Norway: a stable, wealthy, and promising market for the green and blue transition
Norway: A Stable, Wealthy, and Promising Market for the Green and Blue Transition!
Norway, often viewed through the lens of its majestic fjords and vast natural resources, is today a model of sustainable transformation and technological innovation. As the world leader in the share of electric vehicles, a pioneer in the electrification of maritime transport, and boasting an energy mix of over 90% hydropower, Norway uniquely combines economic growth with carbon neutrality in a way few other countries can.
What truly sets Norway apart, however, is its extraordinary financial discipline. With over €1.6 trillion in assets, equivalent to nearly €297,000 per capita, the Government Pension Fund Global is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund. Obsessively transparent, it invests in 9,000 companies across 70 countries and follows a strict golden rule: never spend more than 3% of the fund's capital annually. The result? A nation that transforms its oil and gas revenue into long-term, intergenerational economic stability, funding its green transition without jeopardizing its social model. For French companies, this means a solvent, predictable, and resolutely long-term-oriented market.
Geographically, the cities of Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, and Stavanger form a network of human-scale innovation hubs, open to international partnerships and ideal for co-developing exportable technologies. Here, major groups like Equinor, Kongsberg, Yara, DNV, and Aker collaborate closely with a vibrant ecosystem of startups on the solutions of tomorrow: green hydrogen, batteries, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), marine biotechnology, offshore robotics, and digital solutions for sustainable industries. Norway also serves as a formidable test market where quality, reliability, and sustainability are valued more than price—an ideal environment to showcase French expertise in engineering, the energy transition, sustainable food, mobility, luxury goods, and digital technology.
With a population of just 5.5 million, Norway has leveraged digitalization as a strategic driver of competitiveness. In just a few years, the country has become one of the most advanced in the world for both public and private digital services. Vipps is a perfect illustration: this mobile payment app, created by Norwegian banks, is now used by 95% of the population and has established itself as a standard across the Nordic region. This success highlights a key reality: in Norway, technological adoption is incredibly rapid, and its digital infrastructure is among the best in Europe. For companies in fintech, cybersecurity, AI, or data, it offers a mature and highly connected testing ground.
As a mature, transparent market with a highly skilled, English-speaking workforce, Norway provides a stable and predictable business environment at the heart of the European Economic Area. It also serves as a key gateway to the Arctic and the wider Nordic markets. For French exporters, Norway is a high-impact destination—a place to innovate, establish a long-term presence, test cutting-edge digital solutions, and build strong technological bridges with a trusted partner.
"The French-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, the exclusive representative of Team France Export in Norway, supports French companies in their development by leveraging the strength of its member network, the expertise of its sector-specific committees, and a bicultural team that stands at the crossroads of both markets."
— Ludovic Caubet, Director of the FNCC - In Norway for 25 years.
