Oslo Innovation Week
October 20, 2025 - October 24, 2025
Oslo Innovation Week: Real Action, Real Impact, Real Oslo
In a world increasingly driven by headlines, hashtags, and hype, Oslo Innovation Week dares to be different. Set in the heart of Norway’s capital, this annual event boldly shines a light on authentic innovation—solutions that are practical, scalable, and created with purpose. Rather than simply talk about change, Oslo Innovation Week is about doing.
Bringing together over 3,000 startups and scaleups, the event is a dynamic cross-section of Norway’s boldest minds and the global changemakers they attract. Whether your field is renewable energy, health tech, circular economy, or ocean tech, this is where the world comes to connect, collaborate, and contribute to real progress.
A True Reflection of Oslo's Startup and Innovation Ecosystem
Norway may be known for its fjords and oil wealth, but Oslo today is becoming just as famous for its vibrant startup culture and progressive innovation economy. At the center of this transformation is Oslo Innovation Week, a platform designed to amplify ideas with purpose and impact.
Here’s what makes the city’s innovation ecosystem so unique:
Strong government support and funding for sustainable startups
A socially conscious business culture grounded in ethics and equity
Deep collaboration between academia, startups, corporates, and the public sector
A track record of turning small ideas into global success stories
Whether you're attending as a founder, investor, policymaker, or student, you’ll find yourself immersed in a city that believes innovation should benefit everyone—not just the privileged few.
Key Sectors Driving Global Impact
Oslo Innovation Week doesn’t revolve around just one theme. It represents a constellation of industries that are redefining the global conversation around sustainability, resilience, and technological progress.
Leading sectors on display include:
Renewable Energy: Explore how Norwegian startups are building solar, wind, and hydroelectric solutions to replace fossil fuels.
Health Tech: Dive into AI-powered diagnostics, digital healthcare platforms, and patient-first design.
Circular Economy: Meet entrepreneurs reimagining materials, reducing waste, and scaling circular supply chains.
Ocean Tech: Discover marine innovation aimed at sustainable fisheries, underwater robotics, and ocean plastic removal.
Each sector is supported by thematic talks, exhibitions, and breakout sessions led by global experts and grassroots innovators alike.
What Makes Oslo Innovation Week Different?
Many innovation festivals are long on buzzwords and short on substance. But Oslo Innovation Week distinguishes itself through its commitment to “no fluff, just real stuff.” The organizers have crafted a week that is high on authenticity and low on pretense. The focus is not just on pitch decks or polished presentations—it’s about honest conversations and actionable outcomes.
Here are some ways the event stays grounded and impactful:
Inclusive programming: Sessions are open to startups of all sizes and stages—not just unicorns.
Global-local balance: Speakers include both Oslo-based entrepreneurs and global leaders.
Interactive formats: Walkshops, workshops, and live labs replace long keynotes.
Cross-sector networking: Attendees are encouraged to meet outside their industries for cross-pollination of ideas.
It’s this format that has earned Oslo Innovation Week global praise and growing attendance year after year.
Networking that Drives Change, Not Just Contacts
The real magic of Oslo Innovation Week happens in its networking events. These are more than just social mixers—they’re structured around creating genuine conversations and identifying shared challenges.
Attendees can engage in:
Investor-startup matchmaking sessions
Ocean Tech speed dating for cross-border collaborations
Founders’ dinners in Oslo’s most sustainable restaurants
Government pitch days for public-private partnership opportunities
With its compact city layout and walkable venues, the week makes it easy to move from one meaningful interaction to the next—turning strangers into collaborators in record time.
The Power of Real Conversations
Perhaps the most unique characteristic of the conference is its atmosphere of transparency and mutual support. This isn’t a stage for selling unrealistic visions. Instead, it’s a forum for discussing real-world limitations and working through them together.
Topics often tackled include:
How to scale green innovation without compromising ethics
What funding models work for circular startups
Balancing climate goals with profitability
The mental health side of startup life
How to attract global talent to Nordic companies
Because of this openness, the event feels less like a competition and more like a collective mission to create tangible solutions for global challenges.
Real Oslo: A City Built for Innovation
Hosting an innovation week in Oslo isn’t just symbolic—it’s strategic. The city itself functions as a living lab for many of the very ideas presented during the event.
You’ll find:
Electric ferries and zero-emission transport
Architecture powered by solar façades and green roofs
Public-private initiatives turning waste into energy
World-class research institutes and accelerators
All of this creates a setting where attendees can see innovation in action—not just in slides but in everyday life.
Join the Action at Oslo Innovation Week
If you're looking to join an event that actually walks the talk, Oslo Innovation Week should be at the top of your list. This isn’t just a showcase of shiny startups or future-looking tech—it's a living, breathing commitment to action and impact.
Whether you're part of the 3,000-strong Oslo startup network or coming from across the world, you’ll find value, inspiration, and partnership opportunities here. The message is simple, yet powerful: Real Action. Real Impact. Real Oslo.
