Meet our CEO and Chairperson

Energy Valley CEO Vibeke Østlyngen and Chairperson Vilde Bjerknes

You might have noticed there have been a few changes at Energy Valley in the last several months. However, while we announced a shift in CEOs, we haven’t spoken broadly about our new Chairperson of the Board yet. So, we’d like to take the opportunity now to introduce you to our new Chairperson, as well as go a bit more in-depth with our CEO in this interview with the two of them.

In Q3 2025, Vibeke Østlyngen stepped into the role of (interim) CEO after having worked in Energy Valley as the Head of Projects and Administration since 2023. Around the same time, Vilde Bjerknes, who has been a member of the Board for over a year, stepped into the role of Chairperson of the Board. 

Now, while it’s human nature to be nervous about change, the latest changes in Energy Valley leadership are not so much massive changes as they are a natural shift with a renewed focus on what the cluster needs to continue to grow and bring additional value to our members.

“For the Energy Valley cluster, I think the role change represents stability and continuity,” confirms Vibeke. “There will be a continuation in the cluster administration, as I have been in Energy Valley since the end of 2023, and worked closely with both the previous CEOs Preben Strøm and Bjørn Ottar Elseth.”

The sentiment was similar from Vilde who said, “I don’t think the change will be jarring, as I will be continuing on much of the work from my predecessors. As Chair of the Board, I have the opportunity to follow the Energy Valley administration closely through Vibeke, and what excites me is the opportunity to support the good work being done among the members and catered for by the Energy Valley team. I truly believe that clusters like Energy Valley play an important role in developing the energy industry, and I look forward to continuing to be a part of it.”

Continuity and collaboration

Having already worked together for some time now, both women see collaboration as one of the key strengths going forward.

“The way I see it, my role is twofold: make sure the Board functions as a place where we can discuss and set a direction for Energy Valley that reflects the needs and expectation of the members,” says Vilde. “In addition, I will support Vibeke in executing the strategy the best I can; I hope to be a valuable sparring partner for her and the team, helping enable Vibeke, together with the administration, in ensuring Energy Valley delivers on the projects and cluster activities from day-to-day.”

“In Energy Valley, we are fortunate to have an active and supporting Board focusing on the future of the cluster, and caring for how we support our members,” confirms Vibeke. “Vilde and I support each other in driving Energy Valley forward – I focus on the operational part and she more so on the strategic side.”

And as Vibeke likes to say, “Cooperation, curiosity, and an open mind will always bring us forward faster.”

What does success look like?

As Vilde points out, the energy business is in the middle of a transformation, presenting both significant opportunities and some challenges for our members.

“Energy Valley has a solid member base and a well-established approach to supporting the members in developing their business accordingly,” she notes. “But funding may be a challenge going forward, and I believe that we must look for extended cooperation and potentially new structures to secure a robust cluster for the future.”

“Success in the cluster is seeing the members and partners being activity involved preparing the energy system for the future,” says Vibeke. “For the cluster administration, that means we are facilitating a good environment for collaboration.”

Part of facilitating that good environment is having a broad understanding of what other organisations in the energy space – and even other nations – are focusing on and continuously developing industry knowledge. Later this month, Vibeke and Vilde are paying a visit to the Danish energy cluster to do exactly that.

“We sometimes work together with Energy Cluster Denmark on projects, such as a cooperation project with Energy Cluster Denmark funded by Viken, and the currently on-going BalticSeaH2 project,” says Vibeke, “and really appreciate the opportunity for knowledge-sharing with them.”

Keeping the members front and centre

No matter who you ask in Energy Valley, the members are always the primary focus for all of us. And if you are a member (or considering becoming one!), we’d like to hear from you.

“To deliver value, we must understand our members’ needs, so I encourage everyone to suggest and promote activities they find valuable. Energy Valley should be defined by its members. The role of both the team and the board is simply to support the community and help it thrive,” concludes Vilde.

