This is Innovation Dock

Coworking spaces, strategic relationships, industry events and international connections, all under one name, one network and one mission: helping founders and companies move faster.

Whether you're building a company, growing an established business, or looking for the next opportunity, this is where the right people, conversations and connections come together.

Story →‍ ‍What we do → ‍ ‍Programs & International connections → ‍Team →

OUR STORY

Built to bring the right people together

Innovation Dock was founded in the summer of 2014 by Nils-Henrik Stokke and Magnus Meisal, with the ambition to build a coworking space in Stavanger. What started as a modest 50m² idea grew quickly: by January 2015, all nine sections of the Vannkanten building in Stavanger East were open.

In 2016, Pia Warland joined as CEO, and new premises were added at Kvitsøygata 30, followed by a growing range of events, projects and education programs. In 2019, Nils-Henrik bought out Magnus, and Tore Gjedebo joined as a co-owner. The following year, Apache, our first Sandnes location, opened fully leased.

We launched Impact Awards in 2023, and in 2024, in partnership with Equinor, expanded into the international and industry-facing work that today includes Impact Summit, Impact Million and Nordic Energy Matchbox. At the end of 2024, Nils-Henrik Stokke and Pia Warland bought out Tore Gjedebo, and IKM Invest became a co-owner.

Today, Innovation Dock is owned by Nils-Henrik Stokke and Pia Warland together with IKM Invest, and run by a small, dedicated team supported by an experienced board.

WHAT WE DO

Helping founders and companies move faster

Strategic Relationships

Growth rarely happens alone. At the core of everything we do is a curated network of founders, corporates, investors and industry partners spanning Norway and reaching into international markets, built over more than a decade of relationships. We don't just make introductions. We take the time to understand who should meet, why it matters, and how the conversation can move forward. Whether you're looking for a customer, a partner, an investor, or simply someone who has solved the problem before you, we help you find the right people, faster.

Summits & Industry Events

Throughout the year, we create summits and industry events that bring people together around innovation, growth and the opportunities shaping what's next, from focused industry gatherings and networking events to future-facing dialogues across sectors. Our biggest gathering is Impact Summit & Awards, an annual flagship event that brings founders, scaleups, investors, corporates and decision-makers together for a full day of talks, dealmaking and celebration, culminating in live investments and an award show honoring the people and companies driving real change in the region. For us, events aren't about filling a room. They're about creating the right setting for ideas, relationships and opportunities to grow.

Community & Workspace

Innovation Dock is more than a place to work. Our coworking spaces in Stavanger and Sandnes are built with the same care as everything else we do: high-quality facilities, thoughtfully designed meeting rooms, and social spaces made for both focus and connection. Choose a flexible seat, a dedicated desk or your own office, and you become part of the same community, whatever your setup. Being here means being close to people, ideas and opportunities: founders solving similar problems, established companies exploring new ideas, and everyday conversations that turn into something more.

Dealflow & Advisory

Not every introduction should happen, and not every idea is ready for the next step. We work closely with companies, investors and industry partners to understand what's actually relevant, sharpen the direction, and connect opportunities when the timing makes sense. For companies, that can mean practical input on positioning, growth, partnerships or investor readiness. For investors and industry partners, it can mean early access to promising companies, fresh ideas and genuine deal flow from our network. We keep it hands-on, honest and opportunity-driven. The goal isn't more meetings. It's better conversations, better timing, and a stronger chance of turning interest into action.

PROGRAMS & INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS

Connecting Norway to the world,
and the world to Norway

Innovation Dock runs a set of programs and events that connect founders, established industry and international markets, helping Norwegian companies grow faster, both at home and abroad.

01

Impact Summit & Awards

Impact Summit & Awards is our flagship event, held every spring in Stavanger. It brings industry, investors, policymakers and founders together in one place, with a theme and program that changes every year to stay relevant to what the ecosystem needs right now. The day includes Impact Awards, an award show honoring the people and companies making a real difference for our region. It also includes Impact Million, a startup competition open to companies from across Norway, where NOK 1 million is invested live on stage. Impact Summit & Awards is an Innovation Dock event.

02

Nordic Energy Matchbox

Nordic Energy Matchbox is developed together with Energy Transition Norway and Validé, connecting startups and scaleups with the industry decision-makers who can actually put their solutions to work. Rather than generic pitch days, it's built around focused sessions where real industry challenges meet the people building solutions for them. In the first rounds, Aker BP and Equinor presented real challenges within areas like emissions monitoring, maintenance optimization and well life, giving startups direct access to the problems that matter, and a real shot at getting their solution evaluated by the companies who need it.

03

A two-way street

Through our Startup Exchange program, our network works both ways: we connect international startups with Norwegian industry and investors, and we connect Norwegian founders and scale-ups with opportunities abroad.

In 2024, we brought four startups from the US to ONS (Offshore Northern Seas), one of the world's largest energy conferences, held right here in Stavanger. In 2026, we're growing that number to nine international startups, including companies from Brazil, the UK and the US.

The exchange runs in both directions. We've also introduced Norwegian scale-ups directly to international markets, including a trip to Houston, Texas, where four Norwegian companies met investors, corporates and industry partners in one of the world's largest energy and innovation markets.