The agreement will connect academic resources and investors with prosperous businesses that needs an arena and expertise to accelerate learning, knowledge sharing and to foster future expansion.
“For companies to succeed with a global expansion there is a need for a more systematic strategy for commercialization and internationalization. BI has top academic resources that can help companies shape profitable business models for the future,” says President at BI Norwegian Business School Inge Jan Henjesand.
The partnership is based on a mutual understanding of the complex dynamics for small Norwegian firms to compete for global market shares as well as societal demand for job creations. One particular area of interest is to help companies with high growth potential to expand internationally.
Argentum, which is one of the leading fund investors in Northern Europe, contributes with competence, capital and broad expertise in valuing and investing in unlisted companies.
“Argentum experiences increased interest for the Nordics from international players and we believe this interest is important to create additional growth in the Norwegian ecosystem of companies in an early growth phase. We enter into this partnership with BI Norwegian Business School because both want to strengthen Norwegian firm’s global competitiveness,” says Joachim Høegh-Krohn, CEO of Argentum.
BI's 100ScaleUPs-programme assists companies with developing and executing a new international scaling strategy. This fall, BI has invited 10 new companies to take part in 12 weeks of intensive training, teaching and innovation to succeed with commercialization and growth.
“Companies in a scaling phase needs world class competence from both academia and business society. Argentum plays a key role in the ecosystems for innovation and together we have an ambition to strengthen the global competitiveness of Norwegian companies,” says Professor Per Ingvar Olsen.
About Argentum Asset Management
Argentum Asset Management is one of the leading fund investors in Northern Europe, with an investment portfolio that comprises more than 130 private equity funds.
Argentum is the Norwegian state’s asset manager for private equity funds and also manages capital for private investors.
Its core field of expertise is the evaluation and selection of private equity funds and fund managers. In addition to investing in newly established private equity funds, the operations include investments in private equity funds through the secondary market and co-investments with private equity funds in Argentum’s portfolio.
About BI Norwegian Business School's scale up program:
BI Norwegian Business School's 100ScaleUPs programme assists companies with developing and executing a new international scaling strategy. BI is one of the leading business schools in Europe and has together with Beijing Tsinghua R&D Institute and the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship joined forces to connect companies to the leading international environments in innovation and entrepreneurship. Partners include Investinor, Argentum, Verdane, GCE Ocean Technology and VIS who provides access to renown investors, mentors and industrial clusters.