NORDTEK strategy for entrepreneurship and innovation
NORDTEK shall contribute to the Nordic Baltic region being internationally competitive and in the forefront of transferring innovations to the market. Transferring innovations is also a key factor when addressing the grand challenges such as building a sustainable society.
NORDTEK shall contribute to display and explore good practice in entrepreneurship education, research and practice being performed by member universities. The goal is to educate and train new generations of engineers in entrepreneurial and have leadership skills
Objectives for NORDTEK initiatives in entrepreneurship and innovation
NORDTEK’s member universities have a great responsibility to educate and train new generations of engineers in entrepreneurship and leadership as well as contributing to transfer of knowledge, know-how and innovation processes to companies and public actors.
NORDTEK Incubator Forum
NORDTEK Incubator Forum (NIF) was established in 2019 by the NORDTEK Board to develop collaboration between the NORDTEK member universities in entrepreneurship and innovation.
The aim for NIF is to stimulate/create:
- more knowledge among NORDTEK member institutions about good practice, instruments and resources in the field of entrepreneurship and Innovation
- a stronger network between researchers and practitioners within entrepreneurship and innovation
- more collaboration between NORDTEK members on the topics, and potentially the start of more research, education and development projects
Planned activities
1) Annual thematic conference: “Building Entrepreneurial capacity”
An annual conference in October will set focus on best practice in selected topics in “entrepreneurship”. The aim is to gather key persons from member universities in charge of entrepreneurial activities. The conference is also open to participants from industry and other universities. A workshop at the conference is dedicated to students’ entrepreneurial topics.
2) Venture Cup – Nordtek Nordic Tech Battle
An annual venture cup: Nordtek Tech Battle will be organized from spring 2022 for students and researchers, who will compete in entrepreneurship presenting business ideas for potential start-ups or pitching business ideas that have not yet matured. – Nordtek Tech Battle will alternate between member countries. It draws on inspiration from existing national events.
Steering Group
NIF Steering Group has 9 members representing all NORDTEK countries
- Søren Elmer Kristensen, Faculty of Engineering, University of Southern Denmark, DK (chair)
- Reijo Karu, TalTech, Tallinn Technical University, EE
- Henri Hakala, LUT University, FI
- Rögnvaldur J. Sæmundsson, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Iceland, IS
- Arturs Zeps, Riga Technical University, LV
- Mindaugas Bulota, Kaunas University of Technology, LT
- Lise Aaboen, Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management, NTNU, NO
- Kristina Hejdenberg Sedström, Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship, Chalmers Technical University, SE
- Göran Lindström, Department of Engineering Sciences, University of Uppsala, SE
Contact information
Søren Elmer Kristensen (chairman), University of Southern Denmark,
Phone: +45 6550 7491 / +45 2440 8522, Email: sek@tek.sdu.dk
Niels Michael Petersen (NIF secretary), University of Southern Denmark
Phone: +45 6550 4066 / +45 9350 7625 Email: niep@tek.sdu.dk
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Søren Elmer Kristensen (chairman) Technical Faculty University of Southern Denmark Denmark Phone: +45 6550 7491 / +45 2440 8522 Email: sek@tek.sdu.dk |
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Reijo Karu Division for International Cooperation Tallinn Technical University Estonia phone: +372 620 3503 reijo.karu@taltech.ee |
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Henri Hakala LUT School of Business and Management LUT University (Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology) Finland Phone: +358 440 244 387 henri.hakala@lut.fi |
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Rögnvaldur J. Sæmundsson Department of Industrial Engineering University of Iceland Iceland Phone: +354 5254623g Email: rjs@hi.is |
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Arturs Zeps Office for Strategic Development Riga Technical University Latvia Phone: +371 2656 6442 Email: arturs.zeps@rtu.lv |
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Mindaugas Bulota National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre Kaunas University of Technology Lithuania Phone: +370 650 23 867 Email: mindaugas.bulota@ktu.lt |
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Lise Aaboen Department of Industrial Economics and Technology Management Norwegian University of Science and Technology Norway Phone: +47 73595328 Email: lise.aaboen@ntnu.no |
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Kristina Hejdenberg Sedström Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship Chalmers Technical University Sweden Phone: +46 31772 6522 Email: kristina.hejdenberg.sedstrom@chalmers.se |
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Göran Lindström Department of Civil and Industrial Engineering University of Uppsala Sweden Phone: +46 18 471 7730 / +46 70 910 2574 Email: goran.lindstrom@angstrom.uu.se |
| NIF Secretariat | |
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Niels Michael Petersen (NIF secretary) Technical Faculty University of Southern Denmark Denmark Phone: +45 6550 4066 / +45 9350 7625 Email: niep@tek.sdu.dk |