Technology as value

Will show how to create value from technology

We live in an era where technology is inseparable from value creation. In a world characterized by rapid technological advances, increased geopolitical uncertainty and a global struggle for resources, Norway faces major challenges, but also great opportunities.

Great powers such as the USA and China are competing to win the technology race. Cyber ​​threats, artificial intelligence and advanced weapons systems are part of this picture. In the middle, European competitiveness is being challenged – and therefore also Norway’s.

– When the world is moving fast, we cannot afford to stand still, says the head of the program committee, Liv Dingsør.

– At Kongsberg Agenda, we will show how technology creates value – for Norway and Norwegian business, but also for a world where we must be on the right side of history.

Read the full main direction for Kongsberg Agenda 2025 here

Value is also about security

The Kongsberg Agenda Technology Festival will be held for the fourth time in June 2025. This time with technology as value as the main theme.

What prerequisites must be in place to create more value from technology across industries? What factors affect Norwegian competitiveness? What are we good at – and where do we need to improve?

– These are questions that are more important than ever, says Dingsør.

She highlights how China and the US are pulling away from Europe when it comes to research and innovation. At the same time, we must prepare ourselves for a world where technological sovereignty is becoming crucial.

– The consequences of not keeping up will be enormous. It is not just an economic issue. It is also a security issue, she states.

NATO points to a growing trend where technology developed in civil society affects the attack and defense capabilities of a number of countries. This is technology whose spread is difficult to control, which creates a number of dilemmas.

- A strong society is the best defense, we often hear now. Good cooperation between large and small businesses, public institutions and research communities in peacetime increases our overall defense capability in times of crisis. Norway is a pioneer in this, and this is something we should be proud of and showcase at the Kongsberg Agenda, says Vincent Fleischer, Director of Strategy at SINTEF and member of the program committee.

Is a "cold tech war" underway?

When talking about value, the concept encompasses more than just pure kroner and øre.

It is also about the ability to influence the direction in which technology develops – and that this is consistent with Norwegian values ​​such as trust, fairness and openness.

– Today, it is mainly established power players and capital forces, both nations and companies, that set the premises for technological development – ​​and with it also the development of society itself, says Birger Steen, chairman of the board of Nordic Semiconductor, and member of the program committee of Kongsberg Agenda.

The New York Times calls this power struggle a kind of “cold tech war”. In the 60s, it was about getting to the moon first. Today, the battle is over breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, microchips, quantum technology – and more.

– We must be prepared for a world where control over technology, data and value chains is only becoming more important, he says.

– To protect our open societies, we must build strong strategic alliances, strengthen collaboration between industry, research communities and governments, and develop expertise that can ensure our competitiveness in an increasingly complex and challenging global landscape.

AI in a smelting hall cuts costs and greenhouse gases

Kongsberg Agenda brings together participants from across various sectors and industries from both the public and private sectors. An important part of the event is about showcasing concrete solutions and technological innovation.

– We will pay tribute to the efforts of companies and show how courageous leaders and dedicated professionals make things happen, says Dingsør.

She says that participants will be presented with inspiring examples of technology that creates value. Like how artificial intelligence in a smelting hall can cut costs and greenhouse gases. And that Norwegian microchips, which even Taiwan cannot manufacture, capture data for algorithms that control processes in Norwegian companies.

– Maybe we will see how we use AI to adapt the speed of wind turbines to the eagle flying by, and how ships and ports are currently being built to realize autonomous transport solutions that run around the clock, without people, without emissions, she says.

Do you want to be part of the Kongsberg Agenda 2025 program? Read more about it here.

Technological imagination as a competitive advantage

Camilla Tepfers is an entrepreneur, speaker and an established figure in Norwegian technology development – ​​in addition to being part of the Kongsberg Agenda program committee.

She believes it is necessary to address Europe's productivity gap with the US.

– Twelve years ago, the EU's economy was larger than the US's. Now it is 33 percent smaller. Technology is the most important reason for this gap, she says.

She says that framework conditions and regulations are necessary prerequisites for innovation. But perhaps just as important is the characteristic she calls technological imagination.

– We must be able to imagine what opportunities technology creates, what negative consequences it can have and how we promote the former and stem the latter. Therefore, technological imagination is a strategic leadership competency, she says.

"Why isn't anything happening?"

Neither the public nor the private sector has all the answers. But a lot happens when actors across roles, sectors and industries meet, collaborate and pull in the same direction, says Dingsør.

– We must convince Norwegian politicians that strong national investments in competitive factors such as capital, research, innovation, competition policy and competence are crucial for the business sector to continue to be a catalyst for innovation, also in the public sector.

In uncertain times, public investment in technology development and infrastructure becomes particularly important. The new digitalization strategy states that Norway will become the world's most digitalized country.

– But if we are to succeed in this, we must understand that when the world is in transition, we must make choices faster than before. The business sector cannot wait for the next report or public committee for recommendations, says Paul Chaffey, special advisor at Halogen with many years in politics behind him, and also a member of the program committee.

At Kongsberg Agenda, the program committee is concerned with highlighting the room for action that businesses and public actors have – regardless of what the authorities are doing.

– Political decisions take time, and it is important to respect complexity. But we cannot just make excuses for that. At Kongsberg Agenda, we will also seek answers to what we all too often stumble upon when we observe politics in the face of technology: “Why is nothing happening?”, says Chaffey.

Aim to inspire action

The program committee now wants to motivate as many people as possible to start planning their own program items on Kongsberg Agenda. It has been exciting to develop a direction that both creates space to address the most important technology dilemmas of our time, while also filling the stages with actors who create value and positive change with technology right now.

Through the discussions in the program committee's work, it has become clear that Kongsberg Agenda will become even tougher when it comes to addressing the difficult dilemmas, quickly maturing our technological imagination by offering knowledge and examples, and shifting the level of social debate to a more practical and action-oriented direction with clear ownership of solutions.

- Kongsberg Agenda is a living laboratory for good ideas and the arena for demanding conversations, with a twinkle in the eye. And always with an eye on technology for value, concludes Dingsør.

Read the full main direction for 2025 here