Category: News

Strengthening Norway's export opportunities

When the National Export Council asked for input to identify possible strategic focus areas, it was natural for the Cluster for Applied AI to get involved and present the capacity, knowledge and potential our cluster partners represent.

In the Hurdal Platform from 2021, the government has stated that it will increase Norwegian exports other than oil and gas by 50% by 2030. To achieve this, the country needs new industries and export opportunities, and one of the measures the government has taken is the establishment of the National Export Council and the export reform Whole Norway Exports.

Through the new initiative, the authorities, the business community and the public funding agencies will work closely to achieve the Støre government's export goals, and Smart Innovation Norway's three clusters provided solid input on future export opportunities.

Strong communities of excellence

Marianne Jansson Bjerkman
Marianne Jansson Bjerkman is head of the Cluster for Applied AI business cluster.

Energy, artificial intelligence and decommissioning are the areas of expertise around which the NCE Smart Energy Markets cluster, the Cluster for Applied AI (CAAI) and the Cluster for Decommissioning and Repurposing (DECOM cluster) bring together partners.

Norway has several actors in business, public agencies, research and academia with expertise in these areas. Many of these actors are partners in the networks of our three industry clusters, and they therefore represent a strong community of expertise in their fields.

The DECOM cluster and Smart Innovation Norway are part of the renowned Halden environment, which includes the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) and Halden Municipality. The cluster works to create new jobs and sustainable development so that Norway can take a leading position in decommissioning and reuse, and in their input, the three actors argue why decommissioning should become one of Norway's priority export areas.

Read the full contribution here!

Decom-by-Norwaydownload

Solid national and international experience

The partners in our NCE Smart Energy Markets cluster aim to be world leaders in smart energy and digital technologies. Norway must make the most of this advantage.

In Norway, significant resources are being invested in the digitalisation of the energy system. This not only solves national challenges, but creates technologies, services and expertise that can be used in other markets, and the work in NCE Smart Energy Markets has provided solid experience in research and development both nationally and internationally.

Norwegian companies are in a position to become important suppliers of energy solutions on an international market, and NCE Smart Energy Markets works closely with several of these companies. Therefore, the cluster provided input on which export opportunities it can contribute to.

Read the full contribution here!

2022-Input-Export opportunities-Energydownload

- Exports must be facilitated

Together with Abelia, NHO's association for technology and knowledge companies, CAAI submitted a submission that, among other things, points out that ICT companies represent a separate industry in itself with the export opportunities it brings with it.

Marianne Jansson Bjerkman, head of the Cluster for Applied AI, is clear that it is important for Norway to take a larger share of the global market and at the same time get a better grip on the data economy. ICT companies can contribute to this.

- To achieve this, it is important to facilitate the export of digital products and services, even though this will require expertise and tailoring. The bonus is that we will then also have the opportunity to get a better grip on larger parts of other value chains," she says.

Read the full contribution here!

Export-strategy-Innovation-Digital-technology-and-servicesdownload

The Cluster for Applied AI welcomes Precise Prediction to the cluster!

"Precise Prediction is an example of a company that can make a big difference in the journey towards becoming more data-driven as a business. With their expertise, they can help players make the right choices to get the most out of their data and minimize silo and duplication issues. We are very pleased to welcome Precise Prediction to the Cluster for Applied AI!"

Marianne Bjerkman, Cluster Leader in the Cluster for Applied AI
Business,Analytics,And,Data,Management,System,(dms),Giving,Key,Insights

Let's introduce cluster partner Precise Prediction with some quick facts from Per Baumann, Sales Director:

What do you do at Precise Prediction and what is your role?

We help our customers create added value from their data and make decisions data-driven. This can be from the very basics - or to assist customers who have already come a long way in e.g. streamlining, quality assurance or adopting solutions related to machine learning and AI.

To achieve this, you need solutions to access, organize, prepare, process, visualize and analyze available data in an efficient and secure way. We specialize in TIBCO software and help our clients implement and integrate it with their other systems. We also ensure that the customer's staff receive the necessary training and provide support when needed.

