What VIS does

VIS - Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap is a Norwegian technology transfer office (TTO) and regional innovation support organization headquartered at Marineholmen in Bergen, Norway. Founded in 2004 as Bergen Teknologioverføring (BTO) and rebranded to VIS in 2024 to reflect its expanded regional coverage of Western Norway (Vestlandet), the organization operates two business lines: VIS Forskningsdrevet innovasjon (a research-driven TTO providing IP protection, licensing, and commercialization services) and VIS Startup (an accelerator and entrepreneur support division). VIS is owned by a consortium of academic and research institutions—University of Bergen, Helse Bergen, Havforskningsinstituttet (Institute of Marine Research), Siva, Høgskulen på Vestlandet, and NHH—which collectively represent approximately 4,000 research years and a 5 billion NOK research base, supplying VIS with an innovation pipeline of over 100 ideas per year.

The organization runs a portfolio of structured programs spanning the full commercialization funnel: TILT Forsker and TILT Student target researcher and student entrepreneurship, GründerAcademy (now in its 11th cohort) is a structured accelerator, Studio8 supports student innovators, and Komet provides early-stage startup support. Two flagship competitions—Vestlandets Beste Idé (500,000 NOK top prize) and VBSI (250,000 NOK)—generate deal flow and visibility. Eitri, a health technology incubator operated jointly with Helse Bergen and University of Bergen, supports 41 health-tech companies. The TTO division has executed notable licensing transactions, including an exclusive ETEC vaccine license to Valneva SE in June 2026 and an international Parkinson disease research license in July 2025.

VIS earns revenue through a hybrid model combining institutional owner funding, public grants, equity returns from a 45-company active portfolio (99 companies since inception), licensing royalties, and management of the Tidligfasefond Vestland I early-stage fund. Notable exits include Voicy (sold to Snapchat) and Dyrekassen. The organization also co-manages regional development capital with Connect Vest and channels grant funding from foundations such as Agenda Vestlandet (12.5 million NOK for Eitri in December 2025) and Sparebankstiftelsen SR-Bank (2 million NOK for student/researcher programs in December 2024).

Name

VIS

Legal name

VIS - Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap AS

Website

https://visinnovasjon.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VIS is a Norwegian technology transfer office and regional innovation accelerator based in Bergen that commercializes research from Western Norway's universities and research institutes. It serves researchers, students, and early-stage founders through TTO licensing services, structured accelerator programs, and a 45-company investment portfolio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Technology Transfer Services: VIS operates as a technology transfer office (TTO) providing commercialization services to researchers and startups, funded by institutional owners and public grants. Revenue is derived from licensing deals, equity from startup investments, and government support programs.
2. Investment Returns: VIS generates returns through its investment portfolio of 45 active companies, having invested in 99 companies since inception. Notable exits include Voicy (sold to Snapchat) and Dyrekassen.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

VIS is a Norwegian technology transfer office (TTO) and regional innovation support organization that commercializes research from owner institutions (UiB, Helse Bergen, Institute of Marine Research, Siva, HVL, NHH). It runs researcher and student entrepreneurship programs, startup accelerators, the Eitri health-tech incubator, and provides licensing, IP protection, and early-stage equity investment through Tidligfasefond Vestland I. It has invested in 99 companies since inception with 45 currently active, generating returns via licensing (e.g., Valneva ETEC vaccine licence) and equity exits (Voicy/Dyrekassen).

