Sikt
Sikt is a Norwegian government agency under the Ministry of Education and Research that delivers shared digital infrastructure, research, and administrative services — including identity, networks, LMS, exams, and data archives — to universities, colleges, research institutions, and schools across Norway.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersTrondheim, Norway
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Sikt does
Sikt (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research) is a Norwegian government agency (forvaltningsorgan) operating under the Ministry of Education and Research (Kunnskapsdepartementet), headquartered in Trondheim with regional offices in Oslo and Bergen. Formed in 2022 through the merger of Unit, Uninett, and NSD (Norwegian Centre for Research Data), Sikt delivers shared digital infrastructure and services to the entire Norwegian knowledge sector — universities, university colleges, research institutes, vocational schools, primary and secondary education, libraries, and museums.
The organization operates a platform-plus-services model spanning 56 products and services across three portfolio areas: Education and Administration (Canvas LMS, WISEflow digital examination, Originality plagiarism control, FS student administration system, Unit4 ERP, SAP payroll, TimeEdit scheduling); Research and Knowledge Resources (Nasjonalt vitenarkiv/NVA research archive with 2M+ publications, DOI services via DataCite, microdata.no register-data analysis tool, Surveybanken data catalog, Sikt KI privacy-preserving generative AI, CoreTrustSeal-certified research data archiving); and Data and Infrastructure (Uninett research network connecting 150+ organizations, Feide national identity federation, Felles IAM mandated for all KD institutions, IntArk data sharing, eduroam, eduVPN, CNaaS campus networks, and the eduCSC cybersecurity center).
Sikt generates revenue through institutional service fees structured around FTE counts, a 70/30 cooperative cost-distribution model, and usage-based pricing, supplemented by direct grants from the Ministry of Education and Research. Certain services (e.g., research data archiving for publicly funded research) are grant-funded and free to qualifying institutions. Distribution is direct to institutions via framework agreements; Sigma2, a wholly-owned subsidiary, handles high-performance computing infrastructure including EuroHPC participation.
Sikt firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sikt
- Legal name
- Sikt – Kunnskapssektorens tjenesteleverandør
- Website
- https://sikt.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Sikt is a Norwegian government agency under the Ministry of Education and Research that delivers shared digital infrastructure, research, and administrative services — including identity, networks, LMS, exams, and data archives — to universities, colleges, research institutions, and schools across Norway.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sikt industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Education Technology Infrastructure
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services (518)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Government Digital Service & eGovernment (Service Delivery, IDs, Portals) (BPAIAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Captive/Global In-House Center (GIC) Setup & Managed Services (BPAEAMAK), SIEM Platforms & Log Management (HDADAGAA), Technical Documentation & Knowledge Management (Playbooks, Runbooks, Enablement Kits) (BPAEANAM)
Keywords
Where Sikt is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Trondheim
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Sikt business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations
Revenue model
- Institutional Service Fees: Sikt generates revenue through annual service fees charged to institutions. Pricing models include: (1) Full-time equivalents (FTE) where price is calculated based on number of employees at the institution, or employees and students where relevant; (2) 70/30 model where 30% of total cost is distributed equally among all participating institutions regardless of size, while the remaining 70% is based on size; (3) Fixed price based on usage. As a government-owned entity, prices reflect actual costs of service delivery and development.
- Project-based Services: Some services are funded through grants from the Ministry of Education and Research. Research data archiving is free for publicly funded research institutions thanks to financing from KD.
- Privacy Services: Privacy services for research billed through annual service fee (base) calculated from number of scientific FTE, plus quarterly fees for number of incoming projects from institution.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Full-time Equivalent (FTE) Model |
| Subscription | Annual | 70/30 Cost Distribution Model |
| Subscription | Annual | Fixed Price Based on Usage |
| Freemium | Annual | Free for Publicly Funded Research |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Sikt product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sikt (Kunnskapssektorens tjenesteleverandør) is the Norwegian government's shared services agency for the knowledge sector, formed through the 2022 merger of Unit, Uninett, and NSD. It procures, develops, and operates shared digital services, infrastructure, and advisory capabilities on behalf of Norwegian universities, colleges, research institutions, vocational schools, and primary/secondary education. Its catalog spans more than 56 products covering research networks, identity federation, learning platforms, research data management, and privacy services.