Since our establishment in 2006, we have focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning and we would like to include this in our deliveries. However, our experience is that you can achieve great benefits by making important decisions data-driven even without artificial intelligence. Once this is in place, you can gradually make the solution more advanced and, if desired, use artificial intelligence and machine learning.

My role in this is to define marketplaces and then find customers who have needs, and then create an initial interest and belief that we can solve their needs.

What are your objectives for the future?

Most of our customers are large companies on a Norwegian scale, but we are convinced that medium-sized companies will also benefit greatly from our solutions. Our goal is to get more medium-sized companies as customers. In particular, we believe that companies that have invested in equipment with sensors and have thus gained access to completely new data sources can benefit greatly from using this data in a better way.

Do you have a success story or an exciting project you would like to highlight?

We have several, but personally I would highlight a technology called data virtualization. This technology enables "data-on-demand" rather than copying data multiple times while retrieving and processing only the data we need for the job by actively using metadata. This technology reduces environmental impact through, among other things, reduced power consumption, but also simplifies integration and distribution across data sources and consumers.

Why do you choose to become partners in the Cluster for Applied AI and what is your current or potential place in the AI ecosystem?

Our vision and business idea fits well with CAAI and we think it is therefore natural for us to join as a partner, and we hope and believe we will benefit from this.

In a cluster, we can be more people pulling together in the same direction and with a greater impact around the same message - which in turn should be able to bring the public sector and Norwegian business closer to smarter and better solutions over time.

Per Baumann Precise Prediction

Who: Per Baumann
Role: Sales Director

Company: Precise Prediction / Statsoft Norway AS
Number of employees: 7 people
Location: Sandvika / Bærum

LinkedIn: Per Baumann

The Cluster for Applied AI welcomes Easymeeting AS to the cluster!

"It's inspiring to see how Easymeeting uses technology not only to facilitate smooth communication, but also how they have drawn on their extensive experience to develop a new product. Here they use artificial intelligence to help vulnerable individuals get help when they need it. We are very happy to have them as partners in the Cluster for Applied AI!"

Marianne Bjerkman, Cluster Leader in the Cluster for Applied AI
Hans Johan Tofteng

Last fall, Easymeeting became a cluster partner in the Cluster for Applied AI.

Easymeeting has been developing video conferencing platforms for more than 10 years, especially for distance learning. In 2019, they decided to focus on the healthcare sector.

We spoke to the founder, Hans Johan Tofteng, who can tell us more about the company.

What do you do in Easymeeting and what is your role?

We design and develop video-based services for the healthcare sector, based on video communication and artificial intelligence. My role as an entrepreneur and technologist is to drive the development forward and sell our products to the market.

Our current focus is on Night Owl, a digital visit camera for elderly people living at home and patients in institutions. The camera uses artificial intelligence to trigger smart alarms for health workers. Nattugla is already used by Norwegian municipalities and we are in the start-up phase in Sweden and some other countries. Night Owl provides major savings for the health sector, and creates security and undisturbed sleep for service recipients. At the turn of 2021/22, we signed a global distribution agreement with Hepro AS, which is a Norwegian welfare technology company, owned by Adlife, which has companies and operations globally. Hepro AS will bring Nattugla out into the world and help develop the technology to the next level.

We need to learn more about artificial intelligence and we strongly believe that we can develop great things together.

Hans Johan Tofteng

What are your objectives for the future?

We will make the Night Owl the best friend of home care workers, helping them to deliver better quality and safety. Service recipients will also love Night Owl because it creates security and peace of mind. We have several products in our portfolio, but we see that we need to focus on Night Owl now, and we have ambitions for it to become a global product.

Do you have a success story or an exciting project you would like to highlight?

Harstad Municipality has been instrumental and given us a lot of input in the development of the Night Owl. They have more than 30 Night Owls in operation and conduct 300 visits a week, which was previously reserved for a night owl drive for the caregivers.

