FI - Fremtidens Industri

What FI - Fremtidens Industri does

Fremtidens Industri AS (FI) is a Norwegian cluster development and business incubation company headquartered in Vanvikan, Trøndelag, with branch offices in Trondheim and Brekstad. Founded in 2004 as Leksvik Industriell Vekst following Pipelife's departure from Vanvikan, the company evolved through a 2015 merger with Austrått Innovasjon and was rebranded to its current name in 2020. FI manages six industry clusters — NCE Aquatech Cluster (aquaculture supplier industry), Ocean Autonomy Cluster (autonomous maritime solutions), RENERGY (renewable energy), NORDSEC (defence and security), Agritech Cluster, and BEATklyngen (construction, civil engineering and real estate) — reaching a network of approximately 500 businesses across Norway.

The company's operating stack combines cluster management, business incubation, business garden services, and financial advisory under one umbrella. FI Næringshage delivers subsidised business consulting to SMEs in the Fosen region (up to 75% discount through Siva), while FI Ocean Space Incubator provides Siva-backed incubation for ocean and energy startups, and wholly-owned FI Economics AS offers accounting and financial advisory services. Member companies gain access to NTNU and SINTEF research environments, the Trondheimsfjord autonomous-ship test area (world's first, since 2016), and Testination/Nyhavna testing infrastructure. Marketing and go-to-market is community-led, anchored by cluster membership fees, collaborative EU and national grant facilitation (over 500M NOK facilitated to industrial projects in recent years), webinars, and live technology demonstrations such as the 2026 US Navy autonomous-drone event in Trondheim.

FI is majority-owned (66.2%) by Leksvik Industriell Vekst Holding AS, a holding whose ownership is approximately 80% private regional investors and 20% the municipalities of Indre Fosen and Inderøy, with the remaining 33.8% held by five mid-Norwegian banks. The company holds Eco-Lighthouse (Miljøfyrtårn) certification and operates within the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme jointly administered by Innovation Norway, Siva, and the Research Council of Norway.

Name

FI - Fremtidens Industri

Legal name

Fremtidens Industri AS

Website

https://fi-nor.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fremtidens Industri (FI) is a Norwegian cluster development and business incubation company headquartered in Vanvikan, Trøndelag. It manages six industry clusters — aquaculture (NCE Aquatech), ocean autonomy, renewable energy (RENERGY), defence (NORDSEC), agritech, and built environment (BEATklyngen) — serving approximately 500 member companies through subsidised advisory, incubation, and EU funding facilitation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Innovation Cluster Development Services

NAICS

Management of Companies and Enterprises (55111), Aquaculture (11251)

akta.pro primary industry

SME & Entrepreneurship Development (Trade-Linked) (BPADAMAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microgrid Development, EPC & Integration (EUAMAJAB), Telematics & Fleet/Asset Tracking (Equipment Connectivity) (AFAAAFAD)

Keywords

• Cluster development services
• Business incubation programs
• Innovation consulting services
• Industry cluster management
• EU funding facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Vanvikan

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Business Advisory and Consulting Services: FI Næringshage provides subsidised business consulting services to target companies, including strategy development, project development, financing applications, project management, and networking facilitation. Services are provided at discounted rates (up to 75% discount) as a Siva-recognised business garden.
2. Cluster Membership and Network Access: Companies participate in industry clusters (NCE Aquatech, Ocean Autonomy, RENERGY, NORDSEC, Agritech, BEATklyngen) and business networks, gaining access to over 500 businesses and organisations. Revenue is derived from membership fees and collaborative project engagements.
3. Incubator Services: FI Ocean Space Incubator provides subsidised incubation services for early-stage and growth companies in ocean and energy sectors, including business development, project support, commercialisation, strategy, marketing, communication, capital, and internationalisation assistance.
4. EU Project Financing Facilitation: FI helps businesses and cluster projects secure EU and national funding. Through the clusters, over 500 million NOK has been facilitated to national industrial projects in recent years.
5. FI Economics Accounting Services: FI Economics AS provides financial and accounting advisory services to companies within and around the FI ecosystem.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

FI - Fremtidens Industri is a cluster development and innovation company that manages six industry clusters (aquaculture, ocean autonomy, renewable energy, defence and security, agritech, and built environment) and operates a business garden (FI Næringshage), an ocean/energy incubator (FI Ocean Space Incubator), and an accounting subsidiary (FI Economics). The company delivers subsidised business advisory, project development, EU funding facilitation, and networking services to a network of approximately 500 businesses and organisations in Trøndelag, Norway.

Product overview

FI - Fremtidens Industri is a cluster development and innovation company offering a portfolio of interconnected services including FI Næringshage (business consulting), FI Ocean Space Incubator (incubator program for ocean/energy companies), and FI Economics (financial advisory). The company manages multiple industry clusters spanning aquaculture (NCE Aquatech Cluster), renewable energy (RENERGY), ocean autonomy (Ocean Autonomy Cluster), agritech (Agritech Cluster), defence and security (NORDSEC), and real estate/construction (BEATklyngen). These clusters are supported by specialized services including business consulting, project development, communication services, and networking facilitation, all designed to foster innovation and sustainable growth across Norwegian industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NCE Aquatech Cluster: One of the world's largest aquaculture clusters with over 100 partners, focusing on supplier industry to Norwegian aquaculture sector.
• RENERGY
• Ocean Autonomy Cluster
• Agritech Cluster
• NORDSEC
• BEATklyngen

