Deadline for tender proposals: 4 September 2025 at 15.00 CET
Budget: up to NOK 500.000 excl. VAT
Timeframe: October 2025 – end of May 2026
Background
In the last years, there has been a focus on how to help and nurture scaleups in Europe and the Nordics. Scaleups are rapidly expanding companies which account for an above-average proportion of the economic growth. Nordic Innovation was running a Nordic Scalers program 2017-2023. The progam has been closed, but specific activities have been carried forward, such as the Nordic Scaleup Awards and Summit.
The Nordic Scaleup Awards is the first and only Nordic award dedicated to scaleups. The purpose is to celebrate Nordic high-growth scaleups and the entrepreneurs that run the companies, as well as their achievements and impact in the Nordic economy and society. It is also one-of-a-kind award with a regional focus covering the five Nordic countries. Entry is open to all Nordic scaleup companies who fulfil the eligibility criteria and who can demonstrate best-of-class business performance.
Nordic Scaleup Awards is organized by Nordic Innovation in cooperation with Dagens Industri .
The award has been presented three times so far – in 2022, 2023, and 2024. Interest has been high, and the event has been successful in many areas – in terms of communication, networking, and raising awareness about this segment of growth companies and the role they play. At the latest Nordic Scaleup Awards 2024, a total of 82 Nordic companies applied to be awarded the title of Nordic Scaleup Award 2024, with six reaching the final stage. The winner of the awards for 2024 was a Swedish fintech company Qred. Previous winners are Kerecis (2023), Polarium (2022) and Aiven (2022).
Although the award has been met with high interest since 2022, it has been a challenge to recruit a proportional number of scaleups from each of the Nordic countries. We therefore believe that local presence, alternatively through partnerships, could be a benefit.
You can read more about the history of Nordic Scalers program and Nordic Scaleup Awards in Nordic Innovation website.
Through this Invitation to Tender, Nordic Innovation is looking for a provider to carry out a recruitment of Nordic scaleups to apply for Nordic Scaleup Awards 2026, with a gala event taking place in Stockholm in May 2026.
The indicative, high-level timeline for the Nordic Scaleup Awards 2026 is the following:
- November 2025: A launch webinar for the Nordic Scalers Awards 2026, hosted and organized by Nordic Innovation in collaboration with Dagens Industri. The aim is to raise the awareness of the Nordic Scalers Awards across the Nordic countries and attract relevant scaleups. Possibility for nominations open at the nomination portal for Nordic scaleups to apply.
- March 2026: Deadline for nominations
- March – end of April / early May 2026: Review process for the nominations and selecting the winner. A jury of external experts will be appointed.
- May 2026: Nordic Scaleup Awards 2026 gala event in Stockholm
Nordic Innovation use the following definition of scaleups and it is important that scaleups nominated for the Nordic Scalers Award meet all criteria:
- annual revenue at minimum of 2M€
- personnel of at least 10 people
- annual growth figures of at least 20% in the past 3 years
While all the Nordic countries possess a variety of cutting-edge scaleups, it is critical that the Nordic Scalers Awards raises attention in all the Nordic countries to maximize visibility and applications from best-in-class companies (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Iceland).
The Procurement
The purpose
The main purpose of this Invitation to Tender is to carry out recruitment of Nordic scaleups to apply for the Nordic Scaleup Awards, with gala event taking place in Stockholm in May 2026.
The goal is to:
- Identify, promote and make the most relevant and promising scale-ups across all the Nordic countries to apply to Nordic Scalers Awards
- Securing geographic balance, visibility and attention across the Nordic countries
- Handling of nomination process. This includes, for example: Consolidating the raw data, including all relevant information on the applying scaleups, generated from the application portal, into a concise application for Nordic Innovation and the Jury to review, evaluate and award the winning scaleup. Dagens Industri will set up the application portal.
- Producing a tool (excel, e.g.) to evaluate, compare and rank applications, including filling in relevant information about the applications into the tool
Methodology
It will be up to the consultant to suggest how to conduct the assignment.
Deliverables
The Supplier shall work closely and effectively with Nordic Innovation and relevant stakeholders (including Dagens Industri) in the Nordics and is expected to share progress and draft reports with the Buyer during the process.
The deliverables shall contribute at least (but not restricted to) the elements stated in the above section “The Purpose “
The Tender Documents
Tenders shall be structured in the following way:
- A tender document up to 5 pages (excl. details about supplier, potential CVs and references). The tender document should be in English and structured to address the award criteria. The Tender Document should be in pdf-format and signed by a person authorized to sign on behalf of the Supplier.
- The selected supplier shall deliver/provide Nordic Innovation with a tax certificate from the country of registration.
