Page 38 - DIVA3 2021_final_CORR_reduced

The StartupLab:

a unique Norwegian experience

Interview with

Rolf Assev, co-founder StartupLab

Rolf is a dynamic and clever man, positive The idea was simple: invite experienced
and a doer. Since his student days at the technical founders to work with new founders

Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen, in a technical environment. The vision was
Rolf has been one of the leaders in whatever to make new global tech companies out of
he takes on. In Norway he is an expert on Norway with a clear philosophy, Founders
entrepreneurship, and we see him often in the First.
media. His list of achievements is long, but let I came in as a co-founder of a new startup,
us briefly mention that Rolf’s role in the Opera DragonBox, that we started after my 12 years
Software as Executive Vice President Sales in Opera Software. After some months I
and Marketing, Chief Commercial Officer started working full time for StartupLab.
and Chief Strategy contributed to the building Ten years ago, few people thought it was
of the company from 12 to 750 people with possible to build successful tech companies
more than 200 million active users. Today he in Norway. It was reserved for Sweden, and
is in front encouraging young people to take perhaps Finland. However, we had a small
on the entrepreneurial path, so let us give the number of international successful companies
floor to Rolf. such as Opera Software, Fast, Trolltech,
Chipcon, Energy Micro, Point Carbon, Mamut
You are one of Norway’s experts on and Tandberg.
entrepreneurship. How did you get the idea to
create the StartupLab? Many of the tech entrepreneurs behind these
The original idea for StartupLab was initiated companies had made a lot of money. Some of
by Karl Christian Agerup, former co-founder them had made really really a lot of money.
of Nothzone venture, and Alexander Woxen. Few of them wanted to use it to buy an island

w w w. d i va i n t e r n at i o n a l . c h