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Shifter: Airthings kjøper opp Airtight: Navnet var ikke den eneste likheten

Business News, Technology,

Airthings har de siste årene vokst seg store på luftsensorer og radonmåling. Selskapet startet med å utvikle enkle trådløse radonmålere, men satser nå på et bredt spekter av produkter og tjenester knyttet til måling av luftkvalitet.

Nå kjøper de opp Airthight, et norsk proptech-selskap som utvikler smart sensorteknologi for å redusere energitap i bygninger.

– Sammen med Airtight kan vi nå tilby en alt-i-ett-løsning til kundene våre, som ikke bare overvåker og identifiserer potensielle problemer, men som også løser dem, samtidig som vi hjelper planeten vår, sier CEO i Airthings, Øyvind Birkenes.

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SSB: The decline in the Norwegian economy in the second quarter was the deepest ever recorded

Business News,

Seasonally adjusted figures from the national accounts show that Mainland Norway’s GDP rose 3.7 per cent in June, after 2.2 per cent growth in May. The level of activity was still just under 6 per cent lower in June than in February, due to large declines in March and April. Growth in the second quarter ended at -6.3 percent.

Activity in the Norwegian economy fell sharply after the introduction of infection control measures on 12 March. Mainland Norway’s GDP fell 7.3 per cent in March and another 4.1 per cent in April. The decline was particularly strong in many service industries.

Following a gradual reopening of society, activity increased markedly in May and June. The largest contribution to the June growth came from health and social work. This is mainly due to activity in the hospitals returning to normal levels.

Read entire article here

Americans Can Vote Wherever They Are: It’s Easy to Register and Request Your Ballot Today!

Business News, Government,

By Melissa Aaserud, US Embassy in Norway

Overseas citizens, active duty military members, and their families are encouraged to register and request their ballot as soon as possible to avoid potential mail delays or other disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic response.   The Federal Voting Assistance Program, (FVAP), recommends military and overseas voters use the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) at FVAP.gov to register to vote and request an absentee ballot as soon as possible to ensure they can participate in the General Election on Nov. 3.  The FPCA not only allows these voters to register and request an absentee ballot simultaneously, it also guarantees certain benefits under federal law. 

“Using the FPCA ensures that ballots for Service members, their families and overseas citizens will be sent out 45 days before the election, with an option to receive their ballot electronically,” FVAP Director David Beirne said. “This can be particularly helpful this year when mail delays are possible. Using the FPCA also grants voters the ability to use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB) as a backup ballot, if needed.” 

Voters can visit FVAP.gov for their state’s specific voter registration and ballot request deadlines, as well as information on completing their FPCA, which is accepted by all states and territories. Voters can fill out the form by hand or use the online assistant before they print, sign and send the FPCA to their election office. 

The voting rights of an estimated 9 million U.S. citizens living overseas, as well as Service members and their eligible family, are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). About 75 percent of the 1.3 million Service members are eligible to vote absentee through the UOCAVA process since they are stationed away from their voting residence and polling place. 

Register today!  Go to FVAP.gov and follow the easy instructions and watch the tutorial video.  If you need further assistance, contact the American Citizen Services Section’s Voting Assistance Officer at mailto: VoteOslo@state.gov.

AmCham Norway’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament – August 20, 2020

AmCham News,

AmCham Norway’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament – August 20, 2020

Generously sponsored by PwC, the AmCham Golf Tournament celebrated its 20th anniversary at Hauger Golf Club, bringing together the AmCham community for a very welcome, in-person day of spirited competition and socially distanced fun. The winning teams were awarded exciting prize packages from Amerikalinjen, Tesla, Helly Hansen, Avinor, Shades of Norway, Johnny Rockets, Novelty Food, Hauger Golf Club, and IC Scandinavia.

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Hauger’s beautiful course and storied history –hosting professionals such as Seve Ballesteros, Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen – provided a new and scenic backdrop for this year’s tournament. Accompanied by beautiful weather, players were able to enjoy fresh milkshakes a the third hole provided by Johnny Rockets, ice-cold drinks throughout the day from Coca-Cola, and a chance to win a hotel stay with a Tesla on the tenth hole.  

