2020, a year of clearer vision: Building a future to grow in — for all of us
This year has given us many frustrations, but also the time to have a closer look at the world we are part of: Which world do you want to build?
Building a new world takes time, and yet it is being done continuously: Just like our gender roles change — fall apart and rebuild themselves in new ways — so does our relationship with the world around us, for example the nature, or how we see both our distant and near history. With new generations, certain ideals and perceptions go ‘out of style’ and are quickly filled up by the new ways of thinking. The process is quite like water taking over a dry stream; the greater the flow, the more widespread the impact of it is. A river does not keep to itself, and neither do causes that engage millions of people all over the globe. The ripple effect can be felt in dozens of ways.
Oslo Innovation Week 2020 is taking on the topic of ‘building’ things — whether it is circular economy, the future of work, health innovation, energy, or accelerating growth. It is destined to be an interesting event, in a year that has been a year unlike any other: During the three first months of 2020, the Coronavirus spread across the globe — and many nations are still battling the frightening virus and its effects on the general health, economy, and future prospects of their citizens. For half a year there has been a frustrating, lonely situation of entire countries doing home office and home schooling, and yet each individual often feel quite alone in their situation. But unlike previous pandemics that took on the world (such as the Bubonic Plague in the 14th century and the 1918 Flu pandemic), we have a vast catalogue of information now — right at our fingertips. Current events within our own country blend with our friends’ social media updates, or debates and demonstrations that originated on other continents. And as a backdrop of it all: The never-ending news of the Coronavirus’ spread. The general awareness of a modern citizen create new stories and debates we never would have had in the 14th century, nor in 1918.
Coincidentally, prosperous economic growth is exactly what our societies need in the wake of the Coronavirus — hence, there is a great opportunity for new industries, and for women to join the world of business.
Getting 20/20 vision in a disorienting year
At the cusp of 2019, social media was brimming with post on how the new year’s resolution should be to ‘gain a clearer vision of your own life’ — playing into the expectations many of us had for a year named 2020. Coincidentally, “20/20 vision” is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. Most people probably hoped to gain insights on their relationships, ambitions, their spiritual growth, or another field that needed improvement. But 2020 didn’t quite bring us that — at least not in the sense we expected.
Instead, we get to follow the world on live-stream as events unfold in the US (the presidential election, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the California wildfires are examples here), 13.000 refugees in the Moria camp have lost their homes in a fire, and Coronavirus statistics are brewing in the background. We are learning while we watch, read, and listen to content aimed at making us learn. In a way, 2020 is still trying to bring us 20/20 vision.
Startup Norway at Oslo Innovation Week 2020
At Oslo Innovation Week 2020, Startup Norway are involved in two events that effectively are other signs of an informed public: LOOP and WIN (Women Investor Network) are two initiatives aimed at building a better world. LOOP is working to implement circular economy on an international scale: With a community and a mindset tuned in to making lasting change, LOOP help startups and corporations create sustainable solutions for the future. The organization is based in four countries: Antrop (Sweden), Avanto (Finland), Agens (Norway), ArtRebels (Denmark), and Startup Norway (Norway). Startup Norway has joined this project together with Agens to work on a Nordic level to support more companies going circular.
At the Oslo Innovation Week, Startup Norway will be part of LOOP’s event on showcasing Nordic startups within the circular economy, and what kind of concrete solutions there are to take circular economy from strategy to action. These startups represent different circular business models, to show you how circular business can be done in practice. Building a sustainable and circular future requires a system where ideas and visions turn into reality. Circular economy is not only about recycling — it opens up five interesting business models. These business opportunities are used by impressive startups in the Nordics. Startup Norway will be in the panel with Nordic Innovation and Agens, and the live-stream studio will be at Startup Campus in Oslo (Norway).
WIN is engaged in increasing the amount of women investors — as women often tend to invest differently from the average male investor. At the Oslo Innovation Week, Startup Norway will be part of WIN’s event on inspiring women to amplify their participation, influence, and leadership in the innovation economy by learning to invest and investing in startups. Sign up to be part of relevant conversations about women’s economic empowerment, why women must take control of their financial futures, and how. By investing in startups, women amplify their influence, participation in innovation, and strengthen their financial position. If you have never invested in startups before and would like to increase your knowledge on how to maximize these types of investment opportunities, or if you feel ready to continue investing, this event is for you. Virginia Vegas from Startup Norway will be in this event’s roundtable discussion.
Tearing down the old ideas, building the new
Making conscious effort to recruit more women investors is not a new idea of 2020, but in a world so largely centred around male priorities, thoughts, and measurements, anything woman-centred is revolutionary.
The quite consistent lack of woman influence on investor communities is shocking — and even more so when you consider the implications that follow: Not only is it silly to think that the male half of the world has the best and most profitable ideas, seeing women investors and women founders as abnormalities with little substance is also severely limiting to the economic growth of every society where this prejudice persists. Coincidentally, prosperous economic growth is exactly what our societies need in the wake of the Coronavirus — hence, there is a great opportunity for new industries, and for women to join the world of business. Studies have for example shown that women investors are more eager to invest in companies that aim to have social and environmental impact — and this brings us directly to the values of circular economy.
In recent years, more and more products and ideas within the circular economy are brought forward by an increasing amount of companies, initiatives, and notable people. Committing to creating a greener economy means also doing a lot of carefully planned studies and projects on developing sustainable solutions. There is no ‘half-way’ doing circular economy, there won’t be any real impact unless the products keep their promises. The world should not be moving towards sustainable alternatives to appease the people using these products, but to reduce the emissions every time something is produced, used, and discharged.
Just look at nature — like any bee working tirelessly to harvest enough pollen for what will equate 1/12th spoonfuls of honey (!!). A bee’s entire lifetime is spent on less than a spoonful of honey: You might think it amounts to nothing, and yet honey is everywhere — and our fields of fruit and flowers bloom every year, because of the bees. And so, an ambition of circular economy is learning how to reconnect with nature and imitate the finely tuned ‘circular economy’ we so often see in millions of ecosystems. Working to achieve this also means understanding — on a deeper level — the impact of our actions.
The boldness of a new time
Inspiring a change in our ways of thinking starts with the people, and spreads to the bigger brands and companies. And yet I think about a quote written in a magazine I have had at my desk for years now, as a reminder of the difficulties that lie in inspiring women to pursue investing and founding: “You can’t be what you can’t see”, said by Lu Li (the founder of Blooming Founders — a business incubation platform designed for early stage female entrepreneurs and diverse teams). The seeds of change will bloom in representation — and the details. A world of greater consciousness will come if we make an active choice in making it, rather than waiting for it (a common misconception is that change should happen “when the timing is right” — rather than as a result of politics and active debates). It is true we need representation, but we also need the boldness brought forward by the changing times.
2020 has perhaps not yet brought us all the internal peace that was anticipated, but it has presented us with a number of societal issues that need improvement — issues which also get their deserved attention as people speak about them, debate them, and work to change them. The topics of women investors and circular economy are no different. As informed citizens, we have the obligation and privilege of working for a better future, one we can actually see in the distance.
