Norwegian Smart Care Cluster Renews its Gold Status

Setting the Tone with an Impressive Evaluation

The European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA) conducted a thorough evaluation of the Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC), awarding an impressive score of 96%.
The recertification, valid for three years, is a recognition of the long-term excellent work in developing an efficient and skilled cluster administration delivering value and collaboration to NSCC’s over 280 members, including 180 companies, more than 80 municipalities and public actors, 8 universities and colleges, as well as 10 user organizations.
Chairwoman Elsa Søyland expresses pride: "What a job the team has done, and once again we have achieved gold certification!" CEO Arild Kristensen shares the joy: "We greatly appreciate this recognition. It proves that our cluster administration delivers at the highest standards and we continue our work with the same dedication." This is also an important achievement in terms of attracting international collaborations for our members.

Comprehensive Quality Assessment Leads to Gold Status

ESCA's gold certification of clusters involves a comprehensive evaluation of various aspects such as finances, organizational structure, member engagement, and success stories. This thorough process ensures that only clusters meeting high standards of quality and efficiency achieve gold status, making it an important quality mark. Gold status from ESCA reflects a cluster that not only meets but excels in several critical areas of cluster management and operation.

Selected Success Stories:

As part of the gold certification process, NSCC reported three selected success stories that illustrate the work of the cluster during the period.

Success Story 1: HealthCatalyst
HealthCatalyst is an example of how NSCC, in collaboration with other gold-certified health clusters, has worked to establish Norway as a leading testing area for the health sector. The project focuses on challenges related to the development of precision medicine and digital health solutions. HealthCatalyst AS, established in 2022, enhances testing and commercialization of products, contributing to innovation in the Norwegian health industry.

Success Story 2: EIRAccelerator
EIRAccelerator is a tailor-made accelerator program for early growth companies in digital health, welfare technology, and medtech. The highly successful program contributes to the professionalization of the companies, attracts investors, and has resulted in significant capital fundraisings and industrial partnerships.

Success Story 3: Pilot Health
Pilot Health is a financing initiative promoting innovation in the health sector. This initiative supports the development of comprehensive solutions based on patient needs. NSCC has played an active role in mobilizing its members to participate in the program, resulting in several funded projects.

An Exciting Future Ahead

"With NSCC's recertification, we look forward to continuing our work and building further. We are not just a collection of companies and institutions; we are an ecosystem driving innovation for better healthcare services," says Arild Kristensen. "With the health industry now a national export initiative and the roadmap for the health industry, we are facing exciting times. The government's 12 focus areas, including the catapult scheme and access to public health data, are vital. This gives us hope that the Norwegian health industry will grow both nationally and internationally."