Grooming student entrepreneurs to support future industries

TILT Student is open for students from The University of Bergen (UiB), Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL) and the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) and is coordinated by VIS (Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap). The initiative includes scholarships, professional incubation programs and spaces, campus activities and student mentors and tailored support integrated into academic programs. The program is supported by the foundation Agenda Vestlandet, funded by Sparebanken Norge.

- Invest in Vestland really haååy for this joint effort. .The industries in Vestland are daily delevoping the solutions we need for the future. But they need the best heads and hands in the years to come. Curious students – ready to explore new technical solutions and business models are key to succeed, says Tone Hartvedt in Invest in Vestlad. 

Entrepreneurial tools

- Bergen and Vestlandet should be places where young, creative individuals not only receive an education but also have the opportunity to help build the future of business. We will provide them with the support they need along the way, said Stine Fiksdal, CEO of VIS when launching the program.

VIS also runs an entrepreneurial training program for researchers, known as TILT, aimed at encouraging researchers to become entrepreneurs.

Learn more here.

- We aim to create a region that attracts bright minds and fosters an environment where great ideas can gain traction and momentum. To lay the groundwork for the jobs we need in the future and to accelerate the green transition, we must act now, said Frode Nergaard Fjeldstad, Director of Allocations at Agenda Vestlandet, as he launched one of the largest grants ever awarded by the foundation.

Fiksdal agrees, and states that the region haven’t yet utilized student entrepreneurship effectively as a regional transformation tool until now.

The industry clusters in Greater Bergen have several programs to attract the best candidates for the future industries. Read more about the regional trainee programs - a great opportunity to start your career when you graduate with a bachelor’s or a master’s degree.

Also check out Innovation Norway’s program STUD-ENT – another possibility for student entrepreneurs.  

The ocean is the common denominator for the Bergen area key industries. Framtidsfylket’s trainee program is one of the regional talent attraction tools. Photo: Framtidsfylket. 

Curious about the program’s content?

• Inspiration in the classroom
• Campus activities
• Incubation programs with digital tools

The best ideas will be rewarded with scholarships, access to incubators, and other intensive programs.