Bjarte Håvik is the dedicated competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. He is also responsible for innovation and collaboration in The Life Science Cluster. Photo: The Life Science Cluster.

Our new competence broker

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Man with glasses looking into camera in front of wooden wall

The Life Science Cluster and Oslo Cancer Cluster are collaborating on the competence broker-service for Oslo-based companies.

Meet our new research and industry facilitator aka competence broker for Oslo-based companies. Bjarte Håvik is the dedicated competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences. He is also responsible for innovation and collaboration in The Life Science Cluster.

“As a competence broker for Oslo it is my ambition to match new ideas with the best research partners and public funding mechanism,” said Bjarte Håvik, competence broker for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, and life sciences.

International from day one

Before he joined The Life Science Cluster, Bjarte Håvik served as Norway´s Counselor for Research, Technology, and Higher Education in North America – integrating education, research, and innovation in comprehensive transatlantic collaborations. Emerging technologies and cross-sector partnerships have been key topics driving new collaborations. He also has a background from the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills with a focus on lifelong learning, transferable skills, broader impact, and non-academic jobs.

“Today, research-based innovation is key for a competitive and sustainable business. Being an early startup or an established business, a well-adapted research, development, and innovation strategy is needed as early as possible. The competitive stage is international from day one. As a competence broker the aim is to give new ideas from Oslo-based businesses the best start possible,” said Håvik.

Bjarte has a PhD-degree in molecular biology. Through a 15-year research career, he studied the neuronal system with a perspective from several life science disciplines, including molecular embryology, oncology, cognition, and biological psychiatry using a variety of technologies and model systems.

What a competence broker can do

A competence broker (from the Norwegian word kompetansemegler) is an agent for connecting research and industry, as well as a conveyor of expertise. The goal is to strengthen the research-based business development in Oslo and to mobilise more research-based innovation in the innovation districts of Oslo.

“The competence broker assists applicants in qualifying for the Oslo Regional Research Fund RRF (Oslo) – a funding program aimed to strengthen the region’s capability for innovation and the international competitiveness. In addition, the competence brokers provide valuable advice on internationalisation and guidance to additional public funding mechanisms from Innovation Norway, The Research Council of Norway, and Horizon Europe,” said Bjarte Håvik.

The service is funded by the City of Oslo and is free of charge. Companies in Oslo with research-based ideas are welcome to reach out to Bjarte Håvik or one of his competence broker colleagues in Oslo.

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From the left: Svein Stølen, Ivar P. Gladhaug, Solveig Kristensen, and Hilde Nebb opening the Life Science Growth House at the University of Oslo on 17 February 2022. Photo: UiO, Life Science Growth House/Fartein Rudjord.

Life Science Growth House is open

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Four people on a stage cutting a ribbonUiO, Life Science Growth House/Fartein Rudjord.

Tailored counseling, funding assistance, and innovation hangouts are part of the innovation package offered by the new Life Science Growth House at the University of Oslo.

“The Life Science Growth House is about utilizing the research. We are good at research, but we can become even better at transferring that knowledge to innovation and making use of it in society,” said Svein Stølen, Rector of the University of Oslo (UiO), when the Life Science Growth House was officially opened 17 Febryary 2022, according to an article in Titan.uio.no.

The new Growth House is going to have an open door with low-threshold services for researchers and students. They will have tailored counseling, including e.g. an assessment of the maturity and relevance of an idea, possible seed funding or external funding, possible collaborations with others in the UiOs innovation ecosystem, including mentoring and business partnerships, and ultimately possible meeting places, seminars, and competence courses.

Just another collaboration platform?

Ketil Widerberg, General Manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster, welcomed the Life Science Growth House into the innovation ecosystem around UiO with these words from the stage at the opening event:

“Do we really need more initiatives for collaboration between academia and industry? The simple answer is yes.”

He stressed the importance of start-up companies as a natural sequel to good academic ideas.

“Too often ideas are hidden and forgotten in academia. Companies are only invited to “whitewash” and secure money from the Norwegian Research Council for research that is already planned in detail. Good ideas are out-licensed early on to secure next year’s budget instead of invested in Norwegian start-ups. Academics have to fight the system daily to be able to contribute to development,” he continued in his speech.

Ketil Widerberg speaking at the opening. Photo: UiO/Fartein Rudjord

Ketil Widerberg speaking at the opening. Photo: UiO/Fartein Rudjord

 

Innovation hangouts

The Life Science Growth House will arrange innovation hangouts four times per year. This is an informal meeting place where students and researchers from the university may interact with actors from the public sector, hospitals, companies, mentors, business clusters, and incubators in their innovation ecosystem – like Oslo Cancer Cluster and our incubator! The hangouts include inspirational talks, matchmaking, food and beverage, and mingling.

The first innovation hangout is with Oslo Cancer Cluster. It will take place in the afternoon of 21 April. Save the date! 

Read more about the first innovation hangout.

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