At end-of-play, team Amerikalinjen came out on top and hoisted the Søderstrøm Cup, with each team member winning a weekend with a Tesla, Tesla goodie bags, Helly Hansen duffle bags, and AmCham Tournament glasses.

Team Helly Hansen finished in second, with each team member receiving complimentary stays for two with breakfast courtesy of Amerikalinjen. They were followed by DLA Piper, who took third place after a fantastic round and received signature sunglasses and alpine skiing goggles from Shades of Norway. The Rob. Arnesen / Johnny Rockets team finished a strong day out on the links in fourth place, with team members each receiving OSL Lounge passes courtesy of Avinor, dinner for two from Johnny Rockets, and green fees courtesy of Hauger Golf Club.

As in previous years, several individual prizes were also up for grabs. After an excellent round, PwC’s Catharina Aasheim walked away with both closest to the pin and longest drive (women’s), taking home gift baskets including chocolates from Novelty Foods and a skincare set from Eleni & Chris. Oracle’s Øyvind Dahl captured the prize for longest drive (men’s), coming away with a ROAM hair and skincare set as well as chocolates from Novelty Food. The final putting competition received a shake-up for the 20th edition of the tournament, leaving all seven finalists competing simultaneously for closest-to-the-pin, with Grant Thornton’s Jan Møller taking home a gift basket including chocolates from Novelty Food.

The tournament ended with a delicious individually plated BBQ meal on Hauger’s expansive, sunny terrace.

The winning team from Nordic Choice: Jan Fredrik Eikå, Erik Knudsen, Hanne Ranvik, and Martin Andersen

We would like to thank PwC for their sponsorship and for making the 20th edition of our annual golf tournament one to remember. We would also like to thank Coca-Cola European Partners Norway for their tournament beverage sponsorship.

We look forward to seeing everyone at next year’s tournament!

Tournament Sponsor

Prize Sponsors

Tesla

Shades of Norway

E24: PST med påminnelse til næringslivet: Spionasje større trussel enn terror

Business News, Defense / Security,

PST og eksperter mener norske selskaper må være bevisste på at informasjonen de sitter på kan bli misbrukt av fremmede makter.

Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste (PST) har pågrepet og siktet en ansatt i DNV GL for å ha solgt informasjon til en fremmed makt. Seniorrådgiver og pressekontakt Martin Bernsen i PST sier det er vanskelig å svare på hvor stort problemet er med denne typen sikkerhetsbrudd, og hvem som er mest utsatt.

– Men løsningen på det er at bedrifter må vurdere verdien av det de sitter på. Så må de være bevisst på at det kan være personer – og i PSTs tilfelle fremmede makter – som ønsker informasjonen, sier Bernsen til E24.

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Press Release: US and Norway Strengthen Cooperation on Offshore Energy and Seabed Minerals

Business News, Chemicals / Metals, Energy, , , , ,

RegjeringeToday in Washington DC, the US Department of Interior (DOI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (MPE).

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a framework for continued cooperation between DOI and MPE in the areas of  offshore oil and gas, offshore wind energy and seabed minerals.

– The MOU signed today will further strengthen the longstanding energy partnership between our two countries. I’m convinced that sharing of best practices and experience will be mutually beneficial, and contribute to sustainable resource management, said Mr. Tony C. Tiller, State Secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy.

Activities outlined in the MOU framework include the exchange of scientific and technical information, and cooperation regarding research and technological development. DOI and MPE will remain in regular contact and foster discussion of experiences, best practices, policy, and regulatory initiatives relevant to the development of offshore resources.

The U.S. and Norway are two of the world’s largest offshore energy producers and have decades of experience to draw upon in expanding discussions on oil and gas best practices. Deputy Secretary of the Interior Katharine MacGregor and Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S., Mr. Kåre R. Aas signed the agreement during a ceremony in Washington, DC.

See original release here

Oslo State of the City 2020: Oslo Science City ligger godt an til å bli et av verdens Topp 30 innovasjonsdistrikter, ifølge ny rapport.

Business News, Technology

På oppdrag for Oslo kommune og Oslo Business Region utgir det britiske kompetansemiljøet The Business of Cities den årlige rapporten «State of the City», der innovasjonsøkonomien i Oslo måles og sammenliknes med noen av verdens ledende byer og innovasjonsmiljøer.