Team profile
Nordic Innovation is looking for a consultant(s) with previous experience in achieving the listed goals stated in the section “The Purpose”. The Supplier can be a single entity, or a consortium represented by a lead partner.
The selection of the supplier
Nordic Innovation will select the supplier Nordic Innovation deems best suited for the assignment and offers the most economically advantageous tender based on the evaluation criteria listed below.
Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria are given in the following order of weight:
| Evaluation criteria | Documentation | Weight |
| Expected quality of the delivery. | The Supplier’s understanding of the task and subject matter), including proposed approach, hereunder: The project plan (max. 5 pages). Suggested methodology. Ease of communication/ understandability. How it is ensured that the whole Nordic region will be covered. Please also describe the way the work will be organized (distribution of roles). To be included in the Tender: A plan how the Supplier intends to solve the assignment Proposed timeline and activity schedule. | 40% |
| The competence of the designated person/team (in entrepreneurship, innovation policy) and experience of conducting similar type of assignments. | The Supplier’s experience, the relevance of that experience and track record with similar assignments. To be included in the tender: A short description of relevant references and track record of similar assignments (max 2 pages). Description of responsibilities and complementing competences of each team member (a short description of CVs of max. 0,5 page per person may be attached). Relevant experience in a Nordic and/or international context. Specification for hours planned per each individual team member. | 40% |
| Total cost Value for money | To be included in the tender: Financial proposal itemizing estimated costs for services rendered (daily consultancy fees), any travel costs and any other costs related to supplies or services required for the assignment. It is not required for the Supplier to travel and attend the actual Nordic Scalers Awards 2026 in Stockholm. | 20% |
Contract value
Total contract value is up to 500 000 NOK (excl. VAT). That includes all working hours, travel, meetings, potential workshop(s) and all related expenses as well as potential external services/subcontracting.
The tender and application deadline
- Application deadline and important dates
Deadline: The application deadline is at 15.00 CET, 4 September 2025.
The tender deadline is absolute. Tender received after the Tender deadline will be rejected. The Supplier carries the risk of errors or delays in the submission/sending of the Tender.
The tender must be submitted electronically to Nordic Innovation at: peter.munch-madsen@nordicinnovation.org and ville.makinen@nordicinnovation.org and labelled “Tender – Recruiting Nordic Scaleups to Nordic Scalers Awards 2026”.
A list of important dates is as follows:
| Activity | Date |
| Deadline for asking questions regarding the tender | 15 August 2025 at 15.00 CET |
| Answers published online | 26 August 2025 |
| Deadline for delivering tender application | 4 September 2025, 15.00 CET |
| Deadline for validity of tender | 90 days from submission deadline |
| Deadline of submission/completion of the tender process | 1 October 2025 |
Please note that the dates can be subject to change. The bidders may be invited to present their tenders and/or to provide answers to potential questions from Nordic Innovation.
Tender requirements
The supplier shall be an entity registered in the EEA, the EU, Greenland or the Faroe Islands. The registration shall be documented in the tender.
The tender must be valid for minimum of 90 days from the Tender deadline.
The tender shall be in English and submitted in a single PDF-file. All written and oral communication with regards to this competition and during the contract implementation shall also be in English.
The Supplier should use the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Design Manual in all communication and deliverables: http://design.norden.org/ .
The selected supplier shall deliver/provide Nordic Innovation with a tax certificate from the country of registration.
Administrative requirements
A prospective supplier requiring any clarification of the tender should submit their questions in writing to peter.munch-madsen@nordicinnovation.org and ville.makinen@nordicinnovation.org labeled with “Questions about tender – Recruiting Nordic Scaleups to Nordic Scalers Awards 2026” no later than 15 August 2025.
The answers to the questions will not be provided by e-mail. Instead, for equal approach towards all the bidders, all questions and answers will be published simultaneously only on the Nordic Innovation webpage no later than 26 August 2025.
The supplier is responsible for ensuring that all questions, requirements and clarification points are answered / highlighted and documented in the tender.
Nordic Innovation may refuse all tenders if the result of the tender procedure gives a reasonable ground for doing so. If all the tenders are refused, Nordic Innovation will notify those who have sub- mitted tenders of the refusal.
The decision about to whom the contract is awarded will be published on Nordic Innovation’s website. Please note that Nordic Innovation’s General Conditions for Purchase of Services (see Appendix B) will be a part of the contract with the selected Supplier. By delivering a tender, it is assumed that the General Conditions for Purchase of Service are accepted. By delivering a tender proposal, you confirm that you operate according to good corporate governance and that you are registered in a country’s tax registry. The selected supplier shall be able to deliver/provide Nordic Innovation with a tax certificate from the country of registration.
Read our Standard Terms and Conditions of Contract
