30 April 2020

- It is very gratifying to receive such a grant. It shows that there are more people outside the industry who see the need we meet and the value we create within the meat industry. In addition, it is important for us to have Innovation Norway at our back in the future, comments Adrian Diaz, co-founder and Chief Product Officer (CPO) at Völur.

• Read also: Völur won "new" Pangstart Gründer

The company develops optimization tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) that help the meat industry make optimal use of animals, while satisfying exactly the same market demand and reducing food waste.

- At the stage Völur is in, the grant from Innovation Norway is extremely important. It makes it possible for us to build the company further and create value for customers, Diaz points out.

Valuable confirmation

After the victory in the intensive entrepreneurial program Pangstart last November, the company became part of Smart Innovation Norway's incubator as well as a member of the industry cluster Cluster for Applied AI. In the new year, work began on applying for grants from Innovation Norway.

- We wrote the application ourselves, but received good guidance from our adviser in Smart Innovation Norway, Tor Frydenberg. In addition, we have had close dialogue with Innovation Norway, who have given us good guidance throughout the process, says Diaz (pictured).

There was great cheering when the good news came, and Diaz is clear that it means a lot to the start-up company to get confirmation that they are on the right track.

- We feel that Innovation Norway sees the value our technology brings to such a large and socially important industry as the meat industry. They show that by giving us a grant that facilitates further growth and development in the company, he says.

Cooperation for further progress

Völur's ambition is to be the number 1 provider of value chain optimization tools based on artificial intelligence in the meat industry. The grant is an important step on the way and will go towards further development and internationalization of the company.

Diaz says that both the Pangstart program and the close collaboration with Smart Innovation Norway have meant a lot to Völur's progress, and it will be no less important in the phase the company is now entering.

- When working with research and development, at the same time as entering new markets, it is crucial to have good collaboration partners, which we have in Smart Innovation Norway. In the future, it will be absolutely crucial for us to create value for the customer - that is clearly the first priority. At the same time, we will work on building the company further to become an international player, concludes Völur's CPO.

NTNU offers successful courses on artificial intelligence in Norwegian:

- Not just experts and particularly interested parties who need knowledge of artificial intelligence

Today, the online course "Elements of AI" was launched in Norwegian and at the same time the Minister for Districts and Digitalization Linda Helleland launched the campaign AI-løftet, in which more than 50 businesses are involved.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm , 29 April 2020

- "Elements of AI" is an introductory course in artificial intelligence, and aims to increase knowledge about and understanding of artificial intelligence in society. It contains both theory and practical tasks, says Helge Langseth, responsible for "Elements of AI" at NTNU.

Social relevance and technology

The course consists of six parts. Parts 1 and 6 deal with basic knowledge about artificial intelligence and focus on social relevance, application and ethical issues. Parts 2–5 describe the technological aspects of artificial intelligence. It is also possible to only take selected parts of the course. These are the topics (parts) covered:

1. What is artificial intelligence?
2. Problem solving using artificial intelligence
3. Artificial intelligence in practice
4. Machine learning
5. Neural networks
6. Consequences - How will artificial intelligence affect us in the future?

- After taking the course, the participants must have knowledge of and understanding of some of the most important meanings of artificial intelligence. They must be able to think critically about claims and myths about artificial intelligence and make their own assessments of the technology's importance. They must be able to define artificial intelligence and participate in discussions about artificial intelligence. In addition, they must have gained some insight into the methods that make artificial intelligence possible, explains Langseth (pictured).

When you want, where you want

Smart Innovation Norway wants to contribute to the course being a success in Norway and project coordinator for the industry cluster Cluster for Applied AI, Marianne Jansson Bjekman, encourages all cluster partners to complete the course.

• Read also: Smart Innovation Norway launches new AI cluster

- You don't need any prior knowledge of artificial intelligence, just a desire to learn. You can take it where you want, when you want, at your own pace, she says.

The course is conducted digitally via the website elementsofai.no , and all the learning resources (text, assignments) are located there. The amount of work is approximately 30 hours on average, but you can complete it as quickly as you wish.

Highly current, free expertise

- The course requires no prior knowledge of programming or digital technology. We think that the timing of the launch during the ongoing corona crisis means that we can especially reach people who have suddenly been made redundant, or who have lost their jobs, and who either see that they need to acquire new skills in order to be attractive for new jobs, or who simply have time to spare in anticipation of being able to return to his old job, Langseth points out.