Why do you choose to become partners in the Cluster for Applied AI and what is your current or potential place in the AI ecosystem?

We want to become a partner in the cluster because we need to learn more about artificial intelligence and we strongly believe that we can develop good things together. I have worked a lot with the oil industry in the past and they were very successful with the concept of sharing knowledge. Night Owl is just at the beginning of its development cycle - we have ambitions to get it medically approved in 2023, and we believe it can help analyze and provide early indications of geriatric diseases and cognitive changes in the elderly.

easymeeting AS
Hans Johan Toften, Easymeeting

Who: Hans Johan Tofteng
Role: CEO/Founder

Company: Easymeeting AS
Location: Tromsø

LinkedIn: Hans Johan Tofteng

Cluster for Applied AI welcomes Amesto NextBridge to the cluster!

We are delighted to have such a forward-thinking and innovative consulting company on board!

Marianne Bjerkman, Cluster Leader in the Cluster for Applied AI

This summer, the consulting company Amesto NextBridge became a cluster partner in the Cluster for Applied AI.

"We are incredibly pleased to have such a forward-thinking and innovative consulting company on board," says Marianne Bjerkman, Cluster Leader in the Cluster for Applied AI. We are particularly impressed with how they work with start-up companies and the breadth of the projects they can show, she adds.

Vincent Aardalsbakke heads the AI and Emerging Technologies department at the company and tells us more about how Amesto Nextbridge works in a short interview.

What do you do at Amesto Nextbridge and what is your role?

Amesto Nextbridge are experts in creating insight and innovation from data. We are a consulting firm that specializes in what is commonly referred to as AI and BI.

My role is to lead the AI and Emerging Technologies department where we have many talented data scientists who can solve a wide range of challenges, both for the largest and smallest organizations.

Our vision is to be the innovator in data-driven sustainability and insights

Vincent Aardalsbakke, Amesto Nextbridge

What are your objectives for the future?

Our vision is to be the innovator in data-driven sustainability and insight. We want to consolidate this position with both the very largest companies in the Nordic region and the very smallest, i.e. start-ups. Start ups are often focused on innovation and new solutions, which often makes for exciting work when we get to be part of the journey. Hopefully we can identify some together with CAAI.

Do you have a success story or an exciting project you would like to highlight?

I can highlight a project we did for the International Red Cross. We used language processing (NLP) to help the organization deal with the increased amount of information that occurred with COVID-19. After evaluating different methods, we ended up using a BERT model to automatically categorize large volumes of free text reports with human-level accuracy. This resulted in a global dashboard where they now have automated data collection with a full overview of global trends and how resources need to be allocated.

 Why do you choose to become partners in the Cluster for Applied AI and what is your current or potential place in the AI ecosystem?

We see clear synergies with CAAI and many overlapping interests. Both are interested in improving the application of AI in society, helping startups with new technologies, and increasing cooperation between public and private actors to accelerate development.

Amesto Nextbridge can contribute with heavy data science expertise that will benefit the entire ecosystem. We have a dozen people with PhDs and an environment with broad experience in R&D work, as well as projects with production deployment and benefit realization of AI solutions. 

We can't wait!

Who: Vincent Aardalsbakke

Company: Amesto Nextbridge

Role: Head of AI and Emerging Technologies Department

Linkedin: (1) Vincent Aardalsbakke | LinkedIn

Award winner hails hybrid version of Partner Conference 2020

 
 

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.

- 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.

Video : Partner Conference 2020 | Smart Innovation Norway

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.

- 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.

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.

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.

Cluster for Applied AI starts collaboration with NORA network

 

ENGAGED: NORA CEO Klas Pettersen (second from left) was part of the panel discussion at the AI+ conference (Photo: Mari K. Buckholm)

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.

- "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.

- 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.

