– OPP Innovation Week will be an important platform for networking and sharing competences across different industries. Bergen municipality has developed several extensive goals, and one of them is to be a leading municipality within sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship and business development in Norway. We will reach this goal within 2020, and we will never be able to do this without the people and businesses represented here today. I am very impressed by the engagement this week has created, Andersland says.
Andersland also used the occasion to hand out the Bergen Kommunes Etablererpris (Bergen municipality’s entrepreneurship price) for 2017. The price went to TicketCo, and was received by CEO Kåre Bottolfsen. The Bergen based TicketCo has developed a seamlessly self-serving ticket system used by more than 1200 organizers, including Sportsklubben Brann, Vill Vill Vest and the UCI Road World Championship in Bergen. TicketCo has benefited from BTO’s incubation program in Nyskapningsparken, and the company has grown fast. They are now about to launch their product in the United Kingdom.
Bergen Kommunes Etablererpris is handed out on a yearly basis to candidates that have established a new company in the Bergen region. A requirement is that entrepreneurs contribute to renew or enrich the local community and inspire other potential entrepreneurs to realize their goals to start a business.
OPP is a cooperation between BTO, DNB, Innovation Norway, Hordaland County Council and Bergen Municipality.