The world needs new business opportunities from the sea. Are you an ocean hero we can help?

What is FutureSea Accelerator?

FutureSea is an assembly-based program for growth companies and spin-outs from established businesses with the aim of highlighting new innovative ocean-based ideas. The program is delivered by DNB and Norinnova.

Through a collection-based program, we will help companies grow into the market. FutureSea is a unique opportunity to access relevant resources and gain extra momentum.

We are looking for innovative companies with growth potential and global ambitions that operate in ocean-related sectors such as automation, IoT, sensor technology and high-value products from marine raw materials.

Practical info More information about the next call will be available during the summer of 2025.

Cohort 2

Cohort 1

About the program

We strongly believe in networking, experience sharing and practical guidance. We bring in funding partners, industry partners, academic partners and key people for guidance, networking, feedback, lectures and workshops.

Each cohort consists of 6 startups and innovative business ideas from established businesses, all of which have ambitions and potential for growth. They have the sea as a common denominator and come from different parts of the country.
FutureSea is a program formed up by gatherings with 6 physical gatherings throughout 1 year. The meetings are held in Tromsø and Oslo.
In addition to thematic gatherings with exciting speakers and experts, you will receive follow-ups from advisors and mentors as well as personal coaching between sessions. We will not only help strengthen your business idea but also make your team stronger and ready for growth. We make use of our national and international network and adapt the guidance to the companys needs.

Who are we looking for?

Innovative companies with global ambitions, where the ocean creates new business opportunities
Primarily ocean-related companies in the sectors of automation, IoT, sensor technology, and high-value products from marine raw materials
Companies should have launched their product or have plans to launch during the year they participate in the program.

Criteria

The company must have funding for a minimum of 12 months of operation
Dedicated team of at least 2 people who are open to being challenged
The companies’ plans must contribute to fulfilling one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The companies must be registered in Norway

FutureSea expert panel

Andreas Fasting Østern

Head of Energy Transition Solutions at DNB Ocean Industries. Andreas has more than 20 years of experience from the maritime, energy and renewable sectors. He is an experienced strategist with an international leadership background and a deep understanding of innovation in the ocean industries.

Kathrine Myhre

Director of the Norwegian Industrial Property Office and Deputy Chairman of the Norwegian Export Council. Kathrine has extensive experience in innovation, business and export strategy, public and private financing, as well as establishing and scaling companies.

Ragnhild Dragøy

VP product management and sustainability, Aker BioMarine. Ragnhild has worked across the entire value chain of innovation with a focus on food, feed and health applications. She uses her experience from research, funding and commercial entities to evaluate the scalability and commercial attractiveness of a new business or new idea.

Kelly Moulton

Software entrepreneur. Kelly is American, but has been living in Bergen since 2007. He helps entrepreneurs raise VC funding (recently €7.2m for Evoy). Today, he works with GreenPowerHub and BlueNav. He was recently appointed as an advisor to National Grid Partners.

Inge André Sandvik

CTO, Vesterålen Havbruk. Previously Chief Product Officer at HUB Ocean, Chief Digital Officer at Wilhelmsen. Background as an entrepreneur and CEO in venture capital backed technology startups with a global focus. Worked at Opera Software, HP, PwC and Telenor.

Stine Svanevik

CEO Olaisen Blue. Through Olaisen Blue, Stine is working to make Norwegian aquaculture more sustainable. She does this by giving entrepreneurs access to the necessary knowledge and networks rooted in the local industry, proximity to the sea and test facilities.

Peter Lindström

Head of Research, Torvald Klaveness. Peter has built up the research function at Klaveness from scratch. The research team creates value by combining in-depth domain knowledge with state-of-the-art data analysis and data science skills.

Morten Lind-Olsen

CEO Dualog. Dualog is a Tromsø-based IT company that has grown from a clever research-based product idea about resource management at sea, to now being a global player offering solutions to the world's leading shipping companies as well as Norwegian fishing vessels of all sizes.

Ola Smeby

Investment Director at Investinor. Ola has previously been Investment Director at Innovation Norway and Investment Manager at Energy Future Invest. At Investinor, he focuses primarily on investments in venture funds. As a venture investor, you're in it "for the long run", let's do it together and it'll be a home run sooner.

Iversen_Audun_Wickstrand_2019_1-17-1728x1152

Audun Wickstrand Iversen

Portfolio manager for DNB Disruptive Opportunities and DNB FutureSea Waves. Audun analyzes and invests in companies that change your world and mine. In that sense, he thinks more about what happens in 2030 than what happens tomorrow.

Physical lunch-to-lunch gatherings

Ready, Set, Grow

Gathering 1 | 19 - 20 March 2024
Tromsø

A sustainable plan for the future

Gathering 2 | May 22 - 23, 2024

Different forms of capital

Gathering 3 | 25 - 26 September 2024
Oslo

Ready for growth

Gathering 4 | 29 - 30 October 2024

Internationalization

Gathering 5 | November 19 - 20, 2024

Ready for take off

Gathering 6 | January 2025

Application deadline: January 20, 2024

Participation fee: NOK 20,000 per company.
The companies themselves cover travel and accommodation at the meetings.

Registration requires registration in Crowd Works.

Physical lunch-to-lunch gatherings

2024 / 2025

Ready, Set, Grow

Session 1 | 19 - 20 March 2024
Tromsø

A sustainable plan for the future

Session 2 | May 22 - 23, 2024
Tromsø

Capital in different forms

Session 3 | August 29 - 30, 2024
Tromsø

Rigged for growth

Collection 4 | Litter 1: November 21 - 22, 2023 Litter 2: October 10 - 11, 2024

Market and internationalization

Collection 5 | Litter 1: January 16 -17, 2024 Litter 2: November 21-22, 2024

Ready for take off

Collection 6 | Litter 1: March 19 - 20 Litter 2: January 2025
Tromsø

Want more information about the program?

Get in touch:
Line Kjelstrup
Program Manager, Norinnova
line.kjelstrup@norinnova.no

FutureSea is delivered by:

Norinnova is one of Northern Norways most competent and experienced competence environments in the commercialization of research. We connect researchers, start-up environments, companies and commercial actors to develop and utilize the innovation power in the region. By developing new and innovative workplaces, we are help create the business for the future.

DNB has been a bank for the maritime industries for more than 100 years. We are proud of our industrial expertise and advise companies internationally and along the entire coastline of Norway. At DNB, we want to contribute to the sustainable development of the entire marine industry, so that future generations also can make a good living from the sea. We will invest in and lend money to companies that are forward-looking and represent a sustainable perspective.

With support from:

The platform that connects idea and capital

The platform used for registration of applications is provided by CrowdWorks, which is responsible for handling data in the solution.

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