About NORA

  • The Norwegian Artificial Intelligence Research Consortium (NORA) was established in November 2018 and is a collaboration between the University of Agder, University of Tromsø, OsloMet, University of Bergen, NMBU, Simula Research Laboratory AS, NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS, University of Oslo and University of Stavanger.
  • The network will strengthen Norwegian research, education and innovation in artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and robotics, as well as other relevant research that supports the development of AI applications.
  • NORA will contribute to the development of joint research projects between partners, and take an active role in the creation of start-up companies in the field of AI.
  • The consortium will also contribute to positioning Norwegian research in artificial intelligence in the international arena and has a special responsibility for developing activities aimed at the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe research programs.
  • In addition, the consortium will create meeting places and organize various events for researchers and students.

Read more: nora.ai

Smart Cognition landed NOK 100,000 in design support

 

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.

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.

- 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.

About DOGA

  • Design and Architecture Norway (DOGA) is a foundation under the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries that works to strengthen the role of design and architecture in shaping the Norway of tomorrow.
  • As part of the public policy apparatus for increased innovation, DOGA works for renewal and value creation in Norwegian business and the public sector.
  • The foundation's aim is for Norway to use design and architecture expertise to create economic, social and environmental values, and equip business and the public sector for restructuring.

Source: doga.no

About Smart Cognition

  • Based on artificial intelligence, Smart Cognition offers individually adapted information and support for communication.
  • This is done via the interaction platform Aktiv Fritid, which provides understandable information about leisure activities to several people and contributes to increased participation.
  • Active Leisure should contribute to increased inclusion, increased self-determination and increased quality of life.
  • Smart Cognition is a non-profit business - social entrepreneur.
  • The profit remains in the company or is given to projects or organizations that promote the living conditions of people with disabilities.

Source: smartcognitionas.com

Cluster for Applied AI receives support for further development

 

PROJECT MANAGER: Marianne Jansson Bjerkman is pleased that the industry cluster Cluster for Applied AI is receiving funds to develop further. The cluster will contribute to the profitable and sustainable use of artificial intelligence among Norwegian companies. (Photo: Mari K. Buckholm)

 

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 .

- 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.

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.

- 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.

About Cluster for Applied AI

  • The aim is to develop Norway's best environment for the application of artificial intelligence, and can already point to a vibrant ecosystem of businesses that develop and adopt AI-driven solutions.
  • The business cluster has great ambitions for the future, and works with initiatives and collaboration both nationally and internationally.
  • Cluster for Applied AI will function as a physical and digital meeting place for relevant actors within applied artificial intelligence (AI).
  • The cluster's members must be able to learn from each other, collaborate in innovation projects for joint promotion and synergies, make business contacts, work with other innovation systems and work with framework conditions.

Read more: smartinnovationnorway.com/aiklynge

Would you like an overview of offers for partners next autumn?

>> Contact Marianne Jansson Bjerkman

Pangstart wins the country NOK 1.4 million from Innovation Norway

 

PROGRESS: Co-founder and CPO of Völur, Adrian Diaz, took the stage during Pangstart Gründer in November 2019 and explained how their AI solution helps the meat industry. (Photo: Mari K. Buckholm)

 

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.

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.

About Völur

  • Optimizing value chains with the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
  • Helping the food production industry use the least possible global resources to meet demand.
  • Their intelligent solution understands how a business works, predicts cause-effect-outcomes and provides real-time recommendations based on market demand.
  • With the intention of helping to reduce food waste worldwide, Völur offers its AI-driven optimization service, in line with the UN's sustainability goal number 12: "Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns".

Source: volur.no

Now you can take a FREE success course on artificial intelligence in Norwegian

 
 

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.

- 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.

About Elements of AI:

  • Elements of AI is a free online course created by Reaktor, University of Helsinki and Feed.
  • They created the course with the aim of making artificial intelligence (AI) understandable for everyone.
  • The course is aimed at anyone who wants to know more about what artificial intelligence is, how AI is developed, and what can (and cannot) be done with AI.
  • The course combines theory with practical tasks, and you can complete it at your own pace.

Source: elementsofai.no

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