TEA and London calling: Opening doors for Norwegian technology companies ready to scale fast

'London has grown to become Europe’s technology capital, while also being close to Norway,' says Hilde Hukkelberg.

She heads our London office and the aptly named scale-up programme TEA – Tech Executive Accelerator London.

The programme is aimed at technology-based growth companies that use AI and IoT to transform how we work and live – and that have significant potential in international markets. It is about expanding by making a strategic commitment to grow faster and on a larger scale within a set timeframe. This makes a global hub such as London an ideal starting point.

Ready to think bigger? Read more about TEA here

- The UK has stated that it intends to compete with the US and China in artificial intelligence and data-driven companies. Norway and Norwegian companies should therefore harness the momentum this creates. Here, you have access to funding and are close to key players.

The programme began as a good idea in 2013 and has since helped drive growth and open doors for almost 60 Norwegian technology companies.

This winter's seven TEA participants are now standing high above the Thames, at the top of Level39's spectacular offices. The atmosphere is tense. After almost two days of intensive practice honing their messaging and storytelling, the participants are ready to pitch to four local investors. They have just four minutes to convince them that their company is worth the investment they are seeking.

Convene is one of the companies taking part this winter. As a leading provider of self-service payment and administration solutions, the company has now set its sights on a new goal: revolutionising payment systems in the UK healthcare sector.

'We want to play a key role in enabling healthcare professionals in the UK to spend their time treating patients rather than doing administrative work,' says Ingvill Hestenes, CEO of Convene. 

She explains that the UK healthcare market is characterised by long waiting lists and a growing private sector. Better payment solutions can save valuable time for both healthcare professionals and patients. At the same time, customers are increasingly focused on a positive patient experience – and are therefore more willing to pay.

Convene aims to make things easier for both parties through self-service technology, while helping public and private healthcare providers reduce costs.

'Through the TEA programme, we hope to secure our first partners and test the concept with customers in London,' she says.

During the programme, experts challenge the companies to refine their business models and pitches, and they meet investors, potential customers and business partners. In addition to events and mentor support, participants gain access to office space at Level39 for three months. Level39 is an incubator that has established itself as a recognised tech ecosystem in Europe over the past decade.

Hukkelberg says interest in scale-up programmes has grown significantly since TEA was established in 2013. Over the past decade, the TEA programme has opened doors for a new generation of growth companies, attracting international recognition and attention.

'What makes TEA unique is the ecosystem we build around the companies – one that extends far beyond L39. We enable rapid growth and help them take the next steps. The scale-up journey is full of surprises, and we aim to make the journey, the world and life a little easier for the companies we work with,' says Hukkelberg.

Ready to think bigger? Read more about our scale-up programmes

Cyviz is one of the companies that has gone on to achieve international success. It is a global technology provider of conference and control rooms, as well as command and experience centres. Since 1998, the company has worked to create the next generation of meeting experiences for people attending in person, joining from different locations or travelling.

Today, the company operates in 17 cities across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US, including London and Edinburgh.

'We have been in London for many years. Even so, the TEA programme was very useful to us because we met several companies in exactly the same situation,' says Jan Petter Lie, President of Cyviz Europe.

Their customers include major names such as Aker BP and Microsoft. Cyviz has also recently secured several contracts with the UK defence sector.

Lie points out that having the right people on board is essential to success. They need the right expertise and, not least, a shared 'passion'.

‘You also need to understand the market you are entering and know what you can contribute. Then you need to build the right network and stay close to your customers,’ says Lie.

He points out that taking part in TEA has given them a valuable network, as well as expanding their reach in the UK market.

'In many ways, TEA has contributed to our success in the UK,' he says.

By taking part in the TEA programme, Norwegian company Keenious is also aiming for global expansion through London, Europe's technology hub. Keenious offers an AI-powered search engine for academia.

'With England's strong academic community, the country is a natural focus area for us,' says Anders Rapp, COO of Keenious.

Rapp is pleased that the company is now in the process of closing an investment round.

'One of the most important factors for success is being able to communicate your value proposition effectively. The programme has helped us greatly with this,' Rapp confirms.

The figures show that the TEA programme has produced many success stories: last year, TEA companies generated combined revenues of several billion Norwegian kroner, and only a handful of companies have ceased trading since the programme began in 2013.

'We are privileged to work with ambitious leaders and owners, and with dedicated teams capable of developing world-class Norwegian solutions in their fields,' says Hukkelberg.

'TEA is helping to usher in a new era of international technology companies with Norwegian roots. Ten years of remarkable achievements by our cohorts is only the beginning. I encourage any company that might be a good fit to get in touch with us for a chat,' says Hukkelberg.

Do you want to think bigger too? Read more about TEA here