Other articles

Reflections from Oslo Innovation Week

Panel discussion

During Oslo Innovation Week, Energy Valley held a two-session event, together with Capgemini. Here are some of the key takeaways…

SESSION I

Building the Future of Talent

What does it really take to build global companies out of Norway — and what kind of leadership and talent will define our next chapter? At our “Building the Future of Talent” session during Oslo Innovation Week, Energy Valley’s Preben Strøm explored these questions together with John Markus Lervik (Cognite), Snorre Valdimarsson (Thommessen) and two outstanding Future Energy Leaders — Shipra Mohan and Bielenis Villanueva Triana.

Discussion on what it takes to be successful in the drive for talent

A few takeaways stood out:

💡 “The combination of grit and deep domain competence is crucial for success when building a global tech company.”

  • John Markus Lervik, reminding us that endurance and expertise matter more than hype – and that life balance, not work/life balance, is what truly counts.

💡 “We should nurture and support business talents the same way we do with sports talents.”

  • Norway needs to get better at identifying and investing early in people who can scale ideas globally.

💡 “The best and most efficient employees are women with small kids.” 

  • Snorre Valdimarsson highlighted that diversity is not just fair, it’s efficient – and that inclusion is a competitive advantage.

💡 “Norway is a great country to live in – and to build your career.”

  • As one of our Future Energy Leaders put it.
Panel discussion: Building the Future of Talents

At the core of the discussion was a shared belief:
👉 Talent is Norway’s most important resource, but how we develop, empower and trust that talent will determine whether we stay a local success story or become a truly global one.

SESSION II

The Power of Energy Efficiency in Industry Innovation

Alexander Glowacki (Senior Lead Strategist & People Manager, Strategy, Design & AI, frog, part of Capgemini Invent) had some key takeaways from the second session of the day. Here’s what he had to say…

Most people agree that great collaboration drives innovation. Yet, establishing valuable partnerships remains a challenge.

During Oslo Innovation Week, we tackled this topic through an intimate workshop on energy efficiency collaboration. Together with Simoen Moxnes from Equinor and Gina Arnestad from Statnett, we identified real barriers and actionable solutions for founder-corporate partnerships.

Equinor: the energy transition IS happening!

Three key barriers

Speed mismatch:
Startups need to move fast to survive. Industry majors need time to navigate complex decision-making. This creates friction.

Navigation complexity:
The sheer size of corporations makes it difficult for younger companies to identify the right entry points for partnerships.

Communication gaps:
Misaligned language and expectations create friction. What startups call “partnership” might mean something entirely different to a corporate.

Gina Arnestad, Statnett

The good news…

Don’t worry, in spite of the barriers, it’s not all doom and gloom! Progress IS happening! Equinor is engaging with Innovation Dock and StartupLab. Statnett has built a portal for partnership submissions.

But we need continued dialogue to bridge the existing gaps.

Here’s a perspective shift: innovation in energy efficiency isn’t new. In the early 1900s, whale oil dominated lighting before kerosene took over. Today, LED technology reigns supreme.

So, here’s a question for us all to contemplate: What will be the “whale oil” of our time? What seems essential today but will be obsolete in 20 years?

Other articles

Join us in nominating Bærum’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2025!

Award ceremony from Årets Gründer 2024

Nominate your candidate for Bærum’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and help shine a spotlight on those building the business landscape of tomorrow.

Energy Valley is part of the jury for “Årets gründer i Bærum 2025” (Entrepreneur of the Year 2025) for Bærum Næringsråd and we’d like your input. Do you have any candidates in mind for nomination?

The prize, which will be presented on 20 November, is awarded to companies that stand out for their innovation, drive, and commitment to sustainability. It honours entrepreneurs who have established themselves in Bærum within the past five years. Entrepreneurs are hardworking and courageous individuals with a product or idea they believe in—contributing to innovation and value creation.

If you know someone who deserves to be celebrated, we’d love to hear from you as soon as possible. Please send all nominations to Vibeke Østlyngen no later than 27 October (so we have time to pass those nominations on!)

