The expertise is there. Now we need clearer guidelines.

Many industrial companies already have the expertise, technology, and production capacity needed to meet new needs and capitalize on business opportunities. At the same time, the world around us is changing rapidly. New requirements, uncertain supply chains, and shifting market conditions mean that companies need to become less vulnerable and better equipped to handle change.

At Innovatum Science Park, we work to strengthen industry’s competitiveness, capacity for innovation, and sustainable transition. An important part of that work involves creating the conditions for companies to evolve in step with an ever-changing world where the pace of change is accelerating. The new Swedish-Norwegian Interreg project CBIC, Cross Border Industrial Capacity, is a concrete example of that work.

Together with Vaager Innovasjon, we develop methods, networks, and approaches that help small and medium-sized industrial companies identify new business opportunities, expand their markets, and strengthen their ability to adapt to future changes.

Through CBIC, industrial companies receive support to identify new business opportunities, understand the requirements of new markets, build relevant contacts, and develop a concrete path forward to broaden their customer base and reduce their dependence on individual industries. For companies looking to grow, strengthen their competitiveness, or find new sources of revenue, the project is about making the path from potential to business more transparent.

The ability to adapt is a competitive advantage

Many industrial companies still rely on a small number of customers or a dominant market. This makes their operations vulnerable when demand fluctuates or conditions change. For companies seeking long-term growth, adaptability is not only about managing risks but also about being able to capitalize on new business opportunities as they arise.

This may involve making the transition from the automotive industry to the defense industry or to other markets with high standards for quality, traceability, and delivery capability. However, success requires more than just technical expertise. Companies need to understand the applicable requirements, the investments that may be necessary, and how to find the right customers, partners, and pathways into new value chains.

A key component of CBIC is the development of a joint Swedish-Norwegian approach to industrial capacity development. The goal is to help companies understand where they stand today, which new markets they have the potential to reach, and what steps are needed to move forward.

As part of this effort, a cross-border industrial accelerator program will be developed to help companies identify their development needs, build relevant expertise, and take the next step toward new markets and value chains.

“We want to make it easier for companies to identify their opportunities, understand the requirements of new markets, and take the next step. CBIC is about creating structured support that helps companies translate their expertise and capacity into long-term competitiveness and new business,” says Malin Svendsen, CBIC project manager at Innovatum Science Park.

The work is not based on creating new models from scratch, but rather on drawing on the experiences, tools, and approaches already in use on both sides of the border.

The first step in CBIC’s needs assessment was taken during this fall’s Popup Meeting Arena – Automotive & Defense, where 63 companies and organizations gathered to discuss business opportunities, build relationships, and explore new collaborations. In conjunction with the event, the project team held discussions with participating companies to identify needs, obstacles, and opportunities for development.

“The discussions confirmed something we often see in our work with the industry: the expertise and capacity are already in place. What’s needed is support to navigate new markets, understand the requirements, and find the right partnerships. Through CBIC, we want to create better conditions for doing just that,” says Peter Bratt, Industrial Supplier Management at Innovatum Science Park.

New Cross-Border Business Opportunities

CBIC is based on the belief that stronger industrial ecosystems are created through collaboration. During the project’s first phase, industrial strengths, competencies, networks, and development initiatives on both sides of the border will therefore be mapped out. The goal is to build on existing strengths and initiatives while developing new collaborations, ways of working, and opportunities among companies, networks, and development environments in Sweden and Norway. By combining established structures with new perspectives and relationships, clear cross-border added value is created, giving companies access to expertise, experience, and business opportunities that are not available within their own region.

By drawing on experiences from industrial environments in Fyrbodal, Västra Götaland, and Inlandet County—with Raufoss Industrial Park at the center—the project can identify new partnerships, complementary strengths, and business opportunities that might otherwise remain undiscovered. This cross-border perspective not only strengthens companies’ competitiveness but also contributes to more robust value chains and increased supply resilience.

For Innovatum Science Park, CBIC is a natural part of its long-term efforts to foster a competitive, sustainable, and resilient industry. When more companies have the opportunity to grow, find new markets, and apply their expertise in new contexts, it strengthens not only individual businesses but also the region’s overall innovation and competitiveness.

Would you like to help shape the next step?

CBIC is now seeking to engage with industrial companies that want to explore new markets, find new customers and partnerships, and strengthen their competitiveness in a changing business environment. By participating, companies will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the project’s methods while gaining access to networks, knowledge, and insights that can open doors to future business opportunities.

Read more about the project here