What Vaager Innovasjon does

Vaager Innovasjon AS is a Norwegian business development and innovation consultancy headquartered in Dokka, Nordre Land, with operations across six locations in the Innlandet region (Dokka, Raufoss, Kapp, two in Gjøvik, and Brumunddal). Founded in 2000 with roots in the SINTEF environment and the Raufoss manufacturing cluster, the firm operates as both a næringshage (business garden) and an incubator under Norway's national innovation system, holding direct partnerships with Innovasjon Norge and SIVA. Following the February 1, 2026 merger with Landsbyen Næringshage AS, the combined entity is led by CEO Ingunn Rønningen Kleven and serves SMBs, startups, industrial companies, defense and cybersecurity firms, and municipalities across Innlandet and, via cross-border projects, into Central Scandinavia.

The company's service portfolio is organized into three core programs — Vaager Oppstart (startup support, including the Boost It two-month accelerator and Etablererkurs founder courses), Vaager Utvikling (business development for established companies), and Vaager Vekst (growth acceleration for ambitious scaling firms) — supplemented by specialized offerings: Målbedrift long-term target-company partnerships, Kompetansemegling (competence brokering that links firms to NTNU, SINTEF, and Forskningsrådet funding), Bærekraft (sustainability consulting and Miljøfyrtårn certification), and Næringsvennlig kommuneundersøkelse (municipal business-friendliness surveys). Strategic project initiatives include Forsvarssatsing Innlandet (defense sector mobilization), Gjøvik Cyber City, Cybersikkerhet som vekstkraft i Innlandet, Prosjekt Langsiktig Rekruttering (PLR), Arbeidskraft for fremtiden, and the INTERREG CIRIS cross-border circularity project. The firm does not develop proprietary technology products; its core technology is its role as a network orchestrator across NTNU, SINTEF, NCE Manufacturing, MTNC catapult center, Norwegian Cybersecurity Cluster, and Digital Innlandet.

Vaager's business model blends public funding with professional services fees. Recurring revenue streams include advisory engagements under målbedrift agreements, course fees (Etablererkurs at 1,100 NOK, Varme arbeider kurs at 3,200 NOK, Kompetanseforum at 500 NOK per company), Miljøfyrtårn certification consulting, and project grants from Innovasjon Norge, SIVA, Innlandet Fylkeskommune, municipal partners, and EU Interreg. The go-to-market is consultative and community-led: long målbedrift relationships anchor mid-funnel conversion, while events, courses, and website content drive top-of-funnel awareness. The customer base spans more than 500 assisted companies across manufacturing, construction, agriculture, technology, hospitality, healthcare, finance, and automotive sectors.

Name

Vaager Innovasjon

Legal name

VAAGER Innovasjon AS

Website

https://vaager.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vaager Innovasjon AS is a Norwegian business development consultancy and incubator in the Innlandet region, delivering startup support, business development, growth acceleration, and sustainability advisory services to SMBs, startups, industrial companies, and municipalities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Business Development and Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416), Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services (541611), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Risk, Compliance & Internal Controls Consulting (BPAHACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

EHS Management Systems & ISO Consulting (ISO 14001/45001) (BPAHAJAF), Technical & Scientific Expert Networks (BPAHALAH), Lean Management & Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) (EDABAKAA)

Keywords

• Business development services
• Innovation advisory
• Incubator programs
• Startup support
• Business consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Dokka

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Advisory and Consulting Services: Revenue generated through long-term advisory engagements with target companies (målbedrifter) under formalized partnership agreements. Services include business development, strategic planning, and organizational development.
2. Incubator and Næringshage Programs: Services provided as part of national innovation system through partnerships with Innovasjon Norge and SIVA, operating as both incubator and næringshage (business garden) operator.
3. Courses and Training: Revenue from organizing and delivering courses including etablererkurs (founder courses), varme arbeider (hot work certifications), lederprogram (leadership programs), and other professional development offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vaager Innovasjon is a Norwegian business development and innovation consultancy operating as both a næringshage (business garden) and incubator under the national innovation system (Innovasjon Norge and SIVA). It delivers structured programs (Oppstart, Utvikling, Vekst), long-term målbedrift (target business) advisory partnerships, competence brokering connecting businesses with research, sustainability/Miljøfyrtårn certification services, founder courses, and shared office facilities across six locations in the Innlandet region.

