"The cluster program will congratulate the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster so much with gold certification. It's a confirmation of a well run cluster."
- Espen Warland, head of the cluster program Norwegian Innovation Clusters
Vis fakta
– We are very proud to get a total score of 95 percent on our first application for gold certification, and now qualify for NCE status in the national cluster program. This is a good indicator that we work professionally for the best for our members.
Arild Kristensen, CEO Norwegian Smart Care Cluster

About the cluster program Norwegian Innovation Clusters: It consists of Norwegian clusters at three levels: Arena, Arena Pro and GCE. NCE is no longer a program, but a brand name that clusters can qualify for.

Norwegian Centres of Expertise: NCE contributes to targeting, improving and accelerating ongoing development processes in Norwegian clusters. Norway currently has 12 NCE clusters with companies that assert themselves in their fields in the global market.

The European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA): Is the one-stop shop for promoting Cluster Management Excellence through benchmarking and quality labelling of cluster management organisations worldwide. The Berlin-based organisation coordinates a network of around 200 cluster experts from more than 30 countries, which offer benchmarking and labelling services on behalf of ESCA. In addition, ESCA provides hands-on advice to cluster managers on cluster development and supports cluster policy makers and programme owners with advice on cluster programme development.

The European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis awards three different Quality Labels to qualified cluster management organisations.

TEAM NSCC: A bunch of people with a burning commitment to health and technology. They work every day to ensure that smart solutions create a better everyday health. This is team NSCC.

Norwegian Smart Care Cluster is a gold cluster: - This is a sign of quality

The cluster has been approved for gold certification in the EU's certification scheme. This shows that NSCC is a professional organization and attractive as a partner in EU projects.

Text and photo: Jofrid Åsland, communications manager Norwegian Smart Care Cluster

In October 2021, two nice people visited the clusters main office in Stavanger. Yet the whole team was quite nervous. Why? These two were to go through the entire organization from A to Z in two days. And finally we can spread the happy news, the result after the review.

– We can rightly say that the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster is as good as gold! Not least, this is an important stamp of quality for us, says Arild Kristensen.

He has been CEO of the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster from it's start 7 years ago. At that time, the staff consisted of himself and a communications advisor in a 30 percent position. Now the cluster consists of seven and a half FTE's spread between a wonderful bunch of people.

WHO IS NSCC? Get a full overview of the cluster

What does the gold certification mean?

The European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA) assess whether the clusters live up to the standard required to obtain the Gold Label certification. ESCA assess, among other things, the cluster's structure, management's maturity, financing, strategy, goals and services.

– The certification is valid for two years. We must continuously work on improvement to reach recertification in two years and keep the gold quality stamp, emphasizes the cluster leader.

– The cluster program will congratulate the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster so much with gold certification. It's a confirmation of a well run cluster. We hope the certification will give the cluster more contact points and collaboration opportunities in Europe, and contribute to the member companies having even greater opportunities for more value creation and export, says Espen Warland, head of the cluster program Norwegian Innovation Clusters.

Works for the members

During the review in October, the professionals from ESCA measured the cluster on 31 indicators. Here, the cluster must achieve a minimum quality requirement at each point. A total of 80 percent is required for the goal achievement.

– We are very proud to get a total score of 95 percent on our first application for gold certification, and now qualify for NCE status in the national cluster program. This is a good indicator that we work professionally for the best for our members, says Kristensen.

The cluster team is looking forward to new goals. High activity and many exciting projects are ongoning and coming up.

Accelerates the health industry with EIRA

In August, the first pilot of this new program was launched with six companies that are gearing up to grow. This growth program will provide them with tools to achieve their goals. Through practical tasks and challenges, companies can individually adapt development courses.

THE PROJECT MANAGER: Therese Oppegaard works as a business developer in the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster, and leads the EIRA accelerator project.

Norwegian Smart Care Cluster has started this program in collaboration with Validé, Aleap and Norway Health Tech. This collaboration provides the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge of the partners, and give the participating companies the best possible boost in their development.

– When we started the development of EIRA, it was important for us to talk to the companies we were developing this for. The review melody after the user survey was: Companies in growth wanted a scheme that was individually adapted and more focused on health. In other words, a program where the activities were more tailored to the companies' own goals and needs. We have taken this seriously, says Therese Oppegaard, project manager for EIRA.

WANT TO KNOW MORE: EIRA - a digital accelerator for the healthcare industry

An international test center

Norwegian Smart Care Lab (NSCL) is an international test center and Living Lab for welfare technology. – We help you test tomorrow's welfare technology solutions, says Marit Hagland.

COMMITTED: Marit Hagland, head of NSCL, is eager for innovation and development of new solutions.

Norwegian Smart Care Lab is involved in the entire innovation race. The lab is a resource center for companies that develop new solutions, and players who want to use the solutions.

READ MORE: The NSCL website

Arkiv