Product overview

VIS - Vestlandets Innovasjonsselskap is a Norwegian technology transfer office (TTO) and innovation support organization, not a product company. Its offerings consist entirely of service programs, incubators, and events to support research commercialization and startup creation on the Western Norway (Vestlandet) region. The portfolio includes: TILT Forsker and TILT Student (researcher and student entrepreneurship programs), GründerAcademy (accelerator, now in its 11th cohort), Studio8 (student idea accelerator), and Komet (startup support). These are complemented by the annual Vestlandets Beste Idé competition (500,000 NOK prize) and VBSI student competition (250,000 NOK prize). Eitri is a health technology incubator operated in collaboration with Helse Bergen and UiB, supporting 41 health tech companies. Demo Day Vestlandet provides a pitching platform for startups to connect with investors. TTO services include licensing opportunities and support for research-based innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TILT Forsker Entrepreneurship program for researchers at Vestlandet (Western Norway) institutions that helps researchers translate research into commercial ventures through workshops, mentoring, and investor networking. Part of VIS's researcher entrepreneurship initiatives.
• TILT Student Entrepreneurship program for students at Vestlandet institutions, designed to help student innovators develop and validate business ideas. Delivered by VIS's TILT team.
• GründerAcademy Accelerator program for founders on Vestlandet that provides structured support, mentorship, and resources for early-stage entrepreneurs. Now in its 11th cohort.
• Studio8 Student idea accelerator at Vestlandet that helps student teams develop and validate innovative concepts.
• Komet Startup support program operated by VIS for early-stage entrepreneurs in the Vestlandet region.
• Vestlandets Beste Idé Annual innovation competition for the best business idea from Vestlandet, with prizes up to 500,000 NOK (including 400,000 NOK from Sparebanken Vest) and access to VIS's startup ecosystem.
• VBSI (Vestlandets Beste Studentidé) Student innovation competition for the best startup idea from students at Vestlandet institutions, with prizes up to 250,000 NOK.
• TTO Research Commercialization & Licensing Technology Transfer Office (TTO) services including licensing opportunities, IP protection, patent management, and researcher-founder support to commercialize academic research from owner institutions. Examples include the exclusive ETEC vaccine licence to Valneva SE (June 2026) and the Parkinson's research licence (July 2025).
• Eitri Health-Tech Incubator Health technology incubator and innovation center co-owned by Helse Bergen and University of Bergen, operated in collaboration with VIS. Supports 41 health tech companies with advisory services, office space, and professional events; received 12.5 million NOK from Agenda Vestlandet in December 2025.
• Tidligfasefond Vestland I (Early-Stage Fund) Early-stage investment fund for promising startups from Western Norway with global ambitions. Co-managed by Connect and VIS, investing through Tidligfasefond Vestland I to strengthen the regional business ecosystem. VIS has invested in 99 companies since inception with 45 active.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Valneva SEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026VIS entered into an exclusive license agreement with Valneva SE covering ETEC (enterotoxigenic E. coli) vaccine technology. The agreement supports development of the vaccine for both commercial markets and low/middle-income countries. VIS represented the institutions behind the research: University of Bergen, NORCE, Institut Pasteur, South Dakota State University, Indian Institute of Science, and Tulane University.
• EitricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEitri is co-owned by Helse Bergen and Universitetet i Bergen, and operated in collaboration with VIS. It serves as an innovation center and incubator for health technology startups. VIS provides commercialization expertise and access to the innovation ecosystem.
• Universitetet i BergencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary owner of VIS (along with other institutions). Provides research base of approximately 4,000 research years and 5 billion NOK in research funding. Source of innovation pipeline with over 100 ideas annually.
• Helse BergencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owner of VIS and Eitri. Provides clinical expertise and real-world healthcare challenges that drive health technology innovation.
• GCE Ocean TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in MIT ScaleupNow/PreScaleUp program and joint events. VIS participates in scaleup programming and ocean technology ecosystem activities.
• Marineholmen InnovasjonsdistriktcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development of Marineholmen innovation district with GC Rieber Eiendom. Provides physical space, networking opportunities, and ecosystem support for startups and innovation activities.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sintef: Largest Scandinavian independent research organization with extensive commercialization and spinoff activity. Comparable in research-to-market pipeline operations, though significantly larger in scope and including contract research.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish state-owned research and technology organization with commercialization, licensing, and venture activities. Comparable in bridging public research to commercial ventures, though at much larger scale.
• Innovation Norway: Norwegian government's instrument for innovation and development, providing grants, loans, and advisory services to Norwegian startups. Comparable as a public-sector innovation funder and program designer, though operating nationally rather than regionally.
• MaRS Discovery District: Large Canadian innovation hub supporting science and technology ventures with programs, capital, and partnerships. Comparable as a multi-program research-to-market hub, though at substantially larger scale and urban density.
• Siva SF: Norwegian state-owned industrial incubator and innovation infrastructure company that co-owns VIS. Operates a national network of innovation centers and incubators, including Eitri alongside VIS, with comparable founder-support and capital programs.

Regional players

• Aleap: Norwegian health-tech incubator founded by Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park. Directly comparable to Eitri's health-tech incubator model, supporting early-stage health ventures with advisory and office space.

Direct peers

• Cambridge Enterprise: University of Cambridge's TTO handling licensing, equity investment, and consulting for academic research. Closely comparable on TTO services (IP, licensing, equity, consulting) and university-owner mandate.
• KTH Innovation: Royal Institute of Technology's in-house TTO running an idea-to-venture pipeline similar to VIS's TILT and GründerAcademy programs. Directly comparable on services, university ownership structure, and Nordic commercialization mandate.
• Inven2: Norwegian TTO owned by University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, commercializing life-science and technology research. Highly comparable as a domestic TTO with similar ownership model, licensing focus, and equity-in-startup model.
• Techstars: Global accelerator operating structured cohorts (akin to GründerAcademy, now in its 11th cohort) with mentorship, capital, and demo days. Comparable in accelerator methodology, though operating at far greater scale and internationally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VISinnovasjon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VIS