Klikk her for å laste ned rapporten

I årets rapport er det en egen fordypningsdel med en benchmarkinganalyse av Oslo Science City.

Kort fortalt innebærer dette at de har samlet ulike data for å kartlegge hva Oslo Science City har eller mangler av funksjoner og kvaliteter, for å sammenlikne oss med tilsvarende områder rundt om i verden. De har undersøkt alt fra mobilitetsforbindelser til konsentrasjon av ulike typer kunnskapsmiljø.

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Pressemelding: Utenriksdepartementet styrker satsingen på global helse og ansetter John-Arne Røttingen som spesialrådgiver på dette feltet

Business News, Health, ,

Et viktig løft for globalt helsearbeid

Pressemelding | Dato: 19.08.2020

Utenriksdepartementet styrker satsingen på global helse og ansetter John-Arne Røttingen som spesialrådgiver på dette feltet.

Røttingen kommer fra stillingen som administrerende direktør i Forskningsrådet. Han leder på vegne av Norge en internasjonal studie i regi av verdens helseorganisasjon (WHO) som tester ut medisiner mot covid-19.

– John-Arne Røttingen er svært kunnskapsrik og har en sterk posisjon internasjonalt. Norge har i mange år vært blant de ledende på global helseinnsats, og det er viktig for regjeringen å videreføre og styrke innsatsen vår på dette feltet. Arbeidet for global helse og utvikling av vaksiner er en av regjeringens hovedprioriteringer, og situasjonen med koronapandemien har bekreftet viktigheten av dette. Når vi nå ansetter John-Arne Røttingen som spesialrådgiver for helse, styrker vi denne innsatsen og posisjonen, sier utenriksminister Ine Eriksen Søreide.

Som Norges globale helseambassadør skal Røttingen blant annet følge opp Norges samlede globale helseinnsats og norsk deltakelse i det internasjonale arbeidet med å bekjempe covid-19.

Norge har gjennom sitt sterke engasjement for å etablere og støtte vaksinekoalisjonen Cepi og gjennom bidrag til vaksinealliansen Gavi, markert seg som en sentral pådriver for rettferdig global tilgang til vaksiner.

– Røttingens mangeårige engasjement, kunnskap og posisjon i det internasjonale miljøet vil være svært verdifullt i de krevende globale utfordringene vi står overfor. Samtidig som Norge er sterkt engasjert i arbeidet med å utvikle en vaksine mot covid-19, vil vi fortsette arbeidet for en rettferdig fordeling globalt, uavhengig av betalingsevne. Pandemien er et globalt problem som rammer sårbare grupper særlig hardt. Derfor må løsningen også være global og nå fram til alle, sier utviklingsminister Dag-Inge Ulstein.

Om Røttingen:

John- Arne Røttingen har vært administrerende direktør i Forskingsrådet siden 1. mars 2017, og er Visiting Fellow of Practice ved Blavatnik School of Government, Universitet i Oxford. Han er utdannet lege med doktorgrad fra Universitetet i Oslo og mastergrader fra Oxford og Harvard.

Pressekontakt: Tuva Raanes Bogsnes, mobil: 93 23 18 83

Les på regjeringen.no her

Public, Private, Better Together: Building a Resilient and Sustainable Healthcare Industry in Norway

AmCham News, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Public, Private, Better Together: Building a Resilient and Sustainable Healthcare Industry in Norway

Observing strict social distancing protocols, AmCham members and partners joined a panel of healthcare industry experts and leaders for Public, Private, Better Together: Building a Resilient and Sustainable Healthcare Industry in Norway – an event held as a part of Gambit Hill+Knowlton’s Møteplass Oslo series. With the COVID-19 crisis challenging healthcare systems and companies around the world, panel participants dove into how collaboration, innovation, transparency, and education will form the foundation for a strong, well-functioning Norwegian healthcare system of the future.

Presenters

Rifat Atun

Kjetil Taskén

Rajji Mehdwan

Stig Slørdahl

Erik Lahnstein

Ans Heirman

Professor, Harvard University T.H. Chan School for Public Health

Head and Director of Institute for Cancer, Oslo University Hospital

General Manager, Roche Norge

CEO, Helse Midt-Norge

Director of Government Affairs, Cisco Norge

Managing Director, MSD Norge

Public-Private Collaboration: A Passé Concept?

