History of the project

Polar Star business incubator is the first Norwegian-Russian bilateral project which belongs to SIVA’s innovative concepts. During the last 40 years SIVA – the Industrial Development Corporation of Norway has created innovation systems and innovative concepts such as Science Parks, Business centers, Technoparks, Industrial and Business Incubators and Research parks.

During the last 15 years SIVA has also implemented the same concepts abroad with the help of its daughter company SIVA International Management (before SIVA-TECH). Concepts are spread around the globe in several countries from North of Russia to the Balkans.

SIVATECH’s first international project was in N-W Russia, in Murmansk – the opening of SIVA Center in Murmansk in spring 1999. Since its establishment SIVA Center in Murmansk has provided around 50 Norwegian companies with opportunities for business activity in Northwest Russian market.

Later SIVA’s Center in Murmansk got status of Innovation Center in January 2006. Today, Innovation Center Polar Star has 23 companies as tenants. Tenants’ activities in the Center range from purchase and sale of fish to radio equipment engineering and IT.

On the basis of Polar Star Innovation centre was opened Polar Star business incubator on April, 08 2008.

Norsk Etableringssenter is an integral part of the Polar Star business incubator offering in particular bookkeeping and juridical services, assistance in a company’s registration and audit consulting.