Agenda Vestlandet

What Agenda Vestlandet does

Agenda Vestlandet is a Norwegian foundation (stiftelse) established by Sparebanken Norge and headquartered in Bergen, with a mandate to act as a driving force in the green transition across Western Norway (Vestlandet). The foundation does not sell products or services; instead, it operates as a regional grant-making and competence-building entity, having earmarked NOK 300 million for sustainability and green-transition initiatives. It channels capital into project organisations, startups, educational institutions and individuals through an open application process (Verktøykassa) and through strategic co-development partnerships, with major recent allocations including NOK 26.6M to the TILT Student entrepreneurship programme (UiB, HVL, NHH, coordinated by VIS), NOK 25M to establish HVL's School of Entrepreneurship, NOK 14M to Stiftelsen Fabrikken ved Fjorden for sustainable textiles, NOK 12.5M to the Eitri health incubator, and NOK 7.5M to the Polyfon music-therapy knowledge cluster.

Beyond grant allocation, Agenda Vestlandet runs a portfolio of competence programmes (Unge ledere, Handlekraft, Brytningstid, Women in Tech), organises major regional convening platforms (Vestlandskonferansen, Volumkonferansen), and produces proprietary regional intelligence including the annual Vestlandsmeldinga policy report and the quarterly Næringsindeksen business climate survey of approximately 700 companies (now national in scope, produced with Respons Analyse). Its strategic focus areas are Vestlandet 2.0 (green transition, circular economy, climate-friendly solutions) and Kysten vår (coastal and ocean sustainability). Sparebanken Norge and its related foundation have disbursed more than NOK 2 billion in social dividend over the past ten years across voluntary organisations, clubs, festivals and knowledge clusters in Western Norway.

The foundation is governed by Chair Siren Sundland (also EVP Technology and Development at Sparebanken Norge), led operationally by Daglig leder Tonje Marie Schreiner, and has Frode Nergaard Fjeldstad as Director of Allocations. There is no publicly disclosed revenue, headcount or commercial pricing; the entity operates as a non-profit distributor of philanthropic capital backed by Sparebanken Norge, which is publicly listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (ticker: SBNOR) and has more than 500,000 owners.

Name

Agenda Vestlandet

Legal name

Agenda Vestlandet

Website

https://agendavestlandet.no

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Agenda Vestlandet is a Bergen-based foundation established by Sparebanken Norge that drives the green transition in Western Norway by allocating NOK 300M in grants to sustainability projects, running entrepreneurship and leadership programmes, and publishing regional research and convening conferences for academia, business and project organisations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Development Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Grant funding programs
• Green transition initiatives
• Leadership development programs
• Regional development foundation
• Business climate research

Headquarters

HQ city

Bergen

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Agenda Vestlandet is a foundation that allocates 300 million NOK in grant funding to projects and organizations driving sustainability and the green transition in Western Norway. It complements its grant-making with leadership development programs (Unge ledere, Brytningstid, Handlekraft, Women in Tech), annual regional conferences (Vestlandskonferansen, Volumkonferansen), and proprietary research products (Næringsindeksen quarterly business climate index and Vestlandsmeldinga annual strategic report). It also funds student entrepreneurship initiatives including TILT Student and a new School of Entrepreneurship at HVL.

Product overview

Agenda Vestlandet is a foundation established by Sparebanken Norge to drive the green transition in Western Norway. The organization operates as a funding and competence-building entity rather than a technology product company. Its offerings include: (1) Funding programs through the 'Verktøykassa' including 300 million NOK in public benefit funds, with partnerships with Slingshot and Ocean Tech Scaling; (2) Business intelligence tools including 'Næringsindeksen' (formerly Vestlandsindeksen) - a quarterly business climate survey of 700 companies; (3) Competence development programs including Unge ledere, Brytningstid, Handlekraft, and Women in Tech; (4) Conferences including Vestlandskonferansen and Volumkonferansen; (5) Research publications including Vestlandsmeldinga with the Vestlandsoffensiven's seven proposals; and (6) Student entrepreneurship initiatives including TILT Student and an Entrepreneur School at HVL. The focus areas are Vestlandet 2.0 (green transition) and Kysten vår (coastal development).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vestlandskonferansen: Western Norway's most important meeting place for business, politics, and academia
• Næringsindeksen
• Unge ledere
• Brytningstid
• Handlekraft
• Women in Tech
• Vestlandsmeldinga
• TILT Student
• Volum

Products and services

• Vestlandskonferansen
• Næringsindeksen (Business Index)
• Volumkonferansen
• Unge ledere (Young Leaders)
• Brytningstid (Master's programme in transition and innovation leadership)
• Handlekraft (Leadership training for Vestlandet)
• Women in Tech (competence programme)
• Vestlandsmeldinga (Vestland Report)
• Tildeling av allmennyttige midlar (Public Benefit Funds Allocation)
• Verktøykassa (Toolbox)
• TILT Student
• Entreprenørskolen ved HVL (School of Entrepreneurship at HVL)

Quantifiable outcome

• The foundation has allocated NOK 300 million earmarked for sustainability and green transition projects in Western Norway.
• +2 more outcomes