Products and services

• FI Næringshage

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 million NOK facilitated to national industrial projects through cluster collaborations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Leksvik Industriell Vekst Holding AScoreOthersPrimary parent company owning 66.2% of Fremtidens Industri AS. LIV Holding represents the industrial heritage from Leksvik and is a blend of public and private owners (approx. 80% private investors and industrial companies, approx. 20% owned by Indre Fosen and Inderøy municipalities).
• NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld-leading research partner in Trondheim. FI collaborates with NTNU on research projects, student connections, and technology development across all cluster areas. NTNU Shore Control Lab and other facilities are key components of the Nyhavna innovation ecosystem.
• SINTEFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Norwegian research organisation and key R&D partner across ocean technology, aquaculture, energy and defence sectors. SINTEF provides scientific expertise and testing capabilities that support FI cluster companies.
• TMA BlueTech (San Diego)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican cluster organisation based in San Diego, key cooperation partner for Ocean Autonomy Cluster. Organised Norway Trade Mission 2026, connecting US ocean technology companies with Norwegian research environments and businesses in Trondheim.
• StartupTRDminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership of co-working spaces, incubators and accelerators in Trondheim. Supported by SpareBank 1 SMN, Adolf Øiens Fond and Trondheim Municipality, providing infrastructure, meeting places, networks, advisory resources and capital to entrepreneurs.
• BDO NorwayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDO Norway co-leads NCE Aquatech Cluster alongside FI, with Ellie Johansen (BDO) as cluster leader and Bjørn Damhaug (FI) as deputy leader.
• Norwegian Innovation Clusters (NIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian Innovation Clusters (NIC) is a cooperation programme operated by Innovation Norway together with Siva and the Research Council. FI is responsible for several clusters within this programme: NCE Aquatech Cluster (NCE level), Ocean Autonomy Cluster (Arena level), NORDSEC (Arena level), and Agritech Cluster.
• Smart Grid Services SAminorOthersAssociation of 25 members working on smart grid products and services. FI provides administration, project management, project development and connections to the innovation ecosystem for Smart Grid Services SA.
• Smart Water Norway (SWN)minorOthersNational cluster/association for suppliers, contractors and consultants in the Norwegian water sector. FI assists SWN leadership and board with cluster development expertise.
• TestinationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTestination connects companies with test facilities and competence environments, part of the Norwegian Catapult system for autonomy and control rooms. Led by Frode Halvorsen, Testination works with FI's Ocean Autonomy Cluster at Nyhavna, Trondheim.
• Nyhavna Utvikling AScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNyhavna Utvikling AS owns Dora 2 AS, the company behind the test facilities at Nyhavna in Trondheim. Partnership with FI/Cluster organisations strengthens access to testing infrastructure for ocean technology companies.
• Norsk KatapultcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTestination is part of the Norwegian Catapult system for autonomy and control rooms, providing national testing infrastructure access for FI member companies.
• Indre Fosen MunicipalityminorOthersOne of the municipal owners (approx. 20% stake) of Leksvik Industriell Vekst Holding AS, which is the majority owner of Fremtidens Industri.
• Inderøy MunicipalityminorOthersOne of the municipal owners (approx. 20% stake) of Leksvik Industriell Vekst Holding AS, which is the majority owner of Fremtidens Industri.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Oslo Cancer Cluster: Norwegian NCE-level life science cluster. Comparable cluster business model to FI with member engagement, R&D facilitation, and innovation services supported by the Norwegian Innovation Clusters programme.
• Kongsberg Innovasjon: Norwegian business incubator and cluster development organisation based in Kongsberg. Similar business model to FI in combining incubation services, cluster management, and business garden functions with Siva funding access.
• Norway Health Tech: Norwegian health technology cluster with Arena/NCE recognition. Similar cluster management business model to FI with member services, EU funding facilitation, and internationalisation support across a specialised vertical.
• Eyde Cluster: Norwegian process industry cluster based in Porsgrunn with NCE status. Comparable to FI in managing industry collaboration, EU project participation, and member-driven innovation across process and materials industries.
• NCE Seafood Innovation: NCE-level aquaculture innovation cluster based in Bergen, focused on sustainable seafood production. Directly comparable to FI's NCE Aquatech Cluster in terms of aquaculture supplier industry development, member services, and innovation support.
• GCE Blue Maritime: Stavanger-based Norwegian maritime cluster organisation with similar cluster development mandate across ocean industries. Comparable to FI's Ocean Autonomy Cluster in managing industry collaboration, EU funding access, and member services for maritime technology companies.
• NCE Maritime CleanTech: Norwegian NCE-level cluster focused on clean maritime technology, headquartered in Bergen. Directly comparable to FI's cluster portfolio given similar NIC programme participation, EU funding facilitation, and maritime technology focus.

Broad incumbents

• Innovation Norway: Norwegian government agency providing innovation funding and internationalisation services, co-driver of the NIC programme that FI's clusters participate in. Comparable in ecosystem role but operates nationally across all sectors rather than regionally.
• Siva SF: Norwegian state-owned enterprise that funds and recognises business gardens and incubators including FI's programmes. A super-ordinate peer that defines the regulatory and funding framework within which FI operates; comparable in the cluster/incubation ecosystem but at national policy level.

Regional players

• TMA BlueTech: San Diego-based ocean technology cluster organisation and FI's international partner for the 2026 Norway Trade Mission. Comparable cluster development and ocean technology focus, but operates in North America rather than Norway.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fremtidensindustri
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fi-fremtidensindustri
• Instagraminstagram.com/fremtidensindustri

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about FI - Fremtidens Industri