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culture

in the Caribbean or play golf in Spain. The “In StartupLab, we have the enormous
entrepreneurial gene does not go out even if
the bank account grows. The willingness and pleasure of being able to draw on
desire to reinvest some of the money they had expertise and networks for the new
earned was great, but the opportunities were
few. generation of tech entrepreneurs.
There are many who want to contribute
This is where StartupLab’s vision met the
needs of entrepreneurial money. We invited money, expertise and networks.”
one by one the successful, extremely rich
entrepreneurs to a coffee chat with the theme,
“Shall we together create an environment
where high-tech entrepreneurs help tech
entrepreneurs?”
entrepreneurs became the soil of today’s
entrepreneurial fever; today’s entrepreneurs
The first coffee was with Jon von Tetzchner, will become the soil in which tomorrow’s
who had just sold out of Opera Software. business will grow. Not as a wave, but as an
Ten minutes and a handshake later, he had exponential curve.
The StartupLab: committed himself to contribute with five Another crucial factor permitting us to create
million kroner and his entire network. All
subsequent coffee cups gave similarly positive a start-up culture in Norway, where the values
created can to a greater extent be ploughed
a unique Norwegian experience results. They all knew they might never see back into new start-ups, is the Merkur
their money again, but they would still give Market or as it’s called now Euronext Growth.
Interview with back and build new tech companies. [Editor’s note: It is an equity trading market
that was opened May 17, 2005, by its parent
StartupLab became a melting pot for
Rolf Assev, co-founder StartupLab tomorrow’s tech entrepreneurs. Companies institution Euronext to address an opportunity
such as Remarkable, Huddly and No Isolation presented by small- to medium-sized firms that
were expected to need easier access to an equity
made their first prototypes and found their
Rolf is a dynamic and clever man, positive The idea was simple: invite experienced first investors in the lab. Even more important market.]
and a doer. Since his student days at the technical founders to work with new founders than money: they found other experienced

Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen, in a technical environment. The vision was entrepreneurs with networks and expertise. Traditionally, Norwegian tech companies
Rolf has been one of the leaders in whatever to make new global tech companies out of have been sold to international companies
he takes on. In Norway he is an expert on Norway with a clear philosophy, Founders Since then, Norway has fostered a number far too soon. The Mercur Market has become
entrepreneurship, and we see him often in the First. of successful tech startups – both in an important tool for financing them for
media. His list of achievements is long, but let I came in as a co-founder of a new startup, StartupLab and in the many other new startup international growth and with the secure
us briefly mention that Rolf’s role in the Opera DragonBox, that we started after my 12 years environments that have been established such competence building and jobs in Norway.
Software as Executive Vice President Sales in Opera Software. After some months I as MESH, 657 and Antler, just to name a few In StartupLab, we have the enormous
and Marketing, Chief Commercial Officer started working full time for StartupLab. in Oslo. In Trondheim, Stavanger and Bergen, pleasure of being able to draw on expertise
and Chief Strategy contributed to the building Ten years ago, few people thought it was separate environments emerged. Even on the and networks for the new generation of tech
of the company from 12 to 750 people with possible to build successful tech companies islands in the western part of Norway where entrepreneurs. There are many who want to
more than 200 million active users. Today he in Norway. It was reserved for Sweden, and the traditional family businesses prevail, new contribute money, expertise and networks.
is in front encouraging young people to take perhaps Finland. However, we had a small exciting environments where experienced The value of having serial entrepreneurs in
on the entrepreneurial path, so let us give the number of international successful companies entrepreneurs got involved in starting new StartupLab is enormous. The companies in
floor to Rolf. such as Opera Software, Fast, Trolltech, companies were set up. StartupLab alone have created more than
Chipcon, Energy Micro, Point Carbon, Mamut 3,000 new jobs.
You are one of Norway’s experts on and Tandberg. The results are absolutely fantastic. Tibber
entrepreneurship. How did you get the idea to fetched 590 million NOK, Spacemakers sold Don’t get me wrong: building international
create the StartupLab? Many of the tech entrepreneurs behind these for 2.2 billion NOK, Meltwater fetched 3.5 tech startups is difficult, and most people
The original idea for StartupLab was initiated companies had made a lot of money. Some of billion NOK and Kahoot fetched 2.8 billion fail. Entrepreneurs will lose their jobs, and
by Karl Christian Agerup, former co-founder them had made really really a lot of money. NOK. Just to name a few. And the cycle investors will lose money. Nevertheless, I
of Nothzone venture, and Alexander Woxen. Few of them wanted to use it to buy an island will repeat itself: Just as formerly successful believe that Norway has never been better

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