UiB Innovation Day 2026
The University of Bergen invites you to the UiB Innovation Day on 21 September at Nygårdsgaten 5. The event serves as a meeting place to strengthen collaboration between research at UiB and the surrounding society.
For the third time, the University of Bergen has the pleasure of inviting you to UiB Innovation Day. The event will take place on 21 September in the "Læringsarena" at Nygårdsgaten 5, ground floor.
The UiB Innovation Day is a meeting place for researchers, students, innovators, and industry representatives from the region, who together aim to explore how research can be translated into real societal change and contribute to stronger capacity for transformation.
On stage, there will be inspiring talks from, among others, Thomas von Erlach, who has brought research in medicine and technology at MIT into society through the company Vivtex (external link), and UiB Professor Bodil Holst, who recently won the Research Council of Norway’s Innovation Award 2025 for her work on advanced data chips and the establishment of the company Lace Lithography AS (external link), built on basic research at UiB. The two will share their success stories and participate in the panel discussion “From Research to Entrepreneurship.”
We will also showcase some of the most exciting and innovative projects being developed across all UiB faculties through the popular innovation relay, where researchers present their groundbreaking projects in just a few minutes.
In addition, there will be exhibition stands and parallel sessions throughout the day. The event will also include the official recognition of this year’s UiB Idé award winners.
Programme:
09.00 Welcome by Kjell-Morten Myhr, Vice-Rector UiB
Morning session (in English). Chair: Yves Aubert
09.05 From research towards treating millions of patients: The extraordinary story of ViVTEX
Thomas von Erlach, CEO and co-founder of ViVTEX. Cambridge, USA / Zürich, CH
10.00 200 second pitches, with innovations from all faculties. Lineup:
- Vebjørn Ekroll, PSY-FAK. Why do Things seem to Appear out of Nowhere in Magic Shows and Road Accidents?
- Eivind Kolflaath, JUS-FAK. A Reconceptualization of “Beyond Any Reasonable Doubt”
- Guillaume Poncelet, NT-FAK. A Sticky Solution from the Sea. Michael Sars
- Ann-Kristin Helland Gujord. HF-FAK. From Policy to Practice: Rethinking Language Learning Through Work
- Jerome Picard, KMD. Who Will Care for Norway? Designing Neighbourhoods as Care Infrastructure
- Asbjørn Engevik, Universitetsmuseet. Past Landscapes - Future Choices. Deep Time Transitions and the Legitimacy of the Green Shift
- Torbjørn Kråkenes, MED-FAK. Synthetic Hybrid Nanoparticles Engineered for Neural Regeneration
- Judith Reczek Dalsgård, SV-FAK. Bye Bye Bryggen – A Soundwalk into Bergen’s Climate Future
10.50 Interactive stands and coffee break
11.20 Parallel sessions:
- Jamming with comb jellies - An immersive experience
- Become an entrepreneur during your studies! Practical tips from UiB's Innovation Pilots
- One Idea, Many Paths: Routes from Research to Society. With VIS Innovation
12.00 Lunch and interactive stands
Afternoon session (in Norwegian). Chair: Øyvind Frette
13.00 On a mission to achieve something really really small - the story of Lace Lithography
Bodil Holst (UiB), CEO and co-founder of Lace Lithography. Bergen, NO
Panel discussion: How to grow good ideas into successful companies
Panelists - with introductory remarks:
Øyvind Frette, University of Bergen (Moderator)
Morten Aansteensen, Lace Lithography
Anne Kjersti Fahlvik, Research Council of Norway
Kai Stoltz, Bergen Chamber of Commerce
14.10 Interactive stands and coffee break
14.40 UiB idé. Presentation of the 2026 Project Winners
15.00 Closing Remarks: Kjell-Morten Myhr, Vice-Rector UiB