High North Dialogue: Norwegian Eagle AI Wins the High North Young Entrepreneur Award
Jakob Brattli Sørensen, Eagle AI is the winner of the High North Young Entrepreneur Award of 2023. Brattli is from Bodø, Northern Norway. He received the award from Marius Fagerli in Innovasjon Norway Nordland at the High North Dialogue conference in Bodø in April. (Foto: Trine Jonassen)
Bodø (High North News): Three unique projects competed for the High North Young Entrepreneur 2023 award. After a vote Norwegian Eagle AI took the award away, along with the money prize of NOK 50 000.
The High North Young Entrepreneur award was announced during the High North Dialogue conference in Bodø Wednesday evening. The audience voted the project they liked the most, after a presentation from the three finalists.
At the end Eagle AI from Norway won the award and the money prize of NOK 50 000.
"I am shocked. I just started the company last Christmas, and this response is really nice. I am very happy!", says the happy winner, Jakob Brattli Sørensen, who is from Bodø in Northern Norway.
Eagle AI develops a software using satellite data to better predict where to find fish stocks. This comes in a form of a mapping solution using data as temperature, salt levels, ocean currents, algae, and more to show which areas that fishermen have better conditions for catching the fish.
From all over the world
The High North Young Entrepreneur committee received a number applications, and 12 were accepted for the jury evaluation.
This year was exceptional.
There were projects from Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Finland, Brazil, the US, and the Netherlands, representing different industry fields.
Three chosen finalists had the opportunity to present themselves and their business idea for the conference audience:
- Fornix AS, Norway - develops software for Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET)
- Eagle AI, Norway - develops a software using satellite data to better predict where the fish is in the ocean
- REMOS Space Systems AB, Sweden - specializes in the development of software-defined communication systems for the ground operations of satellites, deep-space probes, and rockets.
"Outstanding quality"
The international jury evaluated the project in relation to the following criteria:
Relevance to the High North, clarity of the business idea/quality of the business plan provided, and innovativeness.
"This year was exceptional, as the majority of the applications were of outstanding quality", says PhD researcher Elena Zhurova Sæther on behalf of the High North Young Entrepreneur committee, at the High North Center.
In 2022, Alaskan company Arctic Biotech Oath won - in competition with Norskin and Music Alchemy.
The idea behind the award came to be after High North Dialogue 2017, when american investor Scott Minerd of Guggenheim Partners received the High North Hero award for his efforts to promote the Arctic’s economic potential through long-term investment in the region.
Scott Minerd - who passed last year - placed his award money in a fund to support young Arctic entrepreneurs and their business ideas.
The High North Young Entrepreneur Award is handed out by the High North Center for Business and Governance at Nord University, along with Innovation Norway Nordland.