To learn more about the criteria, take a look at the article (in Norwegian) on Bærum Næringsråd’s website.

Other articles

Tilskudd til forskning og innovasjon i bedrift

Små og mellomstore bedrifter i Akershus kan nå søke om tilskudd for å bruke forskning i utviklingen av nye produkter og løsninger. Målet med ordningen er å styrke innovasjonsevnen og konkurransekraften i næringslivet gjennom støtte til forsknings- og innovasjonsprosjekter.

Hvem kan søke?

Ordningen er åpen for små og mellomstore bedrifter organisert som aksjeselskaper, samt foretak registrert i Enhetsregisteret som driver jordbruksproduksjon. Bedriften må ha lønnede ansatte både på søknadstidspunktet og i prosjektfasen, samt være registrert med forretningsadresse i Akershus.

Hva kan dere få støtte til?

Tilskuddet kan dekke inntil 50 % av de totale prosjektkostnadene for forsknings- og innovasjonsprosjekter. En forutsetning er samarbeid med en godkjent forskningsinstitusjon, og forskningen må utgjøre en nødvendig del av prosjektet. Dette må gjenspeiles i budsjettet.

Hvor mye støtte kan dere få?

Bedrifter kan søke om inntil 750 000 kroner per prosjekt. Prosjektperioden kan være opptil ett år. Totalt er det satt av 10 millioner kroner til ordningen i 2025.

Viktige frister

Det er to søknadsfrister i 2025: 2. mai og 1. november. Dersom det gjenstår midler, vil det være mulig å søke på nytt senere samme år.

Hvordan søker dere?

Søknad sendes via regionalforvaltning.no. Før dere søker, er det viktig å lese retningslinjene som gir utfyllende informasjon om søknadskriterier og vurderingsprosessen.

Behandling og utbetaling

Søknader behandles innen én til to måneder. Søkere som får innvilget tilskudd, må returnere akseptbrev og kan deretter be om utbetaling gjennom regionalforvaltning.no.

Hvorfor deler Energy Valley denne informasjonen?

Energy Valley arbeider for å styrke innovasjon og samarbeid i energisektoren. Dette tilskuddet gir bedrifter en unik mulighet til å finansiere forskningsbaserte utviklingsprosjekter, noe som er avgjørende for økt verdiskaping og konkurransekraft.

Other articles

EUIF Grants – Energy Valley x Innovayt

One of the world’s largest funding opportunities for net-zero technologies is now open!

The EU Innovation Fund’s (EUIF) current call offers €3.4 billion in total grants, following a €12 billion allocation to projects over the past 4 years. This call provides lump-sum grants that cover up to 60% of project costs, making it an excellent opportunity for innovative technologies to become Europe’s flagship projects aimed at significantly reducing emissions in the energy and industrial sectors.

The EUIF supports key areas including innovative hydrogen production technologies, carbon capture and storage, renewable energy and energy storage. This commitment underscores its role in advancing diverse, essential energy technologies for Europe’s sustainable future, focusing on projects that have reached sufficient maturity. Furthermore, the fund has allocated a special budget of €1 billion for EV battery manufacturers to address Europe’s growing demand for electric vehicles. This substantial investment aims to spur innovation and competitiveness, positioning companies at the cutting edge of technology and strengthening their global market presence.

Successful projects leverage the visibility and credibility gained from EUIF support to attract further investment and expand into new markets. Norwegian companies benefit from additional support provided by Enova, which assists with the application process and offers financial aid to cover related expenses. From the previous deadline, 8 Norwegian companies received EUIF support, highlighting Norway’s technology’s alignment with EUIF goals.

The application deadline is 24 April, 2025. For companies interested in exploring this opportunity, Energy Valley is collaborating with Innovayt to provide guidance about the call and validate potential project matches. To set up a meeting and learn more, get in touch with Knut Linnerud on knut.linnerud@energyvalley.com.

Other articles