The Programme in 2026

Day 0: Side events

To add a little sprinkle on top there is a number of different side events to choose from the day before the main programme
From hiking to Preikestolen to a chill meet-up at a local pub; there is something for every taste!

Sign up for Preikestolen Sign up for pub meet-up
Group of hikers on rocky mountaintop overlooking fjord under cloudy sky.
People seated at outdoor tables, drinking and watching something. Greenery and a hanging light fixture.

Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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Group of runners in athletic wear posing outside; cloudy sky.

Day 1: Conference

One day, two stages. For the visionary inspiration seeker to the practical junky looking for best practices and new tools. The Nordic Edge Expo program will be an arena for you to connect with new people, learn and challenge your perspectives. We promise you one thing - this is the place to be for leaders who want to recalibrate their strategies for a rapidly changing future. 

Nordic Edge Expo 2026 – Programme
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5 May — Day 1 Conference: One day, two stages
09:00
09:45
Opening — Welcome ceremony
Hope Stage
Tormod Losnedal
Mayor, City of Stavanger
Opening speech
Louise K. Dedichen
Vice Admiral, former Norwegian Military Representative to NATO
What you must understand about security, power and responsibility — and the role the Nordics can play
Lars Rinnan
Visionary CEO, public speaker and futurist
The world in 2029 – A journey into a near future where computers match the processing power of the human brain
10:30
11:15
Session 1
Hope Stage
Ecosystems in Action – The City as a Platform
Arnoud Molenaar
Global Director Resilience and Partnerships, Square Floating Cities – former Chief Resilience Officer, City of Rotterdam
Urban Resilience in Times of (Climate) Change – the Rotterdam case
Eirik Gundegjerde
Director of Strategic Projects, Lyse
Enabling Sustainable Data Centers: Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainability
Linn Gjengedal Ruud
Nordic Head of Large, Complex & International Claims, If Insurance
TBA
Action Stage
Toolbox for Transformation: Designing Cities for People and Nature
Carmen Garcia Sanchez
PhD in Architectural Design, University of Copenhagen
Nature – integrating natural systems into buildings and urban environments
Oscar Rodriguez
Architect, Building Integrated Agriculture Specialist & Policy Director, UKUAT
Regeneration – moving beyond sustainability towards net-positive impact
Emily Yates
Director & Head of Accessibility and Inclusive Design, Mima
The Inclusive City Blueprint: Designing for Equity and Dignity
12:00
12:45
Session 2
Hope Stage
Investment and Impact – Financing the Transition
TBA
Action Stage
Resilient Food Systems in the Nordics
Moderated by Bothild Å. Nordsletten
Thomas Snellman
Organic farmer, rural activist & founder of the REKO concept. Nordic Food Entrepreneur of the Year 2017
Mark Horler
Founder & Chairman, UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT); Founder, CEA Proteins
+ TBA
13:30
14:15
Session 3
Hope Stage
Leading in Times of Change – From Hope to Action
Thomas Osdoba
Managing Director, NetZeroCities – EU's Mission Platform for 100 Climate-neutral and Smart Cities by 2030
Bridging EU ambition and city-level delivery – what it actually takes for cities to move from commitment to implementation
Karin Ekdahl Wätsberg
Director of Innovation, City of Stockholm
How do you build a city – and an organisation – that is ready for the unexpected?
+ TBA
Action Stage
Wicked Problems – Bold Moves
Moderated by Espen Strand Henriksen
Pedro Fernandez
Head of the Department of International Mobility and Environment Projects, Madrid City Council
Urban mobility: responding to the mobility crisis through bold policy and integrated planning
+ TBA
14:45
15:15
Closing keynote
Hope Stage
Hope in Action
TBA – Reconnecting inspiration with responsibility

Day 1: Nordic Fund Day

Nordic Fund Day connects promising, purpose-driven Nordic startups, particularly those focused on sustainable solutions, with a global network of investors for potential funding and strategic partnerships, emphasizing quality matchmaking and real-world impact.

When arranging Nordic Fund Day for the eleventh time during Nordic Edge Expo in 2026, it will be our biggest ever made, and it all takes place as the grand finale of day 1.

