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Good practice Imported

Oslo Business Region (now Oslo&Co) — Municipal Start-up Growth Agency

Norway · Oslo · See the Norway profile · See the Oslo profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 18% 81/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Oslo's 100%-city-owned business development agency, founded 2014. By 2023 the Oslo startup ecosystem it builds counted 2,051 companies employing 14,300 people, generating NOK 12.3 billion in value (Menon Economics 2023). Rebranded Oslo&Co in March 2026 with an expanded mandate.

2,051 companies
Startups and growth companies in the Oslo ecosystem (2023)
14,300 jobs
Employment in the Oslo startup ecosystem (2023)
12.3 billion NOK
Value creation by Oslo startups and scaleups (2023)
90 million NOK
Direct investment attracted via OBR's 2024 initiatives (2024)
77 rank
Oslo's global startup ecosystem ranking (2025)
Oslo Business Region (now Oslo&Co) — Municipal Start-up Growth Agency

Details

Maturity
Established
Promoter
City of Oslo (Oslo kommune)
Period
2014–present
Region (NUTS)
NO01
Keywords
Tech startups, climate tech, life sciences, fintech

Context

Oslo Business Region (OBR) was established in 2014 as the City of Oslo's wholly-owned business development and investment promotion agency. In March 2026, following a decade of operation, the City expanded OBR's mandate and rebranded the organisation Oslo&Co.

Objectives

OBR's mandate is to build Oslo's startup and scaleup ecosystem and to attract international talent and capital to the city.

Activities

OBR connects Norwegian startups and scaleups with international investors through curated delegation missions (e.g. a 2024 San Francisco programme pairing 50 Norwegian startups with 70 US investors and 20 Norwegian VCs), publishes the Oslo Outlook market-intelligence report, and runs the Oslo Startup Hub directory of 50+ professional communities.

Results

The independent Menon Economics 'Startups and Scaleups in the Oslo Region 2023' report found 2,051 startups and growth companies employing 14,300 people and generating NOK 12.3 billion in value creation, nearly double the 2010 figure. OBR's 2024 investment initiatives engaged 500+ investment firms and attracted NOK 90 million in direct investment; Oslo's startup ecosystem ranked #77 globally (StartupBlink 2025).

Conclusions

A single 100%-municipal agency integrating branding, investor facilitation, data intelligence and talent attraction removes duplication between city departments and makes results attributable to elected government, though the Menon figures measure the whole ecosystem rather than OBR's interventions alone.

Implementation
Indicative cost
High (€500k–€5M) — Municipal-budget-funded agency; NOK 90 million in direct investment facilitated in 2024.
Time to results
Long (> 3 years) — Established 2014; decade-long ecosystem results reported before the 2026 mandate expansion.
Staffing & skills
Single 100%-municipal agency (Oslo Business Region / Oslo&Co) integrating branding, investor facilitation, data intelligence and talent attraction

Conditions for success

  • 100% municipal ownership creating a single point of contact for investors and political accountability for results
  • Independent third-party economic measurement (Menon Economics) commissioned annually
  • Sustained mandate across political cycles, expanded rather than cut back in 2026

Common failure modes

  • Ecosystem-level metrics (2,051 companies, 14,300 jobs) are well documented but not solely attributable to OBR's own interventions

Where it fits

Governance type
100% city-owned agency
Scale
capital city / metropolitan region

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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