What is innovation?
UiO's definition of innovation: Innovation is new ideas that work. Innovation consists of processes that lead to a new or improved product, or measures that will improve services or solve societal needs. Innovation is about adding value to society.
The innovation process
The illustration shows the innovation process at the University of Oslo. You may need help to identify ideas and needs; or you may need help to protect the idea or to develop and test the concept. All of these are dynamic processes that help you to mature and improve your idea over time. Eventually, you may be ready to build a business plan, and perhaps to work on business development and growth. The duration of the whole process varies greatly, and it largely depends on the type of project. It can take from a few months to many years. For example, developing an app can take months, whilst it may take many years to develop a new drug.
How to get started with the innovation process?
- If you are a student at the University of Oslo (UiO), or if you are an employee at UiO, Oslo University Hospital (OUS) or Akershus University Hospital (Ahus), you can contact the UiO Growth House. We will identify your needs and provide you with tailored counselling to help you further.
- If you work in a research administration department, or if you are a leader and are contacted by employees or students who are wondering how to get started with innovation, you can ask them to contact us, and we will help them further.
- Please read about our services first and then reach out to us!
Interaction with the innovation ecosystem
The UiO Growth House interacts with the entire innovation ecosystem, including the technology transfer office Inven2, business clusters, companies and incubators. We utilise the expertise within the innovation ecosystem in the right way at the right time, in order to help you to mature your innovation ideas in the best possible way, enabling you to move forwards in the innovation process.
- Oslo University Hospital (OUS)
- Akershus University Hospital (Ahus)
- Inven2, the technology transfer office (TTO) owned by UiO and OUS
- Oslotech which runs Oslo Science Park
- The Association of the Pharmaceutical Industry in Norway (LMI)
- Oslo Cancer Cluster (OCC)
- Norway Health Tech (NHT)
- The Life Science Cluster (TLSC)
Internal collaborators
- UiO:Life Science and the innovation programme SPARK Norway
- UiO:Energy and environment and the innovation programme SPARK Social Innovation
- Departments at the Faculty of Medicine (MED) and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MN)
- Research and innovation support sections at MED, MN and UiO’s central administration
- Insj UiO
- The student association for medical innovation (SMI)
- The student association for pharmaceutical innovation (SFI)
- dScience – Centre for Computational and Data Science
The actors in the innovation ecosystem.
What are life sciences?
Definition of life sciences in UiO's strategy for life sciences: Life sciences include all scientific disciplines studying the composition, structure, and functions of living organisms. Medicine and biology constitute the core, backed by chemistry, physics and mathematical subjects.
UiO’s strategy for life sciences also includes the social sciences and humanities when these examine causal relationships between behaviour or consciousness and the biological foundation or analyse challenges arising in the encounter between the application of the life sciences and society’s values and priorities.