With the support from the five national innovation agencies in the Nordics, Nordic Innovation is now launching the call for project outlines, building on learnings from the Nordic Scalers pilot.
In 2017, Nordic scale-ups created 72,500 new jobs, even though they only constituted 0.4% of all enterprises in the Nordic region. Research shows that high-growth enterprises are important contributors to employment and wealth creation in the Nordic countries.
The call for project outlines will be divided into two stages. In stage 1 the development of up to seven Nordic projects supporting Nordic scale-ups in managing and accelerating their growth will be funded. Each funded project will receive a fixed amount of NOK 200 000 which can be used to build Nordic partnerships and/or developing the concept and business model.
“We know that the talent pool for the next generation of success stories is here, but in order to ensure that more of the Nordic scale-ups become truly successful, we want to see if we can take the learnings from past successes and put this into a formula that can be applied in the upcoming phase of Nordic Scalers”, Anna-Maija Sunnanmark, Senior Innovation Adviser, Nordic Innovation.
“We need to join forces across the Nordics and bring together the best learnings from the most experienced entrepreneurs to secure that we drive Nordic scale-ups to success.”
Anna-Maija Sunnanmark, Senior Innovation Adviser, Nordic Innovation.
The application portal will open 1 September 2020 and the deadline for application is 17 November 2020.
In stage 2, up to five Nordic consortia will be selected to operate under the Nordic Scalers brand in the period 2021-23. A separate application process will be set up for this stage and more information will follow 1 December 2020.
Facts about the Call for Project Outlines: Feasibility Funding to Develop the Next Generation of Nordic Scalers
The application portal will open 1 September 2020.
Application deadline: 17 November 2020 at 13.00 CET
Funding decision: 26 November 2020
Project duration: 1 December 2020 – 15 February 2021 (2,5 months)
Total budget: Up to NOK 1,4 million (NOK 200 000 per project)
Target group: This call for project outlines is targeting companies, business networks and ecosystems. Nordic Innovation is looking for mature actors who have hands-on entrepreneurial experience in working with scale-ups. Actors who have personal experience in starting, growing, internationalizing, and/or exiting a business are especially encouraged to apply.
Link to the call page: nordicinnovation.org/Nordic-Scalers-Call-Outlines-2020
Facts about scale-ups in the Nordics
There were 6350 scale-ups in the Nordic region in 2017.
Scale-ups constituted only 0.4% of all enterprises in the Nordic region, but employed 549.500 people, demonstrating a growth rate of 85% from 2014 to 2017.
Nordic Scale-ups created 72,500 jobs in 2017.
Background
The Nordic countries lag behind the extent to which they scale up businesses, with research suggesting that many of the companies have stagnant growth despite their best aspirations. One of the differences compared to the global leading scale-up ecosystems is the size of the individual Nordic countries.
But combined, the Nordic countries are big enough to produce quality scale-ups with the desired opportunities for growth. This is exactly what Nordic Innovation wants to tap into with Nordic Scalers. The vision is to make the Nordics the leading region in the world not only for starting up, but also scaling up businesses.
Contact
Want to know more? Please contact our advisers responsible for the Nordic Scalers Initiative.
Anna-Maija Sunnanmark
Senior Innovation Adviser
A.Sunnanmark@nordicinnovation.org
+47 469 31 967
Nina Egeli
Senior Innovation Adviser
N.Egeli@nordicinnovation.org
+47 975 20 537
Links
Call for project outlines: nordicinnovation.org/Nordic-Scalers-Call-Outlines-2020
Scale-ups in the Nordics 2017: nordicinnovation.org/2019/scale-ups-nordics-2017
Evaluation of the Nordic Scalers pilot: nordicinnovation.org/2019/evaluation-nordic-scalers
About Nordic Innovation
Nordic Innovation aims to make the Nordics a pioneering region for sustainable growth and works to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and competitiveness in Nordic business.
Nordic Innovation supports programs and projects which contribute in fulfilling the goals of the Cooperation Program for Innovation and Business 2018-2021 which is decided by the Nordic Ministers for Business and Innovation. Nordic Innovation is an organization under the Nordic Council of Ministers.