Stavanger's startup ecosystem

Stavanger´s ecosystem for startups has several key players, both for you in need of an early-stage program, or if you´re looking to enter new markets. 

Support organisations 

These are corporates and public sector institutions that work with startups through collaborations with hubs and/or directly with companies.

Skape
Skape provides guidance and individual counseling in Stavanger on behalf of the City of Stavanger. Three hours individual counseling are free of charge.

Innovation Norway
Innovation Norway contributes to innovation in business, development in the districts, and the development of competitive Norwegian companies.  

Eksfin
Export Finance Norway (Eksfin) is a governmental financial enterprise which works to ensure that Norwegian export industries are financially competitive abroad. Eksfin falls under the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries.

 
Accelerators 

Accelerators supports early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing, typically through a business program. This program is usually for a fixed period of time and you´ll enter as a part of a cohort of startup companies. 

ITSA  
ITSA provides two intensive programs ITSA Start and ITSA Growth. Both are designed to get your startup accelerated, tested in the market, and launched forward with an investment.

Gründerlab   
Gründerlab is a program for early-stage startups with a potential for growth. They give you the tools, network, and help. you need to have the best potential for growth.   

Fauna  
The program Fauna (in Norwegian) experiment helps green companies scale and get ready for funding through personalized counseling, education, mentoring, and rent-free and sustainable loans.

Grunderacademy    
The program Gründeracademy Rogaland (in Norwegian) is run and facilitated by Validé, one of Norway's leading incubators in Stavanger. The program includes pitch training, setting up your team, structuring your board, rights of a company, funding and liquidity management, budgeting, branding, marketing, sales, and more. 

Incubator

A startup incubator is a collaborative program to help new startups succeed. They provide workspace, seed funding, mentoring, and training to help you run your startup. 

Validé 
Validé have about 50 new companies enter the incubator annually. In the incubator, you´ll get one-on-one advice service, community, possibility to raise money and a chance to get in touch with experienced people from the network of Validé. 

Scale-up

A scale-up program is designed to help both established and new entrepreneurs that has the potential of a high level of growth within a couple of years. Either by entering new markets, or adjusting their business model. 

Slingshot
Slingshot offers what they call a ScaleUp Bootcamp with a 12-week program that includes both consulting and coaching from a professional consulting firm. The mission is to scale your company to create growth and sustainable jobs. 

Co-working communities

A coworking space is easily put as the name implies, people from different companies come together to work and share knowledge and explore ideas. It can either be a collaboration hub or a social space. 

Innovation Dock
Innovation Dock is a coworking space with locations in both Stavanger and Sandnes, adaptable for companies in different stages. It is a space created for collaboration and for people to inspire each other. And also, encourage entrepreneurs to see their potential to scale and grow, also internationally. 

FOMO 
FOMO is a coworking space created to make your company stand out among dinosaurs and outdated offices. It is what they call a collaborative playground for innovation. 

Innoasis 
Innoasis is the place for entrepreneurial spirits, intrapreneurs, public sector heroes, investors, developers, and anyone else dreaming of creating solutions for vibrant, smart, and green communities. Here you´ll find a 4000 square meter toolbox filled with what you need to grow and scale your business.

Startup resources for students

Lyspæren Innovasjonshus and LevelUp Studentinkubator

Advice and guidance for UiS students who are interested in starting a business. 

Clusters

Industrial business clusters are composed of related industries. They consist of companies, suppliers, and service providers, as well as government agencies and other institutions that provide education, information, research, and technical support to a regional economy. In Norway, they are all organized under the cluster program Norwegian Innovation Clusters, a cooperation between Innovation Norway, SIVA, and The Research Council of Norway. 

Energy: Energy Transition Norway
Energy Transition Norway is an energy cluster with the purpose of leading the energy transition to renewable energy solutions and low-emission energy solutions. The cluster comprises more than 120 members and partners

Offshore Wind: Norwegian Offshore Wind Cluster
Norwegian Offshore Wind is aiming to be the strongest supply chain for floating offshore wind worldwide. Norway has a very strong petro-maritime supply chain, well fit to take, and hold this position. Companies like Equinor and Aker Solutions are at the forefront already and are members of the cluster.

Aquaculture: Stiim Aqua Cluster
Stiim Aqua Cluster represents an environment of innovation within aquaculture. The cluster members are tech companies from various industries, fish farmers and other companies, startups, investors, and educational environments within aquaculture. 

Smart City: Nordic Edge Smart City Innovation Cluster 
Nordic Edge is Norway´s official innovation cluster for smart and sustainable cities and communities. The cluster is a collaboration between the City of Stavanger, other municipalities, private companies, and academia. 

Infrastructure: VIA (Vital Infrastruktur Arena)
VIA is the leading cluster within smart, safe and sustainable transportation infrastructure. The cluster contributes to the development of smarter and more sustainable roads, tunnels, bridges, and rail tracks to ensure safety and fewer accidents.

Health: Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC)
NSCC is an Arena Pro cluster in the national cluster program with more than 250 members from all over the country. Their aim is to generate impact through smart care solutions that build the Norwegian health industry and provides a better life for users. Also, ensure cost-effective and quality-assured deliveries of healthcare services.  

Step-by-step startup guide

If you want to start and set up a business in Stavanger, please visit Altinn for stepwise guidance. You will also get information about how to choose the right legal structure.    

Taxation 

Companies are required to register on the VAT Register in Norway once their yearly turnover exceeds NOK 50,000. You do not need to charge VAT on any goods and services before this point. 

Once your business is registered in the VAT Register, you must: 

• collect VAT on behalf of the Norwegian state 
• determine how much VAT you need to pay when importing goods for your company 
• report to the Norwegian Tax Administration on the amount of VAT you have paid and collected. These reports need to be based on updated figures 
• pay the difference between VAT that you collect on your sales (output VAT) and the VAT you pay when importing goods (input VAT). 

We would recommend that you employ a professional accountant at an early stage when establishing your company in Norway. They can guide you on what financial information to report, when to report it, as well as helping you to avoid common pitfalls in the reporting process. 

Link to Business and organisation - The Norwegian Tax Administration (skatteetaten.no)   

Ready to work in Stavanger?

Norwegian business life means flat structure and little hierarchy and a life outside of work. Read more about how our unique business life here.