Norway Health Tech secures cluster funding for Health & Total Defence

PRESS RELEASE, OSLO 22.10.2026

Norway has strong expertise and technology environments within health, defence and emergency preparedness. At the same time, there is currently no national arena that systematically connects the needs of these sectors with the innovation capacity of industry and research communities. Health & Total Defence aims to help fill this gap.

The cluster was initiated by Norway Health Tech and builds on the Health–Defence–Preparedness pilot project carried out in 2026. The project identified, among other things, a need for stronger links between those defining needs within the Norwegian Armed Forces and potential suppliers, closer collaboration across sectors, and better access to testing and training environments.

– Norway already has much of the expertise and technology we need, but the pilot project showed that we need to become better at connecting these communities. Health & Total Defence will provide an arena for exactly that, says Trine Radmann, Project Manager at Norway Health Tech.

The cluster will contribute to national goals related to strengthened emergency preparedness, increased defence capabilities, the green transition, and greater value creation through innovation and exports.

Trine Radmann (on the right) and Sveinung Tornås represented Health & Total Defence at the cluster funding announcement on 22 October 2026.

Collaboration as preparedness

The Total Defence concept encompasses the civilian and military resources that together are responsible for preventing and managing crises, serious incidents and war. Growing geopolitical uncertainty and lessons learned from the pandemic have highlighted the need for solutions that can be used across both civilian and military contexts.

Today, collaboration between the health sector, defence, emergency preparedness, research and industry is fragmented. Stakeholders lack a clear overview of needs, technologies, potential partners and available support mechanisms. There is also no structured mechanism for matching identified needs with relevant solutions and turning them into innovation projects. Health & Total Defence will serve as a neutral platform connecting these stakeholders.

– The cluster addresses both a societal challenge and a market opportunity, says Janne T. Morstøl, Chair of the Board of Norway Health Tech.

– NATO and its member countries are investing significant resources in health preparedness, security of supply and dual-use technologies, creating a growing international market for Norwegian solutions, Morstøl adds.

Three years to build a national platform

At the time of application, 46 organisations had already supported the initiative. They represent industry, municipalities, specialist healthcare services, the Norwegian Armed Forces, universities, research institutes, innovation organisations and international partners.

The new cluster will formally be organised as a project within Norway Health Tech, with a dedicated cluster management team and steering group. Bjørn Platou from Decon-X is the intended Chair of the steering group.

– Preparedness cannot be built once a crisis has already occurred. The collaboration, relationships and solutions need to be in place before we need them, says Platou.

– Much of what is developed for the health sector also has significant value in a defence and preparedness context, and vice versa. We believe the cluster can make it easier to take that step, he adds.

Through the NIC Connect funding, the cluster has been given three years to build a strong foundation for relationships and collaboration among its members.

– We look forward to developing a national platform that connects stakeholders and enables ideas to develop into projects, partnerships and solutions that can make a significant contribution to health preparedness and Total Defence, says Sveinung Tornås, CEO of Norway Health Tech.

FACTS

About Health & Total Defence

Health & Total Defence is initiated by Norway Health Tech and will serve as a national platform for innovation at the intersection of health preparedness and Total Defence. The cluster will bring together industry, the health sector, the Norwegian Armed Forces, emergency preparedness stakeholders and research communities to identify needs and facilitate the development, testing, implementation and scaling of solutions.

About Norway Health Tech

Norway Health Tech is Norway’s largest health cluster, with more than 300 members. Its members represent the entire healthcare value chain, from start-ups and established companies to hospitals, municipalities, research communities and international industry partners. Together, we develop and scale the health technologies of the future, with a particular focus on digital solutions, medical technology and sustainable innovation.

About Norwegian Innovation Clusters

Norwegian Innovation Clusters is a collaborative programme run by Innovation Norway in partnership with Siva and the Research Council of Norway. The programme aims to promote increased value creation, innovation and competitiveness through collaboration between industry, research and knowledge communities, and public-sector organisations.