Startups in oslo: ecosystem, companies and strengths
Oslo is Norway's leading startup hub, with a strong concentration in deeptech, energy transition and industrial B2B software, backed by a mature public-private ecosystem.
Why oslo matters in the European startup ecosystem
Oslo is the beating heart of Norway's startup ecosystem and one of the most dynamic tech hubs in Northern Europe. The city blends a strong industrial heritage — rooted in oil, gas and maritime — with a new generation of deeptech, cleantech and B2B software startups accelerating the energy transition and industrial digitalisation. The Norwegian government actively supports innovation through Innovation Norway, Investinor and SkatteFUNN, creating favourable conditions for seed and early-growth stages. Oslo has produced unicorns such as Kahoot!, reMarkable and Cognite, and continues to attract ambitious founders thanks to hubs like StartupLab, Mesh Community and Rebel. The local market is limited, but Oslo-based founders target international expansion from day one, particularly across Europe and North America. The scene is especially strong in maritime-tech, energy-tech, autonomous systems and industrial software.
Why it works
- Credible vertical specialisation
- Patient industrial capital
- Founders accustomed to scaling globally from day one
Historical growth
Oslo converted Norway's industrial strength into startups focused on climate, enterprise software and energy transition, establishing itself as one of the most relevant Nordic hubs for industrial software, autonomy and climate tech.
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Six Robotics
Norwegian defence tech company developing collaborative autonomy software for unmanned systems.
Two
Fintech platform offering seamless international payments and currency exchange for businesses and individuals
Visma
Norwegian group leading in management software for businesses and public administration.
Strengths of oslo
- Strong in energy-tech and maritime-tech
- Patient industrial capital
- Highly digitalised public and corporate market
- Good public support (Innovation Norway, Investinor)
- Seed and Series A are well served by local funds and public vehicles. Growth stages often require international co-leads.
- Energy, maritime, defence and public sector create concrete demand for B2B startups with high technology intensity.
Weaknesses and limitations
- Very small domestic market
- High labour costs
- Growth capital still partially external
Key startups in oslo
Attensi
Attensi is a Norwegian company founded in 2012 that offers gamification-based corporate training solutions. It uses interactive 3D simulations to train employees in realistic scenarios, boosting learning and engagement. It serves global clients in over 150 countries. With over 200 employees, Attensi is recognized as a leader in gamified learning.
Cognite
Cognite is a European enterprise software company with a public unicorn valuation.
Dune
Dune (Dune Analytics) is a platform founded in 2018 in Oslo that lets users build queries and dashboards on public blockchain data (such as Ethereum). Used by developers and crypto enthusiasts, it allows analysis of transactions, smart contracts and DeFi trends. Dune became a Web3 unicorn, valued at $1.5 billion after raising millions in venture capital, providing tools that increase transparency in decentralized finance.
Dune Analytics
Dune Analytics is a unicorn-scale company with an indicative valuation of $1B. It operates in analytics by building community analytics platform for blockchain data.
Kahoot!
Kahoot! is a Norwegian educational platform founded in 2012 that lets teachers and trainers create interactive quizzes and games for learning. Thanks to its playful approach, it is widely used in schools and companies worldwide. It has over 10 million registered teachers and has reached 5 billion quiz participations. Kahoot! is publicly listed in the United States and has grown with additional tools for online teaching.
Oda
Oda (formerly Kolonial) is a Norwegian startup founded in 2013 that offers an online grocery shopping service with home delivery. Through its app and website, customers order fresh products and groceries delivered the same day. It has raised hundreds of millions in funding from SoftBank and Prosus, reaching a multi-billion valuation and positioning itself as a leader in Nordic online grocery.
Otovo
Otovo is a platform founded in 2016 in Oslo that offers a European marketplace for home solar panel installation. It connects homeowners with qualified local installers for designing and installing photovoltaic systems. It has facilitated over 11,000 installations and operates in several European countries. The startup is backed by institutional investors to promote home solar energy adoption.
Six Robotics
Six Robotics enables drones and unmanned systems to operate as coordinated, adaptive and interoperable teams in complex environments.
Stendr
Data management platform for film and media production.
Tibber
Tibber is a Norwegian startup founded in 2016 that supplies household electricity at cost, with no profit margin, through its app. It also offers integrations with smart home devices to optimize energy consumption. It has quickly gained customers in Norway, Sweden and Germany, aiming to make the energy market more transparent and sustainable through advanced digital technology.
Two
Fintech platform offering seamless international payments and currency exchange for businesses and individuals.
Visma
Visma is a Norwegian software group founded in 1996 in Oslo, specialized in management solutions for businesses and public administration. It offers accounting, ERP, HR management and fintech systems. Through numerous acquisitions across Europe, it has become one of the largest software companies in Northern Europe, with revenue in the billions and hundreds of thousands of clients.
reMarkable
reMarkable is a startup founded in 2013 in Oslo that built tablets with e-paper technology for note-taking and reading documents with the feel of real paper. The minimalist device supports pen writing and offers a distraction-free reading experience. It reached unicorn status ($1 billion valuation) by selling over a million units, becoming a world leader in digital writing devices.
VCs, accelerators and key players
Accelerators
Hubs & campuses
Key universities
Public support
Key sectors in oslo
What we can learn
- Industrial ecosystems transform faster when there is continuity between large corporates and startups
- Smart public support (not just subsidies but co-investment) makes a real difference