Conferences

“I am very excited to be back! My interest has always been in the offshore sector, and I look forward to working more within this field,” says McDougall.

Three years ago, she spent time with GCE NODE as part of the Trainee Sør program. After completing the program, McDougall joined the Kristiansand Chamber of Commerce, where she has worked with business policy for the last two and a half years.

At GCE NODE, McDougall will be heavily involved in the cluster’s major projects within oil and gas, offshore wind and defense.

“We are very pleased to welcome Tina back to GCE NODE. She made a very good impression as a trainee and she has also done great work for the region in her other capacities,” says Knut Mjåland, CEO of GCE NODE.

Tina McDougall is a 29-year-old native of Andøy in Nordland County, but she has lived in Grimstad and Kristiansand for the last ten years.

Hosted by the project Future Defense Industry South (FFS), the meeting in Kristiansand focused on how dual-use products and technology can enhance scalability and resilience, while still requiring clear priorities around customer needs, standards, certification processes, and go to market strategies.

Speakers at the event in Kristiansand included Lars Fredrik Gyland (Statens kartverk), Christian Skeie (Antisink), Kjetil Tversland (Newbringer), and Thomas Meyer (Unplugged).

They provided real world perspectives on geodata and AI for defense readiness, the shift from civilian to defense markets, gaming inspired training technologies, and emerging dual use solutions.

“It has been a fantastic start with tremendous interest. What pleases me most is how companies share knowledge and experience. Those already established are generous with their time and eager to help others in Agder succeed together,” says Stephen Sayfritz, Project Manager for Future Defense Industry South (FFS).

On Monday, participants were introduced to defense requirements and supplier readiness. Many local companies came to learn from the experiences of Oscar Pedersen, Kitron and Defendable, and to explore how to become suppliers and subcontractors to the defense sector.

The project’s ambition is to create 1,400 new jobs in Agder over the next decade.

A meeting on Tuesday focused on research and development opportunities, including funding pathways. Tor Borgar Hansen from the Research Council of Norway presented upcoming calls, highlighting major initiatives such as new research centers and data driven defense projects.

Timo Nikolaisen from the Agder European Office outlined EU funding opportunities, including the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EIC Accelerator, and the European Competitiveness Fund.

Companies also heard firsthand from Pixii’s Chief Innovation Officer, Ole Jakob Sørdalen, who shared lessons from the EDF project SENTINEL, emphasizing the demanding application process but also the strong financial support and valuable networks it provides.

Rune Storvold from NORCE concluded by pointing to the vast landscape of future defense procurements and collaboration opportunities, noting that research institutes are eager to work closely with industry to seize them.

Also on Tuesday, executives from several leading engineering, production, and digital service companies met at KSMV in Søgne. After a tour of the facilities, the group discussed how Agder can collaborate to strengthen Norway’s national contribution to the defense industry.

“Again, the level of willingness to stand together and help each other succeed is overwhelming. The project is off to a truly great start,” concludes Sayfritz.