Seafood and health technology reach the Export Award final

We and Eksfin are hosting the Export Conference at the Munch Museum on 12 March, where we will present the Export Award and the Newcomer of the Year Award. The Export Award recognises a Norwegian export company that has successfully created value in Norway through international markets.

Aker BioMarine is a leading biotechnology and krill harvesting company. It is the world's leading exporter of raw krill to the global market and at the forefront internationally of sustainable, high-tech harvesting. Aker BioMarine also controls the entire value chain – from krill harvesting in Antarctica to research, product development, production and sales of krill-based ingredients and products. Krill is used in fish and animal feed, as well as in a growing consumer market. Aker BioMarine exports 90 per cent of its products to North and South America and Asia.

Hofseth is a seafood group from Sunnmøre that farms and processes salmon and trout. It has also expanded its product range to include the sale and distribution of farmed cod and queen scallops. Most of the fish is sold as food, but the company also uses fish trimmings to produce biomarine ingredients with clinically proven health benefits. Hofseth exports to several markets, with a particular focus on the US, where it accounts for 60 per cent of all salmon imported from Norway. Hofseth has a strong focus on sustainability and uses measures including closed-containment systems, electrification, plastic recycling and shipping frozen products by sea to reduce its environmental impact.

Medistim, headquartered in Oslo, develops and sells ultrasound-based medical technology equipment for use during cardiovascular surgery. Medistim's equipment enables surgeons to measure the exact volume of blood flowing through a blood vessel and visualise any narrowing or damage inside the patient's blood vessels. Medistim operates worldwide, with a particular focus on the US, China, Japan and Europe. In 2023, the company established direct operations in China, Canada and Sweden, in addition to its existing offices in the US, Germany, Spain, the UK and Denmark.

The seven other nominees for the Export Award were Arctic Bioscience, Barel, Brunvoll, Db Equipment, Hexagon Ragasco, Sero and Tomra.

We have presented the Export Award at the Export Conference for more than a decade. Last year, we and Eksfin also honoured an emerging exporter for the first time, and we will do so again this year.

This year's Newcomer Award will go to a Norwegian exporter that has created value in Norway through international markets in a relatively short time. More and more Norwegian companies see the world as their market from day one. As a result, younger companies are considering exports and international markets earlier than before.

This year's nominees are three innovative companies with a high share of exports, each of which has developed technology to improve its respective industry.

Pixii was established in 2018 and already generates 87% of its sales from exports. The company supplies modular, scalable and multifunctional battery energy storage systems. Pixii has developed its own bidirectional power converter, which converts and controls the flow of electricity between the grid and batteries. Pixii is headquartered in Oslo.

Argeo AS is a full-service offshore company offering marine surveys and inspections for the oil and gas, offshore wind and seabed minerals sectors. Argeo uses autonomous underwater and surface vessels, along with unique sensor and imaging technology, to significantly improve efficiency and quality while reducing the industry's CO2 footprint. The company has developed and grown rapidly in global markets, establishing a presence in North and South America, Europe, West Africa and Southeast Asia. Argeo is headquartered in Asker.

Liftroller AS is an innovation company based in Bergen. Working with leading Norwegian design and product development specialists, it develops new products that make construction workers' jobs easier. Its product range includes several patented construction site logistics solutions that make it faster, easier and safer to transport building materials to the required floor and onwards to the room where they will be used. Major construction companies worldwide use its material handling products every day.

In addition to the Export Award, the Export Conference programme features former Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, as well as panel discussions with well-known Norwegian exporters.