The "Elements of AI" course has been available in English for quite some time and has been a great success. There has therefore been a desire to make the course more accessible to a Norwegian public, something Nikolai Astrup (in his role as former digitization minister) spoke highly of when he launched the national AI strategy for Norway in January . Now the course has been translated into Norwegian, it is open for registration and it is completely free to take.

- Artificial intelligence will affect us all in the future, both in working life and in everyday life. It is not only experts and those with special interests who need knowledge of artificial intelligence. I think that as many people as possible should have basic knowledge of how this technology works and what it will mean for us, concludes Langseth.

Collaboration on a new Catapult center for Norwegian companies:

- Aims to become Norwegian business's most attractive test arena

At the beginning of April, Siva announced that Smart Innovation Norway, Media City Bergen and Protomore in Molde have received funds to clarify how they can together establish a national competence center for industrial service development.

By Mari Kristine Buckholm , 29 April 2020

- This award is the result of solid collaboration between Smart Innovation Norway, IFE (Institutt for Energiteknikk) , eSmart Systems , DigitalNorway and Cyviz . We have long worked to get funding for a powerhouse within applied artificial intelligence and service development, so this is an important step in the right direction for us, says head of Communication & Visualization at Smart Innovation Norway and responsible for the application to Norsk Katapult, Mette Magnussen .

• Read also: Smart Innovation Norway launches new AI cluster
• Read also: Signed new agreement with Olympiatoppen's Performance Cluster

The preliminary project for which the Smart Innovation Norway environment has received Siva funds together with Protomore in Molde and Media City Bergen will form a basis with recommendations for a new Katapult center for industrial service development in Norway.

Important milestone

- For Smart Innovation Norway and our competence environment in Halden, this is an important milestone that we have worked for a long time to achieve. Such a Catapult centre, with its services, will be able to function very well together with existing activities and services throughout Smart Innovation Norway's innovation platform, especially with regard to the activities in the business clusters NCE Smart Energy Markets and Cluster for Applied AI, says Magnussen (pictured) . She continues:

- The latter cluster in particular will be able to reinforce the planned Catapult in a good way, with a reinforcing effect in return. For example, we can imagine that the partners in the cluster will be able to use the centre's facilities and equipment for prototyping, simulations and testing for their AI projects, services and products.

Magnussen believes that the award of the Katapult preliminary project can be seen as a stamp of quality and proof that the work the company has put in together with its partners, and within Smart Innovation Norway, has been correct.

- This gives us a strengthened position in a national context where we get the opportunity to share the unique expertise the environment possesses, in areas such as applied artificial intelligence, with the rest of business life in Norway. It gives us the opportunity to contribute with more research and innovation activities that actually create sustainable social and business development and contribute to Norway as a nation becoming more competitive, she points out.

Planning and concept development

In the pre-project phase, which extends from March to September 2020, the three competence environments in Halden, Bergen and Molde will clarify forms of cooperation, ambitions, obligations and opportunities for a new, joint Catapult center within industrial service development.

- During this period, it will be crucial to involve potential users and customers of the center early so that we can develop services that actually solve the customer's needs or give them new opportunities for business development. This insight work, which we will carry out together with Protomore and Media City, will be important pillars in the further concept development work of the centre, says Magnussen.

She reveals that they are also looking at various collaboration solutions to be able to offer the centre's services widely in Norway without the customers necessarily needing to travel to Viken to make use of them.

- This has become more relevant than ever in these times of COVID-19, and will not become any less important in the future in order to be able to work more efficiently and "greener" together, states Magnussen.

Must make companies competitive

The purpose of a separate Katapult center for industrial service development is to assist SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) regionally and nationally to become more competitive internationally. This is done by getting new services and products onto the market cheaper and faster.

- The catapult center will focus on all aspects such as people, technology, strategy, marketing and finance, and offer piloting, testing and simulation. The center aims to become Norwegian industry's most attractive test arena for industrial service development with a focus on, among other things, offering services for the application of artificial intelligence, business modeling and the development of a performance culture, explains Magnussen.

In addition, it is a goal that the Catapult Center in question will be able to assist the other Catapult Centers in Norway with its solutions, resources and expertise, and in that way become an important national hub for industrial service development.