Photo: Project developer Tor Arne Fanghol, General Manager Hilde Indresøvde and business developer Kelly Moulton (All BTO).
Mediekuben is a collaboration between Bergen Teknologioverføring (BTO) and NCE Media, and it is the only startup environment in Norway dedicated exclusively to media- and media tech companies.
To prepare for the launch, a media incubator “light” was started at BTO’s offices at Marineholmen. The feasibility study provided valuable insight, and Mediekuben is now in operation at the 8th floor of Media City Bergen. Here it is co-located with key players of the media cluster, including TV 2, The University of Bergen, Bergens Tidende, Bergensavisen, NRK, and Vizrt.
Pool of expertise in Media City Bergen
Project manager Tor Arne Fanghol says that it will be beneficial for both startups and established companies in Mediekuben to co-locate and work in the cluster.
– In Media City Bergen, the companies in Mediekuben will work in close proximity to leading companies in both the media and the media tech industry. At the same time, our team has a broad network both nationally and internationally. The combination of these factors will provide our companies the platform they need to launch their ideas. We also believe that the startups coming in will benefit by working in a low-treshold setting together with more established companies, as well as with our experienced mentors, Fanghol says.
What types of companies are you looking for?
– We are not looking for companies which aim is to streamline existing businesses, but rather the ones with truly disruptive and scalable innovations. Companies that can create new jobs in the long term, Fanghol says.
The startup Bergensia – The Sustainable Gazette, is one of the companies working in Mediekuben. CEO and founder, Jan Terje Espeland, is thrilled to be a part of the program.
– I want to be a part of an innovative, young and dynamic environment, where there is a notion that you can change the world - and where you go out and actually do that, Espeland says.
NEW OFFICE: Bergensia’s Jan Terje Espeland (right) with Morten Hovland from Guilty, one of the established companies in Mediekuben.
The appeal of Media City Bergen
Having launched September 1, Fanghol says the team was not expecting such a high demand for memberships this early.
– More and more companies are reporting their interest for a membership, which we believe is down to the appeal of both the cluster and Media City Bergen. Currently we have nine companies in our program, and a total of 35 people working in Mediekuben. But we have room for more, Fanghol says.
Want to be a part of Mediekuben? Read more and apply here.
– We will show that there’s value in being a part of our project, and we will provide an outstanding environment for media startups. Now, we are ready to make results, Fanghol concludes.