Leads new national cluster network

Eli Haugerud from Smart Innovation Norway will lead the work to establish a new meeting place across the country's many clusters.

The initiator of the new cluster network is FIN - The Association of Innovation Companies in Norway, which has most of the clusters as members.

General Manager Trine Ellingsen says that many people have asked to meet to exchange experiences and discuss current issues. 

- The clusters are key to Norway achieving its export and sustainability goals. We want to create an arena for sharing and collaboration,' she says in a press release.

Project Manager Eli Haugerud (left) and FIN General Manager Trine Ellingsen (1)
Project Manager Eli Haugerud (left) and FIN's General Manager Trine Ellingsen are excited to host the first gathering of the country's many clusters - "Sharing experiences and knowledge is important," they say. BOTH PHOTO: Arne Inge Solgard

Project manager with a lot of experience

Project manager Eli Haugerud works as Head of Communities at Smart Innovation Norway. This means that she is responsible for the innovation company's three clusters, NCE Smart Energy Markets, Cluster for Applied AI and the DECOM cluster, as well as the smart city initiative.

Project manager Eli Haugerud
Eli Haugerud is a firm believer in the impact of a good sharing culture.

Knowing the needs of clusters with different levels of maturity and in different areas is useful in facilitating the exchange of expertise and experience for very different clusters. 

- Sharing is important. The immature can learn from those with more experience, we can also bring in impulses from outside and facilitate new collaborations," says Haugerud. 

- Happy to give something back

 This year, one or two meeting places are planned, and work is now continuing on the design of the program.  

- We have a dialog with several clusters to understand their needs and what we should do together. Industry Week in Porsgrunn is an example of an arena where we are present, and we would like to hear from more clusters," says the new project manager.

Ellingsen of FIN has great faith in the new offer.

- "The clusters are important to FIN and we are happy that we can now give this back to our members," says Ellingsen.