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See detailsMovers & Shakers: Anders H. Lier on impact investment
Nordic Impact is a private company that primarily invests in early-stage startups which use exponential technology to make a positive impact on society and the environment.
The Explorer spoke to Nordic Impact's Executive Chairman, Anders H. Lier.
What are the most important sustainable trends in your sector at the moment?
Norway has a unique responsibility and opportunity to develop good, sustainable solutions for the future. Aside from Norway’s fortuitous discovery of oil and gas, there are many qualities of Norwegian society that put us in an excellent position to do this.
The most pressing problems in the world also offer the greatest business opportunities. We believe that all capital should work to solve global problems. By creating impact, you also create extraordinary returns. And the minute you’ve earned those returns, you can recirculate the money in the system – investing in other promising ideas that can make the world a better place.
We want to make impact investing mainstream. This way we can leave oil and gas in the ground, while shaping a new future for Norway by investing in entrepreneurs who have a burning desire to create a better world and who use exponential technology to scale up their solutions globally.
Which sustainable solution would you like to see in 10 years’ time?
It is difficult to predict what will happen in 10 years. Given the speed of current developments, it could be anything under the sun. Personally, I find technology that can help us to lead long, high-quality lives particularly exciting. For example, the potential to create fully synthetic life with customised characteristics. Or transformative technology that enables humans to evolve in coexistence with machines via sensors or by connecting the human brain to computers. All of this will become incredibly important for us as humans in the years ahead.
What are your ambitions for The Explorer? How can it be used to boost Norwegian exports?
The Explorer is poised to become a global hub where impact investors can find globally leading impact tech companies which they can invest in and do business with.
It is also fascinating to see how the technologies which many of these companies are based on can be applied in totally different areas, in totally different parts of the world. For example, Norway’s knowledge of how to handle vast amounts of data generated by the petroleum industry can quickly be transferred to new solutions for renewable energy.
Hopefully The Explorer will be more than a platform for Norwegian solutions, but also a platform for the best solutions, regardless of origin. People are concerned with finding the best solutions in the world that can help to solve the problems they are struggling with where they are. Therefore Norwegian companies must develop the best solutions in the world – not just the best Norwegian solutions.
