Come join our quest to build tomorrow’s sustainable industry companies!

We?are ramping up our activity and we’re looking for more driven and enthusiastic people with tons of grit to join our team.

At Norselab, we back founding teams targeting industrial technology startups and scaleups with the ambition to create net positive impact for people and the planet. Now we are ramping up our activity and we’re looking for more driven and enthusiastic people with tons of grit to join our team!

But let’s take a step back. If you’re curious about career opportunities at Norselab, we’re guessing you would like to know what all that looks like once you're on the job.?What does it really mean that we “back founding teams”? Or that we work with “industrial technology startups and scaleups”? And what is our take on creating “net positive impact for people and the planet”, in an era when everyone wants to chip in for positive change?

Let’s try and sum up what you will be contributing to as part of our team:

# 1 You will help us grow technology companies that reshape traditional industries.

Why does Norselab focus on industrial tech companies? Put short, because of opportunity and impact potential. Let’s elaborate a bit on that: First of all; there are still gigantic opportunities to create disruptive, profitable and sustainable businesses within industries that are digital laggards, or that struggle with legacy technologies. Second, these industries often have one thing in common; they make up the backbone of our societies but are very resource intensive. They need to transform to be compatible with a sustainable future. By supporting technology companies that drive profound change in large, global industries, we create massive impact potential.

Let’s look at one example from our portfolio:?Ivaldi?has built a technology that enables digitization of spare parts, so that they can be distributed to any place on earth in seconds, and manufactured locally, on demand. This completely disrupts traditional supply chains, where spare parts are produced in one place, stored in another, and then shipped across the globe at great economic and environmental costs. That is the kind of company we believe in! Curious to check out more examples??Get to know our portfolio.

# 2 By working your magic, you will contribute to portfolio companies’ growth.

Our first venture fund - Norselab Fund I - was established to help the best Norwegian startups and scaleups grow into global challengers within their industries. By giving them the fuel they need - both capital, networks and competence - they get the superpowers required to upend traditional, unsustainable industries.

This means that we do not lean back and wait for the companies to succeed. We look at how the Norselab team - with our diverse skills and experiences - can contribute to value creation in the companies. When we invest, we generally make a growth plan together with the founding teams, very often including hands-on support from our side.

This is what makes us very different from most other VCs; we don’t just work the numbers, we enjoy getting our hands dirty within any business area that may fuel the companies' growth.?As part of our team, you will work with multiple portfolio companies, helping them with what you do best.

One of many exemples is our involvement in the development of?Svenn, a platform for craftsmen who focus on quality and responsibility. When we got to know their extremely solid founding team, they were known as 24onoff, and had managed to win about 1000 paying customers without a distinctive position in the market. A brand strategy process was one of the improvements we helped the company with the first six months after our investment, contributing to building a platform for their growth. Read more about 24onoff’s rebirth as Svenn here.

# 3 You will help portfolio companies drive positive change through their core business, and fight window-dressing.?

When we consider potential investments, the company’s ability to create a net positive impact is one out of three key selection criteria. We believe that profit and impact go hand in hand. Given the state of our world and current megatrends, the best long-term returns will be generated by companies that truly contribute to a more sustainable future.?

However, you will not find the traditional ESG approach at Norselab. Although most companies generate some positive effects (and highlight them abundantly...), many fail to consider the negative effects of their activities. Our impact philosophy is that a company will only be beneficial for people and the planet if the positive effects outweigh the negative. That is what we mean by net positive impact.

This approach requires us to look at the integration of sustainability objectives in the company’s products and services. We don’t pay great attention to the marginal things; whether employees walk or drive to work, or whether travel is offset with CO2-quotas. We look at the big things; how a company makes money. We look for products and service offerings that are designed to drive more sustainable behaviours among customers. When they do, we call them “impact native”. Impact native companies make their core business about impact.

At Norselab, you will work on portfolio companies’ product offerings and business models, both before and after we invest, to make sure we live up to this commitment..?

Want to learn more about our approach to impact? Have a look at the highlights from our recent Meaningfulness report.?

Norselab is growing!?

Sounds exciting? We currently have five open positions at Norselab and are looking for fierce talents to join our team. But by now you probably wonder: how do I know I’ll be a great fit??

Among the millions of skilled people out there, a few stand out in a very special way. Not necessarily because of their CVs or their abundant LinkedIn recommendations, but thanks to their aura of humble determination, can-do attitude and team spirit.?

What it takes to join our team

If you’re eager to be part of our team, it may be useful to know that we will be equally excited to meet you if you recognize yourself in this description:?

• You are an enthusiastic and driven individual with a great amount of grit.
• Purpose is what motivates you, alongside great team efforts. You are always ready to lend a hand to a colleague.
• You are both a solid strategic thinker and a highly effective, operational “doer”.
• You enjoy working on several projects at the same time, and you excel at prioritizing. You constantly review your to-do list to make sure that you always work on the most pressing issues.
• As a structured and independent individual, you enjoy managing your own work streams, but know when it’s a good idea to spar with a colleague or advisor.
• You have excellent communication- and collaboration skills.
• You combine speed and attention to details.
• You are resourceful and forward-leaning. You work around obstacles easy as pie, always coming up with alternative ways of reaching your goals.?
• You have a demonstrated willingness to learn and grow.
• Last, and most importantly, you identify with our People Philosophy.

Join us!

If you’re still reading, we take it you’re as tickled by this career opportunity as we are by the idea of talking to you! Apply now to one of our open positions, or - if none of them fit with your skills and experience - don’t hesitate to share your CV, alongside a few words about yourself and how you would like to contribute.?

Still wondering if this is may be the right opportunity for you? Don't hesitate to reach out for an informal chat!

This article was first published on https://norselab.com/blog/come-join-our-quest-to-build-tomorrows-sustainable-industry-companies