14 March, 2025

 

 

 

The Hinck's team visited Tromsø, Norway, as part of the Interreg NPA Project Target Circular. The team joined the project partners from Norway, Finland and Iceland for project meetings and site visits. 

 

The Target Circular team with participants from the Pilot Program, at Norinnova, Tromsø.

 

The visit coincided with partners Norinnova concluding the Target Circular pilot program, an eight-week initiative designed to support startups in Northern regions by helping them build sustainable and successful businesses.

 

The program focuses on applying a method called "Strategy Mapping," which helps entrepreneurs develop clearer strategies, set actionable goals, and strengthen their business models.

 

Niall O'Leary presenting Target Circular's evidence-based tools for supporting SME success. 

Seven startups participated in the program, with six led by female entrepreneurs. They reported significant benefits, including greater confidence in their ideas, improved business structure, and a supportive network of peers. The program featured hands-on mentorship from Norinnova’s business developers, who guided the entrepreneurs through strategic planning and decision-making.

 

Among the participants were The Seafood Innovation Hub, Tromsø, which gained clarity around its vision. Fêmea Management, an agency for female footballers, whose founder began thinking more ambitiously about growth, and Arbeidsmiljølegen, which works to promote women's health in the workplace, found strength in collaboration and long-term planning.

 

Line Kjelstrup and Ann Kristin Nilssen, business developers at Norinnova. 

 

The Target Circular pilot program received positive feedback on its ability to foster innovation, resilience, and community among early-stage companies and is seen as a strong model for future entrepreneurial support in the region.

 

To learn more about Target Circular, click here.

 

Fiacre Muller 

Researcher, 

Hincks Centre for Entrepreneurship Excellence