We are humbled to announce that TOOL has been listed amongst eight Norwegian start-up teams to look out for, together with well-established and successful players in the Norwegian start-up community. The nomination is made by The Org, a platform for the future of work, and includes startups such a No Isolation, Unloc, Whereby and ReMarkable.
Read The Org’s full list of Norwegian startups to look out for.
The eight Norwegian startups in the list all have “exceptional teams at their core, be that in terms of talent, diversity, culture or organizational setup…in addition to impressive products, traction and growth”, according to The Org.
“TOOL is built on the belief that diversity and inclusion is the only way to truly achieve the mission of an emission-free and waste-free ocean industry. Amongst its interns, the startup has hired both recent university graduates as well as retired seniors,” reads The Org’s article.
Curious about the team behind TOOL? Meet them here.
Cultural Shift in the Norwegian Startup-Ecosystem
While it has taken time for the entrepreneurial spirit to find its footing in Norway, TOOL is taking part in a now booming Norwegian start-up ecosystem; however, with different values compared to the fast-moving economic growth-oriented startup environments.
A weakness early on, according to founder and CEO of TOOL, Birgit Liodden, “was that we tried to copy the Silicon Valley culture, which has some critical flaws.” In Norway, she says, “there is a softer and more collaborative culture amongst the entrepreneurs, which involves a greater focus on work-life balance, solutions that help moving the world towards a better future, and incorporating a more long-term sustainable approach.”
About the nominator: The Org is the platform for the future of work. They help organizations use transparency to get more exposure externally and operate more efficiently internally. “ We’re on a mission to make organizations more transparent.”
Transparency and Openness, Key to the Innovation Process
Our nominator, The Org, is a platform that helps companies develop and advertise their products in a transparent and honest way. Their approach reflects a part of TOOL’s “soul” which is the focus on honesty with customers and partners around the evolving product. This transparency fuels collaboration and sets up a trusting relationship between TOOL and its partners, which in turn fuels the innovation process. Sometimes companies are afraid of doing this and showing their “inside” because of competition, but we believe a focus on collaboration is key to success.
By promoting a sustainable work culture and emphasizing the need for diversity, inclusion, and collaboration, TOOL is one of many leaders in the Norwegian entrepreneurial business community. We are working towards promoting and spreading our values and work culture through partnerships and members worldwide. This is just the start!
Read more about the TOOL community and more details on how hop on board.