All posts by Margrethe Harboe

Kongsberg Digital partners with Google Cloud to scale industrial intelligence solutions through secure, AI-driven infrastructure

Business News, Technology

Kongsberg Digital, a leading provider of industrial software and digital twin technology, has entered into a partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate the delivery of scalable, AI-powered industrial intelligence for global energy and industrial customers.

The collaboration combines Kongsberg Digital’s deep industrial domain expertise and flagship Industrial Work Surface digital twin solution, Kognitwin®, with Google Cloud’s hyperscale computing infrastructure and advanced AI capabilities. The collaboration will enable customers to move beyond traditional data storage and analytics toward the real-time synthesis of complex industrial data, delivering measurable operational impact across safety, efficiency, and asset performance.

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Norway wealth fund boosts US Treasury holdings despite government debt concerns

Accounting / Financial, Business News

Norway’s $2.2 trillion wealth fund, the world’s largest, has maintained its appetite for U.S. Treasury bonds even ​though it has concerns about high government debt levels in the U.S. and elsewhere, as it follows its investment mandate. The fund is responsible ‌for investing the Norwegian state’s revenues from oil and gas production in bonds, stocks, property and unlisted renewable energy projects outside its home country.

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Skatteboe joins KONGSBERG and Indregard takes over as CEO of KSAT

Business News, Defense / Security, Technology

Indregard has been with KSAT for more than 20 years, and has spent over a decade in top executive roles where she has led various interdisciplinary and multinational teams

She brings extensive knowledge of the space domain, combining technical insight with operational experience, strategic leadership, and international commercial focus.

– It is an honor to take over the baton from Rolf. KSAT is a global company managed from Northern Norway, and in today’s world, the role the company plays makes a real difference, which is highly motivating. We have skilled employees who deliver services that the world needs, says Marte Indregard.

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Desert Control AS (DSRT): Structural Water Constraints Reinforce the Importance of Sustainable Soil and Water Efficiency

Business News, Chemicals / Metals

Sandnes, 21 January 2026 – Desert Control AS (DSRT) notes recent international research, including a report released this week by the United Nations University on global water constraints, highlighting growing pressures on global water systems. Scientific assessments increasingly point to structural constraints on water availability driven by climate change, groundwater depletion, and rising demand from agriculture and urban development.

While the severity and timing of water stress vary significantly by region, the broader direction underscores the need to move beyond short-term crisis responses and toward long-term adaptation strategies. Improving water efficiency and soil performance is becoming an essential component of sustainable land and agricultural management.

Desert Control’s technology is designed to address these challenges by improving soil structure and increasing water-holding capacity, enabling more efficient use of available water resources. These outcomes are particularly relevant in agriculture, which remains the largest global consumer of freshwater. These challenges are particularly pronounced in sandy, fast-draining soils, where limited water retention increases vulnerability under increasingly constrained water conditions.

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AmCham Defense Forum: Uncertainty Becomes Certainty

AmCham News

AmCham Defense Forum: Uncertainty Becomes Certainty

In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, AmCham hosted the first Defense Forum of the year at Thon Hotel Opera, welcoming distinguished speakers State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen and Shield AI’s Chris Brinkley. Centering on enduring relationships, the forum focused on industry collaboration, rapid innovation and adaptation, and allied inter-operability.

Ragnhild Dalen, AmCham Norway

State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen underscored the critical role of cooperation amongst allied nations in an increasingly volatile geopolitical environment. She highlighted Norway’s long‑term defense priorities, noting that by 2036 the defense budget will have doubled, enabling modernization and strengthened capabilities. This trajectory is reinforced by deepening Nordic and Baltic cooperation, accelerated by Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO, and a renewed focus on interoperability across the Alliance.

Gerhardsen also emphasized the importance of strong transatlantic ties, both politically and industrially, noting that close cooperation across the Atlantic remains essential for capability development, technology sharing, and collective security. She further underscored the need for regulatory frameworks that allow for agility and adaptation in an era of rapid technological change, while ensuring legal and ethical safeguards remain central.

State Secretary Marte Gerhardsen

Trust, Shared Values, & Industrial Complementarity

Chris Brinkley, Head of Europe and Africa at Shield AI, presented the company’s mission to protect service members and civilians through intelligent autonomous systems. Shield AI opened its Oslo office in 2025, noting that their expansion to Norway reflects the high level of trust, shared values, and industrial complementarity between US and Norwegian defense partners. Brinkley then introduced Hivemind, Shield AI’s AI pilot designed to enable mission autonomy in contested and communications‑denied environments. Hivemind allows uncrewed aircraft to navigate, collaborate, and execute complex missions without GPS or remote operators, functioning as an “AI wingman.”

Brinkley also highlighted Shield AI’s newest aircraft, the X‑BAT, a vertical‑takeoff stealth jet capable of long‑range, runway‑independent operations. Designed to operate from ships, remote islands, or austere bases, X‑BAT combines VTOL performance with internal and external weapons carriage and a full‑spectrum sensor suite and is powered by Hivemind for fully autonomous operation.
Together, the speakers underscored that in an era where uncertainty is the only constant, strong alliances and adaptive frameworks are essential.

Chris Brinkley, Shield AI
Ragnhild Dalen, Marte Gerhardsen, Chris Brinkley

About the AmCham Defense Forum

In partnership with the US Commercial Service, the Defense Forum supports US defense industry partners in Norway. Key Patron-level and defense industry representatives gather quarterly to forge enhanced public-private sector collaboration – sharing insights, developments, and trends to secure long-term transatlantic bonds.

