Hilsen til deltakerne på UAccelerate - Norges første gründerprogram for ukrainske flyktninger

                                                                                         * Sjekkes mot fremføring

Ladies and gentlemen,

‘pani ta panove’,

dear everyone,

 

Thank you to UAccelerate for your invitation.

It is a great pleasure for me to be here with you today.

My name is Jan Christian Vestre.

I am the Norwegian Minster of Trade and Industry.

And I love people who are able to think creatively.

People who see opportunities where others see limitations.

People who believe in themselves and in what they are doing. And most important of all:

People who have the guts and the courage to go ‘all in’ and ‘just do it.’

Being an entrepreneur takes a lot of time and energy.

You have to sacrifice a lot.

Time with friends.

Time with family.

And time for doing other things that you like doing.

But, after some time, after countless early mornings and late evenings – and may be sleepless nights…

 

It is finally payback time.

Thanks to a vision.

Thanks to persistence and determination.

Thanks to encouragement from people around you – people who support you.

You finally reach your goal.

And that, my friends, that is one of the best feelings I know.

I have experienced it myself.

My grandfather founded our family business.

And my father and mother worked hard to continue his life’s work.

Sometimes it was tough.

Almost unbearable.

But I promise you, it was a great feeling when I saw them succeed.

When they achieved what they had been working for so hard.

 

Dear all,

Thank you for participating in this important programme!

You are all aiming to add valuable contributions to value creation!

Not only for Norway and Ukraine.

But also, for the rest of the world.

We need people like you to be able to solve the challenges we are facing in this world today.

You are actually role models for future generations of growth creators.

 

The Norwegian government wants to cut our national greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030.

In addition, we want to get more people into the workforce, increase activity across the entire country,

and increase exports by 50 per cent.

 

In order to reach these goals, we have to innovate.

And we have to think smart.

If we are to achieve the big, hairy goals we have set ourselves – and believe me, we will (!) – we need entrepreneurs like you.

 

In order to succeed, you need support along your way.

Of course, you have to do the most difficult part of the job yourself, but it is important to have a cheering and support team along your way.

Like the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Like Digital Norway.

Like Google Norway,

The Brønnøysund Register Centre,

The Norwegian Tax Administration,

Norwegian Industrial Property Office,

and the largest commercial Norwegian bank; DnB.

 

I would therefore like to extend a big thank to the organisers of this programme.

You play a crucial role in bringing out the best in these people while also helping the people of Ukraine.

You prove that innovation has no borders.

You make this possible!

 

I have to say I am impressed by this initiative.

I feel confident that this will pave the way for further innovation and growth.

And that you will contribute to making the world more sustainable.

With these words, I wish you all the best of luck!

Thank you for your attention!