The session was led off by Harvard T.H. Chan School for Public Health Professor Dr. Rifat Atun, who joined digitally from Boston. Dr. Atun, a health systems expert who has worked with over 30 foreign governments and leading international organizations discussed how quickly the current global health crisis has led to close collaborations between healthcare companies and the systems they serve around the world. In fact, Atun argued that COVID-19 has made the discussion of public and private sector collaboration passé.

“The question is not whether public sector and private sectors should work together. The question is rather how we make this work in a way that is going to benefit everyone.”

Dr. Atun then walked through a brief analysis of international health systems’ responses to the COVID-19 crisis, noting that many responses fall under the four I’s:  inefficient, ineffective, inadequate, and inflexible. The countries that have performed best, he postured, are those which have reacted with strong command chains, budget flexibility, strengthened partnerships, a reliance on science, and by embracing innovation.

Of particular focus in his presentation was the change, or lack thereof, in healthcare delivery over the past centuries. Wasted health expenditures and inefficiency of delivery highlight a lack of innovation. A foundational reason for this slow advancement is a policy misalignment, something which Dr. Atun commented that he was happy to see being addressed in the Norwegian government’s 2018-19 White Paper on the Health Industry.

Dr. Atun concluded his presentation by underlining the importance of using this crisis as an opportunity to rethink public-private collaboration, prioritizing platforms for developing innovative, integrated healthcare solutions.

Connecting Global Insight to the Norwegian Context

Drawing inspiration from Dr. Atun’s insightful presentation, the other panelists – Oslo University Hospital’s Dr. Kjetil Taskén, Roche’s Rajji Mehdwan, Cisco’s Erik Lahnstein, MSD’s Ans Heirman, and Helse Midt-Norge’s Dr. Stig Slørdahl – weighed in with what they thought was critical to furthering public private collaboration and building a more resilient, sustainable Norwegian healthcare system.

Mehdwan noted that it is crucial to seize upon the current situation to improve collaborative efforts – not just around COVID-19, but all diseases.

“It’s all about trust between both sides – and having a single-minded focus on putting the patient in the center. While we find ourselves in a global crisis now with COVID-19, we need to remember that every disease is a crisis for affected patients and their families,” she noted.

A critical part of building that trust between patients, the healthcare industry and medical providers, Slørdahl added, is constructive dialogue.

“The value of available technology needs to be asserted in order to get it to market, and to achieve this we have to align stakeholders. They should have close contact about what needs exist, and what documentation is necessary.”

It was a sentiment that struck a chord with Lahnstein, who further concurred that, “It’s important for us in the private sector to be humble, really trying to understand what the public sector needs and using that to figure out how we can support them. We can reflect on our structural barriers and how we organize our whole system to interact with the patient more effectively.”

Oslo University Hospital’s Taskén added to the overarching agreement of enhanced collaboration, arguing that it was time for the private and public sector to “join forces” to build clear paths for collaboration and digital innovation.

“Because of how well COVID has been handled domestically, we are lucky to be able to think about other things in our healthcare system, like building a more formal public and private partnership for precision medicine. A partnership will help us to brainstorm and work together on the development of clinical trials, implementation of new innovations, and reimbursement structures.”  

Adding to this idea of partnership, MSD’s Heirman summarized three key areas to focus on in creating the resilient healthcare system of the future: innovation, prevention, and most importantly, collaboration.

“What I have seen in the past months is that we can collaborate. We have worked hands-on with governments around the world to supply real demands. I know we can do it in a crisis, let us keep this going over time.”  

Sons of Norway Viking: Seven Years as Norway’s Ambassador with Kåre R. Aas

Business News, Government, ,

I have served as Norway’s Ambassador to the United States for the past seven years. It has been a privilege and an honor to work every day on further developing the already excellent relationship between our two countries. In a few weeks I will leave Washington, D.C., and move on to new challenges.

It is a strange time to end my tenure here in the United States, as the whole world since late winter has been challenged by a health crisis the likes of which we have not seen in our lifetimes. It affects us all profoundly. It impacts our economy and way of life to such an extent that I believe we will never really return to our old ways in all respects.

Let me reflect on a few issues that come to mind as particularly important after these years.

Read entire article here