Strengthening the competitiveness of the health sector

The programme is part of the project Strengthening the competitiveness of the health industry, funded by Akershus County Council.

– The aim of the project is to strengthen collaboration between industry, healthcare providers, municipalities, and innovation ecosystems, says Kari Anne Dehli, Head of Market Access at Norway Health Tech.

– As part of increasing the competitiveness of health technology companies, we are placing a particular focus on sales, scaling, and international market access.

From product to customer

The journey from a developed product to commercial success is challenging for many health technology companies. The programme consists of digital courses, in-person workshops, and mentoring. During the workshops, participants will work on their own business challenges together with experienced industry leaders and subject matter experts.

The first workshop will take place at Forskningsparken in Oslo on 20 October under the theme From validated product to commercial scaling. It is designed for companies with a validated product that are ready to move from technical validation to commercial adoption. Speakers from Roche, AstraZeneca, and Novartis will share their insights and experiences, and the day will conclude with the first round of one-to-one mentoring sessions.

Two webinars will follow later this autumn:

• 17 November: Sales and contracts, with a focus on strategic sales, procurement, and contract management.
• 8 December: Organisational development, with a focus on sales organisations and delivery models.

Further activities throughout 2027

The programme will continue throughout 2027. In January, participants will take part in a webinar on market opportunities in France. This will be followed by an in-person workshop in Oslo in February focused on regulatory strategy, combined with mentoring activities. Additional digital deep dives will be offered throughout the spring and summer, including sessions on data and cybersecurity. In autumn 2027, participants will gather for a full-day workshop on partnerships and negotiations.

The programme will conclude with a study visit to France, organised in collaboration with Innovation Norway’s office in Paris. France is one of Europe’s largest healthcare markets and is making significant investments in the digitalisation of healthcare services, health data, and artificial intelligence. Participants will have the opportunity to meet stakeholders from the research, innovation, and health technology sectors.

– France is investing heavily in the future of healthcare, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence and more integrated patient pathways. This creates exciting opportunities for Norwegian health technology companies looking to grow internationally, says Janne T. Morstøl, Head of Innovation Norway’s office in Paris.

As part of the programme, participants will have the opportunity to join a study visit to France in autumn 2027.

Mentors from industry

A new mentoring programme is being introduced for member companies in Norway Health Tech. Companies will have the opportunity to bring forward specific challenges related to market access, sales, and scaling, and discuss them with experienced leaders and experts. The mentors come from the programme’s industry partners ATEA, Roche, AstraZeneca, and Novartis, as well as from our wider ecosystem.

The competence development programme is one of several activities within the project. Work is also being carried out through workshops, dialogue meetings, networking arenas, needs assessments, and regional collaboration models. The goal is to make it easier for health technology companies to find customers and partners, while giving healthcare providers better access to relevant solutions.

The mentoring programme, study visit, and full-day in-person workshops are available exclusively to Norway Health Tech members. The webinars are open to everyone.