Home 🇳🇴 Competition launch: ‘Win 50,000 NOK for your start-up’
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🇳🇴 Competition launch: ‘Win 50,000 NOK for your start-up’

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Andrey er koordinator for prisen.
Andrey Kazakov, coordinator of the High North Young Entrepreneur award at High North Center, Nord University. Photo: Markus Thonhaugen / High North Center.
Last year, a Bodø company won the prestigious award. Now the search begins for next year’s finalists.
The High North Young Entrepreneur award has been presented by the High North Center at Nord University since 2018.
The prize was established to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the northern regions, aiming to encourage young entrepreneurs to develop sustainable business ideas that can contribute to regional development.

The next award ceremony will take place during the High North Dialogue in March 2025. The conference brings together business people, politicians, and industry leaders from around the world in Bodø.

Today marks the start of the search for finalists.

– This is a unique opportunity to present to an international audience, says prize coordinator Andrey Kazakov.

– Three finalists are invited to Bodø to pitch their idea. The audience then selects a winner who receives 50,000 NOK.

  • Submission can be made by Feb 2025 via this link.
– We hope to see more applicants from the Nordic countries, says prize coordinator Andrey Kazakov. Photo: Markus Thonhaugen / High North Center.

More Than Just Prize Money

The prize money is only part of the reward. Unique networking opportunities represent another major benefit for finalists.

Kazakov explains that next year’s conference will focus more on Nordic cooperation, and accordingly, they hope to receive more applications from these countries.

– The northern regions face unique challenges, with scattered populations and limited infrastructure. This is also a region where we see climate changes first.

We need young people with innovative ideas who can contribute to sustainable development

Welcoming Ideas at All Stages

Kazakov welcomes all ideas, regardless of their development stage.

– While it’s easier to evaluate market-ready projects, the jury has the expertise to see potential in good ideas still in early stages.

Last year, Bodø company CapiPro won. CEO Samson Steindal Vonen said the prize was important for them.

– Receiving such recognition from an international audience means a lot.

Apply now.

From left: Ernst Holm (AAVEQ Robotics), Samson Steindal Vonen (CapiPro AS) and Serena Allen (AirVitalize) at Arctic Congress Bodø 2024, where CapiPro AS emerged victorious. Photo: Markus Thonhaugen / High North Center.

Jury

The High North Young Entrepreneur jury consists of leading experts from across Arctic nations and institutions:

  • Marius Fagerli, Innovation Norway Nordland, Norway
  • Lisbeth Bjerva, Business Developer, Innovation Nord, Norway
  • Sheila Downer, Vice-President Northern Community Engagement, UArctic, Canada
  • Michael Carey, UArtic Entrepreneurial Fund, USA
  • Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Execuctive Director, Arctic Economic Forum
  • Maiken Nilsen Stensaker, project leader at Engage SFU, Nord University, Norway
  • Alexandra Middleton, University of Oulu, Finland
  • Maja Wolland Blomberg, PhD Researcher, High North Center, Nord University Business School, Norway
  • Kazakov Andrey, Advisor, High North Center, Nord University Business School, Norway
  • Yati Yati, Advisor, High North Center, Nord University Business School, Norway

Originally published on 20 November by Nord University.

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