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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• VIS – Vestlandets InnovasjonsselskapcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVIS is the operational coordinator of TILT Student, a three-year entrepreneurship programme funded by a 26.6 million NOK grant from Agenda Vestlandet. VIS also manages other startup support programmes in the region and serves as the bridge between academic institutions and the broader innovation ecosystem.
• Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three academic partners in the TILT Student programme. HVL is establishing a Makerspace with a student incubator at Kronstad in Bergen, strengthening its HVL Skape programme with student staff, and mobilising students across the region from Førde to Haugesund.
• Universitetet i Bergen (UiB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the TILT Student programme, delivering innovation pilots and courses for international students. UiB's innovation office is co-developing the programme alongside HVL and NHH.
• Norges Handelshøyskole (NHH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in the TILT Student programme. NHH is launching an intensive innovation sprint and a practice-based master's course in entrepreneurship and scaling from its new innovation lab in Bergen.
• Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHVL is the recipient of a 25 million NOK grant from Agenda Vestlandet to establish Western Norway's first dedicated School of Entrepreneurship at master's level. The programme will be tailored to the region's specific characteristics and needs.
• Respons AnalyseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProduces the quarterly Næringsindeksen (formerly Vestlandsindeksen) together with Sparebanken Norge. Surveys 700 business leaders across Norway each quarter to measure current results and future expectations.
• SlingshotminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organisation aimed at scaling companies along Western Norway to create growth and sustainable jobs. Targeted at existing early-stage businesses with growth potential. Listed in Agenda Vestlandet's Verktøykassa (toolkit) of financing options.
• Ocean Tech Scaling ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA 12-week programme designed to help companies create and implement international scaling strategies and rapid growth. Listed in Agenda Vestlandet's Verktøykassa as a resource for companies pursuing growth.
• EitricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth innovation centre and incubator receiving 12.5 million NOK from Agenda Vestlandet to strengthen the development of new health technology solutions based on concrete clinical needs.
• Stiftelsen Fabrikken ved FjordencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReceiving 14 million NOK from Agenda Vestlandet to build a new, ambitious power centre for sustainable textile industry on Western Norway.
• Polyfon kunnskapsklynge for musikkterapiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMusic therapy knowledge cluster receiving 7.5 million NOK from Agenda Vestlandet for a national scaling of music therapy services across Bergen, Kristiansand and Oslo.
• Næringsstiftinga i Sogn og FjordaneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA separate foundation under the Agenda Vestlandet umbrella that supports sustainable projects. Listed as a funding option in the Verktøykassa for entrepreneurs with ideas for new services or products in green transition and sustainable development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kavli Foundation: Major Norwegian foundation distributing philanthropic grants to research, culture and humanitarian causes. Comparable as a large Norwegian grantmaking institution, though with a national/international mandate and broader thematic scope than a regional green-transition anchor.
• Norsk Hydro's Fond for Norsk Hydro: Major Norwegian industrial foundation supporting research, education and community development, with significant climate and industrial transition focus. Comparable as a large Norwegian grantmaking institution with explicit emphasis on industrial transformation themes adjacent to the green transition.

Others

• Vestland Fylkeskommune: Regional county authority for Vestland with its own economic development, sustainability and cultural funding mandates. Adjacent public-sector actor with overlapping beneficiaries in Western Norway; a key regional counterpart whose priorities shape the foundation's pipeline.
• Innovasjon Norge: Norwegian government's innovation and entrepreneurship funding agency. Frequently co-funds the same entrepreneurs and projects Agenda Vestlandet supports (e.g. STUD-ENT applications) — an adjacent enabling institution rather than a direct competitor, but a key ecosystem counterpart.

Direct peers

• Grieg Foundation: Norwegian family foundation supporting youth, culture, research and regional development on the West Coast of Norway. Partially overlapping geographic footprint (Western Norway) and parallel focus on youth/leadership, making it a close thematic peer within the same region.
• Sparebankstiftelsen DNB: The DNB savings bank foundation distributing philanthropic capital nationally. Comparable as another Norwegian savings-bank-anchored foundation allocating funds to community, research and culture; a broader geographic mandate but identical institutional origin story.
• Sparebankstiftelsen SR-Bank: The savings bank foundation of Sparebanken SR-Bank, distributing philanthropic funds across Rogaland and surrounding regions. Highly comparable operating model: established by a major savings bank, distributes grants across multiple focus areas (culture, education, community, research), and serves as a regional ecosystem builder.
• Sparebankstiftelsen SpareBank 1: SpareBank 1 alliance foundations supporting savings bank philanthropic activities. Operates a similar model of regional capital deployment with grantmaking, competence programmes and community-building initiatives.

Emerging players

• Nordic Green Bank / Nordic Investment Bank Green programmes: Multilateral and Nordic-level institutions funding green transition projects across the Nordics. An emerging alternative capital source for the same beneficiaries Agenda Vestlandet targets; relevant for understanding the competitive funding landscape for regional green projects.

Regional players

• Sparebankstiftelsen Helgeland: Regional savings bank foundation in Northern Norway (Helgeland). Closely comparable structure (savings bank → foundation → regional grantmaking) but operating in a different geography; useful benchmark for regional foundation impact models.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/agenda-vestlandet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Agenda Vestlandet