Product overview

Vaager Innovasjon is a business development and innovation consultancy that operates as both a næringshage (business garden) and incubator. The company offers a structured portfolio of programs organized across three phases: Vaager Oppstart for early-stage entrepreneurs (including Etablererkurs and Boost It accelerator), Vaager Utvikling for established businesses seeking to strengthen competitiveness, and Vaager Vekst for ambitious companies scaling nationally or internationally. Complementing these are specialized services including Kompetansemegling (competence brokering connecting businesses with research), Bærekraft (sustainability and Miljøfyrtårn certification), and Næringsvennlig kommuneundersøkelse (municipality business-friendliness surveys). The company also drives several strategic project initiatives including Forsvarssatsing Innlandet (defense sector mobilization), Cybersikkerhet som vekstkraft (cybersecurity growth initiative), Gjøvik Cyber City (tech/cybersecurity arena), and cross-border projects like INTERREG CIRIS. As of February 2026, the organization incorporated the former Landsbyen Næringshage following a merger, operating from six locations across the Innlandet region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vaager Oppstart

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ companies assisted through programs and advisory services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Innovasjon NorgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVaager is an approved partner of Innovasjon Norge with a dual national mandate. This gives target companies direct access to public funding instruments, advisory services with innovation support, and a nationwide network.
• SIVAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVaager operates as part of SIVA's national innovation system, participating in incubator and næringshage programs. Access to SIVA's portfolio companies, catapult centers, and international networks.
• Innlandet FylkeskommunecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government partner providing support for business development initiatives, funding for projects, and collaboration on regional economic development strategies.
• NTNUcoreTechnology or IntegrationResearch and academia partner, particularly NTNU Gjøvik for cybersecurity and digital technology expertise. Students and research projects connected to regional businesses.
• SINTEFmajorTechnology or IntegrationResearch institution with historical connection to Vaager's founding. Provides access to cutting-edge research and technology expertise for regional businesses.
• NCE ManufacturingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian Centre of Expertise - one of Norway's leading industry clusters with around 60 companies, 4,000 employees, and 13 billion NOK in combined revenue. Focus on advanced lightweight materials and automated production.
• Manufacturing Technology Norwegian Catapult (MTNC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatapult center at Raufoss enabling companies to test concepts, pilot solutions, and verify technology for investments. Reduces development risk and time-to-market.
• TotAl-gruppenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArena for SMB companies in Innlandet connecting businesses with complementary expertise. Bridges SMBs, large companies, and funding instruments.
• Digital InnlandetmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital innovation cluster in Innlandet focused on digitalization and technology adoption in businesses.
• Raufoss IndustriparkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor industrial park and cluster hub where Vaager maintains presence and connects businesses to industrial ecosystem.
• Nordre Land KommunemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner through kommuneavtale (municipal agreement) for business development in Nordre Land municipality.
• Østre Toten KommunemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner for business development support and næringsforum collaboration.
• Interreg Sverige-NorgemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU cross-border cooperation program. Vaager participates in CIRIS project (Interregional Circularity in Central Scandinavia) promoting circular economy collaboration.
• Norwegian Cybersecurity ClustermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational cybersecurity cluster supporting the 'Cybersikkerhet som vekstkraft i Innlandet' project and Gjøvik Cyber City initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Innovasjon Norge: Norway's national innovation agency that funds and coordinates the regional innovation infrastructure Vaager is part of. Direct counterpart as the overarching mandate-grantor and network operator, with far broader service and funding scope.
• SIVA (Selskapet for Industrivekst): State-owned company that operates Norway's network of incubators, næringshager and catapult centers — Vaager sits directly inside the SIVA portfolio. SIVA sets the framework Vaager operates within, making it the closest systemic peer.

Others

• SINTEF: Norway's largest independent research institute, with historical roots in Vaager's founding. Acts as research partner and provides applied science and innovation competence brokering — closely overlapping with Vaager's Kompetansemegling service line.

Direct peers

• Norwegian Smart Care Cluster: Norwegian Centre of Expertise cluster focused on health and welfare technology, working with public and private actors across Norway. Comparable in being an NCE-style regional cluster with innovation intermediary functions similar to Vaager's role for manufacturing.
• Kunnskapsparken (Norwegian Knowledge Parks network): Network of Norwegian knowledge parks providing business development, advisory and incubation services to regional SMBs and startups. Closest functional peer to Vaager's næringshage/incubator model across other Norwegian regions.
• Digital Innlandet: Regional digitalization cluster in Innlandet focused on technology adoption and digital transformation for SMBs. Vaager's cyber/defense lead is the cluster developer; functional peer in digitalization advisory and cluster management.
• NCE Manufacturing: Norwegian Centre of Expertise cluster of ~60 manufacturing companies, headquartered at Raufoss with NOK 13B combined revenue. Vaager's cluster leader for NCE Manufacturing is on staff, making this a deeply overlapping cluster-management peer.

Emerging players

• Menon Economics: Norwegian economics and innovation research consultancy providing strategy, policy and cluster development advisory. Comparable in Norwegian-context business and innovation consulting with similar public-sector client base.
• Katapult (impact accelerator): Norwegian accelerator/venture platform supporting early-stage impact and tech companies. Overlaps with Vaager Oppstart and Boost It accelerator on the startup-advisory side but operates nationally and with investment orientation.

Regional players

• Raufoss Industripark: Major industrial park and cluster hub at Raufoss where Vaager maintains an office and connects into the advanced manufacturing ecosystem. Functions as a regional cluster peer with overlapping tenant/incubator-style services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vaager-innovasjon

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Vaager Innovasjon