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Man speaking into a microphone, gesturing with his right hand. He's in a room with plants and a wood panel backdrop.

Nature's Symphony

Breathtaking colors of our planet
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Woman in blue dress and man in blue suit on stage, smiling and presenting.

Faces of Humanity

Portraits of people from around the globe
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Blue ferry at a dock, people boarding. Harbor with cranes and overcast sky.

Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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Day 1: Afterparty

To end day one in the only right way possible we will gather everyone for a afterparty at Fiskepiren with drinks and a few surprises.

Woman in illuminated costume plays violin on stage with colorful lights.

Nature's Symphony

Breathtaking colors of our planet
Button
Woman laughing, holding a drink, at a crowded event; many people visible in the background.

Faces of Humanity

Portraits of people from around the globe
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People networking at an event in a large, open industrial-style room.

Sands of Time

Stark beauty of desolate dunes
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Day 2: Workshops

Day two of the event will consist of curated workshops to choose from for the participants. Ranging from testbeds in urban context, digitalization, climate-neutral cities, discussions about what's making innovation great. And that's just a small part of all the important topics that will be covered throughout the day. The key component to all the workshops is interaction and creating spaces for meaningful conversations and actions – not just listening to someone and then leave.

Get your ticket

WORKSHOP

Green t-shirt with

AI and DIGITAL MATURITY - TURNING AMBITION INTO CAPABILITY


08:45 - 12:00

AI is moving fast. Most organisations are not. The question is no longer what technology can do but how ready we are to use it.


Join us to understand where your organisation stands digitally and what it takes to move forward.



Register here

WORKSHOP

Green t-shirt with

ARE WE READY? SHAPING EUROPE'S SMART COMMUNITIES SKILLS STRATEGY FROM LOCAL NEEDS

09:00 - 11:30

Smart city ambitions are accelerating — but are our organisations equipped with the right skills to deliver? Without the right competencies in procurement, planning and engineering, innovation stalls.


In this workshop, participants will engage directly with the proposed priorities, training pathways and partnership models. Your insights will form the further development of the Blueprint and its implementation across Europe.

Register here

WORKSHOP

Street in Stavanger, Norway, lined with colorful buildings. Church spire visible, under an orange sunset.

Accelerating Urban Decarbonisation through City–Business Collaboration



09:00 - 11:30

The session identifies where aligned city demand, industry readiness, and national enablers can accelerate emission reductions across freight, maritime, construction, buildings, and local energy systems.

Participants will codevelop practical demand signals, system enablers, and collaboration pathways to deliver faster, deeper urban decarbonisation.

Register here

WORKSHOP

Street in Stavanger, Norway, lined with colorful buildings. Church spire visible, under an orange sunset.

From Urban Experimentation to Transformation — Insights from ULALABs


10:00 - 12:00

Urban testbeds and living labs are important arenas for developing new approaches to sustainable development. But moving from individual experiments to broader change remains a challenge. In this workshop, the EU project ULALABS presents insights from work in four European regions, showing how different types of experimentation spaces function and how learning can be shared across them.

Register here

WORKSHOP

People in business attire at a table, discussing. Woman in white sweater looks up; German flag present.

NEIGHBOURHOODS OF RESILIENCE: LOCAL ACTION FOR FOOD SECURITY AND PREPAREDNESS


12:00 - 15:00

In an era of geopolitical uncertainty and climate change, food security and national self-sufficiency have become critical pillars of civil preparedness. This workshop explores how urban environments can be transformed from passive consumption zones into productive landscapes that strengthen a city's total resilience. This session brings together producers, technology developers, and policy makers to design operative models for neighbourhood-based food supply. We move from vision to strategy, focusing on how local food production can serve as a vital component of a resilient society.


Register here

WORKSHOP

People in business attire at a table, discussing. Woman in white sweater looks up; German flag present.

Wicked Problems to Bold Collaboration




12:30 - 14:30

This workshop explores how public and private actors can work together to turn complex societal challenges into shared innovation efforts with real momentum. Building on cases and insights from the conference, we will examine how to move from broad ambition to practical action: identifying the real challenge, understanding the barriers, and shaping concrete next steps that can be carried forward across sectors. 

Register here

MORNING PROGRAMME