Product overview
Sikt (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research) operates a broad portfolio of national digital services for the Norwegian knowledge sector, organized as a platform-plus-services model. The core offerings span three major portfolio areas: Education & Administration (including Canvas LMS, WISEflow digital exam, Originality plagiarism control, FS student administration, Unit4 ERP, SAP payroll, and TimeEdit scheduling), Research & Knowledge Resources (including NVA research archive, DOI services, microdata.no analysis tool, Surveybanken data catalog, Sikt KI generative AI, ESS survey data, and research data archiving with CoreTrustSeal certification), and Data & Infrastructure (including Uninett research network, Feide identity management, Felles IAM, IntArk data sharing, eduVPN, eduroam, CNaaS, and the Cybersicherhetssenter cybersecurity response). Sikts services are delivered through a network of national agreements, consortium arrangements (BIBSYS for libraries, Pensumlistekonsortiet for reading lists), and international collaborations (CESSDA, CLARIN, GÉANT, NORDUnet). The portfolio includes 56 services across 8 service areas, serving universities, colleges, research institutions, vocational schools, primary/secondary education, and parts of the health sector. Sikts national data infrastructure also includes the Nordic precision time network pilot connecting atomic clock laboratories via fiber for nanosecond synchronization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sikt KI A portfolio of generative AI services (chat, AI agents, data foundation, Multi-LLM Gateway) available to Norwegian universities, colleges, research institutes and other knowledge-sector organisations. Designed to provide secure, sector-shared access to large language models for administrative, teaching, and research use cases.
- Nasjonalt vitenarkiv (NVA)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2 million publications available through National Research Archive (NVA)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sikt
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sikt technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration32 records
AI capability3 records
Feature6 records
Sikt partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- CESSDA (Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives)coreSikt is the national service provider for Norway in CESSDA, a European research infrastructure (ERIC) that connects social science data archives. The goal is to promote integrated service offerings, provide richer data for research, and support national and international research cooperation.
- CLARIN (Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure)coreSikt has status as a CLARIN Knowledge Centre, meaning it provides expertise on data management and privacy for researchers in the European network. CLARIN is a European research infrastructure (ERIC) making digital language resources available for research and education.
- DataCitecoreDataCite is an organization that provides persistent identifiers (DOI - Digital Object Identifier) for research data and research results. Sikt is a member and offers DOI services from DataCite, making results findable and metadata accessible globally.
- NORDUnetcoreNORDUnet is the Nordic research network company, owned by the Nordic countries. Sikt manages Norway's membership on behalf of KD and is represented on NORDUnet's board. NORDUnet develops, manages and operates the research network between Nordic countries and connections to Europe (GÉANT network) and the rest of the world.
- GÉANTcoreGÉANT is the association of European research networks, based in Amsterdam. GÉANT operates the European research network connecting national networks together with connections worldwide. Sikt contributes to various parts of the project and conveys services from GÉANT.
- European Social Survey (ESS)coreESS is a major European interview survey conducted biennially since 2002. Sikt is the data archive responsible for curation, dissemination and archiving of data, and for the ESS website. Through membership in the ESS Core Scientific Team, Sikt is also responsible for conducting surveys together with six other survey professionals in Europe.
- EOSC (European Open Science Cloud)minorEOSC is a European initiative for open research developing a network of FAIR data and services to help researchers. Sikt participates in several projects, and Sikt's subsidiary Sigma2 also contributes.
- RDA (Research Data Alliance)minorRDA is an open, international network for sharing research data and open research across technology, disciplines and countries. The Norwegian node consists of a consortium with NTNU, UiB, UiO, UiT and Sikt/Sigma2.
