Nordic Regional Visit: - This is boosting collaboration
Over 130 participants from the Nordic countries gathered in Arendal at the second Nordic Regional Battery visit Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
The Nordic Battery Collaboration between Innovation Norway, Business Sweden, and Business Finland, invited actors from across the Nordic battery ecoystem to this second regional visit.
Boosting collaboration
- I'm here because my job is related to battery technology, and to meet some people doing the same. This is boosting collaboration. I am working with AI and battery recycling, and here I can compare on what they are working at, says Johanna Valio from RoboAI R&D Center at Satakunta University of Applied Science in Finland.
She was one of the hosts at the first Battery Regional Visit in Finland in February this year.
Visiting plants
The participants got to visit different plants in Agder, exploring innovative battery materials with a focus on regionally sourced raw materials and sustainable recycling. Arendal was the location for this visit, and the focus was on innovative battery materials and the regional nuances of sourcing raw materials and combining this with sustainable recycling.
And of course, a little marketing for the good life at Agder, was also a part of the plan, showing how life/work is a good balance here where you have the closure to the nature.
- We like Arendal. We live in Oslo now, but we are talking about a possibility to live here, says Azadeh Motealleh, originally from Spain, who have lived and worked in Oslo with her husband Siamak Eqtesadi in Shift Materials for 3 years.
Public and private hand in hand
- The Municipality of Arendal is a good example of how it can be done, says Lars Christian Bacher, CEO of Morrow Batteries about the efficient process getting a big enough area to build the plant.
- A strong private public partnerships are also essential. The only way it's gonna work is public and private money to go hand in hand, he points out.
- We will genuinly create a Nordic marked. We can be stronger cooperating together, says ambassador Teemu Tannor from the Embassy of Finland to Norway.
The visit was hosted by Arendal municipality, Agder County Council, Battery Norway, and Eyde Cluster. This event is supported by Nordic Innovation.