Conferences

One of the world's largest energy conferences and expos - ONS 2026 - will have an Agder pavilion and an Agder reception.

The Agder pavilion is located in Hall 9 (booth 9160) and will serve as a hub and meeting point for networking. In addition to GCE NODE, this is who you will find at the pavilion:

Castor Drilling Solutions/Rotor Systems
Firenor
Future Production
Nymo
Nøsted &
Origo Solutions
Pentagon/JAS
Port of Kristiansand
University of Agder

The Agder pavilion is open Monday thru Thursday from 09:30 to 17:30.

There is a networking and get-together event Monday thru Wednesday at 15:00.

On Tuesday, a comprehensive tour of Agder companies and other relevant businesses at ONS will be organized.

And to close Tuesday, there is the traditional Agder Reception at 19:00 at Rosenkildehuset in downtown Stavanger.

Newbringer unveiled its new gaming technology to a crowd of investors and founders at the Deep Tech Island event in Mandal Thursday.

“This is the first time we demonstrate our platform publicly,” said Kjetil Tversland, CEO of Newbringer.

His company combines machine vision, AI, sensor fusion and custom hardware to make physical environments interactive, measurable, and playable. Transforming the real world into a gaming arena can be used for entertainment and training.

“We’re currently in an advanced pilot and rapidly moving toward commercialization. We expect to go to market in the first quarter of 2027. By then, we’ll have a fully industrialized product,” said Tversland.

Newbringer is already collaborating with Kristiansand Dyrepark (Zoo) and is now in the middle of securing an additional NOK 10 million in funding amid strong investor interest.

RD&I Manager at GCE NODE and Project Manager at Future Defense Industry South, Stephen Sayfritz, was impressed by the Newbringer technology.

CUTTING EDGE TECH COMPANIES
Deep Tech Island was supported by the GCE NODE and Digin project Future Defense Industry South. The event brought together cutting edge technology companies serving the defense sector and capital strong communities.

With defense as the backdrop, the program explored robotics, applied AI and space technology – fields where Norway and the Nordics are increasingly positioning themselves.

Daniel Cau Varming is the Founder and CEO of Space Lab, a Norwegian orbital launch and rocket development company.

The debate around dual use, that is technology that serves both civilian and military purposes, was a recurring theme.

Lars Jensen, Founding Partner at Scale Capital in Denmark warned that many companies build only for peace time conditions: “I don’t know if their products will function in wartime. Sometimes we need to fund things that can actually kill people. On the flip side, better peace time products can come from battlefield innovations,” said Jensen.

Newbringer is actively pursuing the dual-use path.

“Whether we build something for the entertainment industry or for training of military personnel, our tech stack is the same. That being said, we are likely to separate our defense initiative into a new company. That gives us the opportunity to build a dedicated team and attract specialized investors,” Tversland said.

Deep Tech Island brought together cutting edge technology companies and investors. The event was supported by Nordea and the GCE NODE / Digin project Future Defense Industry South.

GCE NODE and the University of Agder (UiA) have formalized a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening collaboration between industry and academia in the Agder region through 2030.

The agreement, signed today on UiA’s Kristiansand campus, commits the two parties to closer cooperation on education, research, innovation, and competence development. The ambition is to reinforce Agder’s position as one of Norway’s leading regions for technology and energy.

“By linking world class industrial environments with strong academic expertise, this agreement creates new opportunities for innovation, access to the right competence, and continued development of the regional business sector,” says Knut Mjåland, CEO of GCE NODE.

The partnership outlines several areas of collaboration, including:

student internships and placements in NODE companies
bachelor’s and master’s theses connected to industry challenges
continuing education tailored to industry needs
joint research and innovation projects
development of larger national and international initiatives

Rector at UiA, Sunniva Whittaker, emphasizes the importance of strong ties between the university and the regional business community.

“GCE NODE represents a key industry in our region. The university wants to stay close to the business sector, not only by supplying skilled graduates, but also through research collaboration and innovation. We also aim to strengthen NODE companies through continued education,” says Whittaker.

Running until 2030, the agreement is intended to bolster Agder’s position as an attractive region for knowledge driven industrial development.