No Isolation (NO) is the winner of the Oslo Innovation Award 2020

Head juror of the Oslo Innovation Award, Per L. Saxegaard and founder of No Isolation, Karen Dolva. Award made by artist Sandra Blikås. Photo: Gorm K. Gaare

Published by Oslo Business Region, 25 September 2020

Warm technology startup No Isolation selected as the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Oslo Innovation Award

Press release Oslo, Norway, 25th September 2020 - Oslo Innovation Week, on the behalf of The City of Oslo and Innovation Norway, is proud to announce warm technology startup, No Isolation (www.noisolation.com), as the recipient of the 2020 Oslo Innovation Award. Presented during the final day of Oslo Innovation Week, the Scandinavian city’s annual week-long technology festival, Karen Dolva, Co-Founder and CEO of No Isolation, collected the award from head juror, Per L. Saxegaard, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Business for Peace Foundation.

Now entering its 13th year, the prestigious Oslo Innovation Award is a collaboration between the City of Oslo and Innovation Norway and is designed to highlight the city’s most innovative startups. The panel, made up of previous recipients of the award, business leaders and impact investors, sought out a recipient that was reflective of Oslo Innovation Week’s 2020 theme: ‘It's Time To Build’. Companies were considered based on their capacity to problem solve in a way that would create value for the business and for society; with the panel looking to award a scalable, impact-driven startup that had demonstrated the ability to be both ethical and socially responsible, as well as environmentally and economically sustainable.

No Isolation was selected due to the company’s commitment to solving the global loneliness crisis through the creation and implementation of warm technology: tailored solutions designed to address the specific needs of the few, not the many. With the global pandemic highlighting now, more than ever, the impact that loneliness can have on people of all ages, No Isolation’s products - AV1, a telepresence avatar aimed at tackling loneliness amongst children affected by long-term illness, and KOMP, a one button communication device designed specifically for use by seniors - have a become lifeline for many across Europe. Throughout the pandemic, No Isolation successfully scaled its production, meeting unforseen demand, whilst not compromising on the quality of its products, nor its commitment to existing users.

“It's been a strange year for all of us, and we have all felt the consequences of social isolation during lockdown. The people we exist for feel this way most of the time – not just during pandemics – and being recognised for the work we do by receiving this award is important for them as well as for us. We are committed to ensuring that nobody has to feel alone because the technology that exists doesn't work for them, and I hope that one small, positive outcome of this strange time is that more people will be inspired to innovate for change.”
– Karen Dolva, CEO and co-founder of No Isolation comments.

"The Oslo Innovation Award is important because it reflects Oslo Innovation Week's core mission, bringing impactful and scalable solutions to global challenge. We are really happy to see a great Nordic company receiving this year's award. No Isolation is solving an issue that is really serious right now."
– says Gaute Hagerup, CEO of Oslo Business Region and Project Manager of Oslo Innovation Week.

The jury

The 2020 Oslo Innovation Award panel included: Per L. Saxegaard, Founder and Executive Chairman of the Business for Peace Foundation, Haje Jan Kamps, CEO of Konf and ex-Techcrunch journalist, Christian Erfurt, CEO of Be My Eyes, Ann-Kristin Raknes Pfründer, Country Manager for 2019 winner, Too Good To Go, Claes Mikko-Nilsen, Investment Director at NordicNinja VC, and Zenia Francker, Chief Relations Officer of The Creators Community. No Isolation joins previous winners, including: Too GoodTo Go (2019), Otovo (2018), Be My Eyes (2017) and Kahoot! (2016).

About the Oslo Innovation Award

The Oslo Innovation Award was established in 2008 and will be handed out for the 13th year running during Oslo Innovation Week 2020. This award is a collaboration between the City of Oslo and Innovation Norway and the goal of the Oslo Innovation Award is to showcase the city’s pioneering startups, confirming Oslo’s position as a leading, innovative technology hub.

About Oslo Innovation Week

Oslo Innovation Week (oiw.no) is hosted every September in Oslo, Norway, and for the past 15 years it has gathered 13,000 business leaders and founders, with 30% attending from overseas. The event aims to highlight real global solutions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, through entrepreneurship, technology and innovation. The theme for Oslo Innovation Week 2020 is ‘It's Time To Build’, with attendees being encouraged to create solutions to build a better world. This year, in light of global events, the conference took place online, with people from across the globe being invited to attend digitally. Oslo Innovation Week is supported by Innovation Norway and the City of Oslo, Oslo Business Region is project manager.

About No Isolation

No Isolation (www.noisolation.com) was founded in 2015 by CEO Karen Dolva, and four other entrepreneurs: Marius Aabel, Matias Doyle, Marius Vabo and Anna Holm Heide. Karen, Matias and Anna still work at No Isolation. The company’s first product, AV1, was launched in 2016 and is currently helping 1,200 children and young adults across Europe. It’s second product, KOMP was launched in 2017 and more than 3,300 units have been sold. Partnered with the Norwegian Cancer Society, the University of Oslo, Swedish-Finnish telecom company Telia, and several high-profile Norwegian hospitals, No Isolation received its Seal of Excellence from the European Commission in 2016.