Background
This assignment aims to establish the analytical and collaborative foundation for a more connected
and strategically aligned Nordic innovation ecosystem. Building on the consortium’s extensive
experience in national and Nordic ecosystem analysis, the work directly supports Nordic Innovation’s
mandate to strengthen competitiveness through cooperation and knowledge-based policy
development.
Understanding the Nordic challange
The Nordic region performs strongly in global innovation benchmarks, supported by robust
institutions, strong research environments and developed support structures. However, despite
strong national performance, the Nordics risk remaining five efficient but fragmented systems rather
than functioning as a globally competitive innovation region. Persistent fragmentation - across
capital flows, ecosystem intelligence, regulatory instruments and scale-up support limits cross-border
growth and international competitiveness.
While the Nordics generate startups effectively, collaboration remains largely programme-based rather than structurally embedded, scale-up capital is primarily nationally anchored, ecosystem data is fragmented, and coordination often depends on individual actors rather than institutional frameworks. The core bottleneck is therefore fragmentation rather than lack of competence. A shared system-level understanding and clearer Nordic direction are needed to unlock collective scale and integration.
Project approach
A Nordic consortium will combine system-level analysis with active stakeholder engagement across all Nordic countries, including Estonia, to strengthen the “New Nordics.” The approach integrates literature reviews, data analysis, interviews, and moderated dialogue.
The results will be validated on an ongoing basis and translated into concrete, action-oriented recommendations, supported by clear visual frameworks for coordination and future mobilization.
Nordic added value
The project will deliver:
- A consolidated, evidence-based overview of the Nordic innovation ecosystem
- Identification of systemic gaps, overlaps and leverage points for cooperation
- A prioritised Nordic coordination architecture enabling structured, scalable and long-term
- ecosystem alignment
- Practical recommendations and visual tools to inform future programmes and stakeholder
- engagement
Why this Nordic Consortium?
The Nordic innovation ecosystem challenge cannot be addressed by analysis alone. It requires
trust-based access, deep contextual understanding, and the ability to mobilise actors across borders.
This consortium is deliberately composed to reflect and activate the Nordic innovation ecosystem
itself.
Complementary roles across the Nordic value chain
- Smart Innovation Norway (Norway): Overall contractual responsibility, financial
- administration, governance and coordination towards Nordic Innovation.
- SISP (Sweden): Nordic coordination and overall project management, system-level insight,
- policy relevance
- TechBBQ (Denmark): Direct access to startup, scaleup, investor, corporate, and international
- innovation communities.
- Maria01 (Finland): One of the Nordics’ most dense and internationally oriented startup and
- scaleup environments.
- KLAK – Icelandic Startups (Iceland): Insights from a small, highly connected ecosystem with
- rapid feedback loops and high international exposure.
- Startup Estonia (Estonia): National startup ecosystem development, strong public–private
- coordination, and deep experience in digital governance, scaleup policy, and international
- talent attraction.
From insight to mobilisation
Together, the consortium combines analytical capability with real mobilisation power. Partners are
not only informants but active ecosystem nodes, enabling rapid sensemaking, validation, and
momentum for future Nordic Innovation initiatives.
