On March 20th, we hosted the second edition of Think BIG Norway, an arena for innovative minds, investors, and industry leaders for an evening of insightful discussions and networking at Aker Tech House.
Hosted by Jan Åge Fjørtoft from Aker Property Group (and yes, also known for playing for the Norwegian national football team), the event served as a platform to explore the transformative power of industrial software, with a focus on Norway's pivotal role in the global shift.
The evening kicked off with a warm welcome from Øyvind Eriksen, CEO of Aker ASA, who emphasized the significance of software in reshaping industries and underlined Norway's potential as a key player in this evolution. Tor Bækkelund, Co-founder and Managing Partner of RunwayFBU, then set the stage by introducing the conference's themes.
One of the highlights of the event was the discussion on "The outside-in perspective" led by Matt Weigand, Global Partner at Accel Venture, based in the US, joined by Malin Carlstrom from Climentum Capital, based in Sweden.
Following this insightful conversation, Espen Skorstad, Founder & Psychologist, shared his "BIG Thinker insights," and the overall results from our exclusive (and non-scientific) business Big Thinker personality test, offering thought-provoking perspectives on the intersection of psychology and innovation.
Magnus Grimeland, CEO & Founder of Antler, then took the stage to address "The inside-out perspective," alongside Anne-Lise Waal, former CTO of Attensi, and Atle Christiansen, co-founder at Zerolytics. They explored strategies for building global momentum and seizing opportunities in data and software within Norway and the Nordics.
Next on the program was the launch of the report Industrial Tech Triumphs, made in collaboration with RunwayFBU and Accenture Norway, shedding light on key trends and developments in Norwegian startup successes. The event concluded with a fireside chat featuring Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO of Aker BP, and industry experts Karl-Christian Agerup, from Antler, Silje Gronning, from Energy Impact Partners, and Dan Ouchterlony, from Telenor Amp. Together, they discussed the next big opportunities in industrial software and the strategic positioning required to capitalize on them.
But the discussions didn't end there. Attendees were invited to an afterparty at the new RunwayFBU Tech Hub, where they had the chance to mingle with portfolio companies, attendees, and friends.
Take a look at the official Think Big Norway photos here