 Please contact amcham@amcham.no for interest in future meetings.

 

AmCham Defense Forum: Perspectives on US and Norwegian Naval Capabilities and Requirements

May 6, 2025 No Comments

In collaboration with the US Commercial Service, AmCham’s second Defense Forum of the year was hosted Vila Otium, where participants were welcomed by Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the U.S. Embassy Oslo, Robert S. Needham. The session featured distinguished speakers Commodore Kyrre Haugen, Commander of the Norwegian Fleet, and Admiral James G. Foggo, U.S. Navy (ret.), Dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy, Navy League of the United States.

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Saga Robotics bets big on US vineyards with new GM, fresh capital for UV-C ‘bots: ‘Chemical free winegrowing is the holy grail’

Business News, Food & Beverage

Ag robotics specialist Saga Robotics is doubling down on the US vineyard sector with a new US general manager and additional funding to support its fleet of autonomous ‘bots tackling powdery mildew with UV-C light.

As a supplementary close to its $11.2 million round in 2025, it has secured an undisclosed sum from Xinomavro Ventures, a VC firm dedicated to tech supporting the wine industry, and appointed Caine Thompson—formerly general manager at O’Neill Vintners & Distillers—as its new US general manager, starting Jan 26.

Saga founder Pål Johan From—who previously led US operations—will return to Norway to assume a new role as chief growth officer, leading strategic partnerships, tech development, expansion into new crops and markets, and supporting future fundraising activities. To ensure continuity through the 2026 season, he will remain actively involved in US operations through June.

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Stocks surge as Trump cancels Greenland tariffs

Business News, Financial / Investment, Government

Stock markets surged overnight after Donald Trump cancelled his planned tariffs following a deal over Greenland.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.9pc in in a broad relief rally, with the Cac 40 in Paris higher by 1.4pc as the threat of tariffs was removed from its major luxury goods companies.

The Nikkei in Japan rose 1.7pc while the Kospi in South Korea passed the 5,000 mark for the first time as the US president dialled down his global trade war.

Mr Trump said he would not impose extra 10pc tariffs on eight European countries, including Britain, after receiving the “framework of a future deal” in talks with Nato.

Michael Brown, an analyst at Pepperstone, said: “Five days was all it took this time as, yesterday, President Trump formally and predictably unwound the tariff threats made over the issue of Greenland, after a ‘very productive’ meeting with Nato secretary general Rutte, during which agreement was reached on a ‘framework’ regarding both Greenland, and the ‘High North’ more generally. 

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Kronikk: USA har rett om legemiddelpriser

Business News, Health

Kronikken er skrevet av Ketil Widerberg, daglig leder i Oslo Cancer Cluster.

USAs såkalte Most Favoured Nation-strategi for legemiddelpriser har blitt møtt med kraftig kritikk. Den fremstilles som usosial, proteksjonistisk og farlig for pasienter.

Prising og refusjon behandles som rene nasjonale spørsmål

Men bak den harde retorikken ligger et poeng vi i Europa – og særlig i Norge – har ignorert for lett: Utviklingen av nye medisiner finansieres av de få, mens altfor mange nyter godt av resultatene uten å bidra. Det er ikke bærekraftig i lengden.

Et reelt gratispassasjerproblem. Utvikling av nye legemidler, spesielt innen kreft, er ekstremt kostbart. Kliniske studier, regulatorisk risiko, produksjon og dokumentasjon i etterkant koster milliarder. Likevel behandles prising og refusjon som rene nasjonale spørsmål, løsrevet fra globale økonomiske insentiver og bærekraft for innovasjon.

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New President and CEO at KSAT

Business News, Defense / Security

Rolf Skatteboe is stepping down after 25 years at Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT). Marte Indregard has been appointed as the new President and CEO and comes from the position as Head of the Ground Segment at the company.

21 Jan 2026

Indregard has been with KSAT for more than 20 years, and has spent over a decade in top executive roles where she has led various interdisciplinary and multinational teams

She brings extensive knowledge of the space domain, combining technical insight with operational experience, strategic leadership, and international commercial focus.  

– It is an honor to take over the baton from Rolf. KSAT is a global company managed from Northern Norway, and in today’s world, the role the company plays makes a real difference, which is highly motivating. We have skilled employees who deliver services that the world needs, says Marte Indregard.

Read more.

Höegh Autoliners joins World Shipping Council

Business News, Shipping & Offshore

Washington/Oslo, January 14, 2026 – The World Shipping Council (WSC) today announced that Höegh Autoliners has joined as a member, further strengthening the Council’s representation of the global liner shipping industry, including the vehicle carrier sector.

“We are pleased to welcome Höegh Autoliners to the World Shipping Council,” said Joe Kramek, WSC President & CEO. “Vehicle carriers are a core part of liner shipping that move global trade. Höegh Autoliners brings valuable expertise and perspective as we work with policymakers on safety, sustainability and effective global regulation.”

Andreas Enger, CEO of Höegh Autoliners, said: “Throughout the years, Höegh Autoliners has invested decisively in a commercially viable cleaner future through our Aurora Class newbuild project, positioning us as an industry leader in the next chapter of zero-emission deep-sea shipping. As trade patterns shift and the operating environment becomes more complex, liner shipping needs policies that work globally. Joining the World Shipping Council reflects our commitment to working with peers and policymakers to help shape practical global regulatory frameworks that support both economic competitiveness and long-term sustainability, while strengthening the resilience of the supply chains we all rely on.”

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