- Identity AutomationcoreIdentity Automation was selected as vendor for developing the Felles IAM (Common Identity and Access Management) solution for the Norwegian higher education sector. The solution is operated as a cloud-based service.
- Justervesenet (Norwegian Metrology Institute)minorNorwegian metrology institute responsible for official time. Collaborating with Sikt and Nordic partners on precision time distribution through fiber networks as part of Nordic time network pilot project.
- EuroHPCminorEuroHPC is a European partnership to develop and procure next-generation high-performance computing machines. Sikt's subsidiary Sigma2 is a partner.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sikt competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- SURF: SURF is the Dutch collaborative organization for ICT in education and research, operating the national research network and shared services. Highly comparable to Sikt in cooperative governance, identity federation (eduID), and shared-services portfolio.
- Internet2: US non-profit computer networking consortium for research and education. Comparable as the US analogue providing shared high-performance network services to universities and research institutions.
- Jisc: Jisc is the UK's national not-for-profit providing shared digital, data and technology services for higher education and research. Closest international analogue to Sikt in mission, scope (Janet research network, identity services, shared platforms) and sector-shared-service model.
- SUNET: Swedish University Computer Network providing research and education networking and identity services. Comparable Nordic peer operating the Swedish national research network and federated identity services (SWAMID).
- NORDUnet: Nordic research network owned by the Nordic countries; Sikt represents Norway on its board. Directly comparable as the inter-Nordic research network Sikt connects into and partially operates through.
- DeiC: Danish e-Infrastructure Consortium operating Denmark's national research network and HPC for universities and research institutions. Highly comparable Nordic peer operating under a similar national-research-network mandate.
- CSC – IT Center for Science: Finnish state-owned IT center providing computing, data management and shared services for research, education and government. Directly comparable to Sikt as a Nordic state-owned shared-services peer (and a Sikt KI partner for the Finnish expansion).
Regional players
- RENATER: French national research and education network providing connectivity and identity services to French universities and research institutions. Comparable European NREN peer operating in a different national geography.
- RedIRIS: Spanish academic and research network providing connectivity and identity services to Spanish universities and research centers. Comparable European NREN peer with similar sector-shared-service positioning.
Broad incumbents
- GÉANT: Pan-European research and education networking organization connecting national NRENs (including Uninett/Sikt). Broader incumbent operating one level above Sikt — a partner and upstream network rather than direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sikt social profiles
Digital presenceSikt compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Sikt financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sikt leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sikt subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sikt funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sikt M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sikt
What does Sikt do?
Sikt (Kunnskapssektorens tjenesteleverandør) is the Norwegian government's shared services agency for the knowledge sector, formed through the 2022 merger of Unit, Uninett, and NSD. It procures, develops, and operates shared digital services, infrastructure, and advisory capabilities on behalf of Norwegian universities, colleges, research institutions, vocational schools, and primary/secondary education. Its catalog spans more than 56 products covering research networks, identity federation, learning platforms, research data management, and privacy services.
Is Sikt a public or private company?
Sikt is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Sikt founded?
Sikt was founded in 2022. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Sikt based?
Sikt is headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Sikt make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Institutional Service Fees are the primary driver. The others are project-based Services and privacy Services.
Who are Sikt's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are SURF, Internet2, Jisc, SUNET, NORDUnet, DeiC and CSC – IT Center for Science. Regional players are RENATER and RedIRIS. GÉANT is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Sikt have an API?
Yes. Sikt provides APIs for its privacy services (personverntjenester). These include APIs for Data Management Plan (DMP) and Notification Form (Meldeskjema) integrations. The APIs are documented at docs.sikt.no and allow programmatic access to Sikts privacy and data handling services for research projects. Developer documentation is at docs.sikt.no/docs/api-pvt.
What industry is Sikt in?
Sikt's product category is Education Technology Infrastructure. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAAAE, Government Digital Service & eGovernment (Service Delivery, IDs, Portals), with a secondary code of BPAEAMAK, Captive/Global In-House Center (GIC) Setup & Managed Services. Its NAICS code is 54151 and its SIC code is 7373.