KUNNSKAPSPARKEN HELGELAND AS (KPH)
KPH is a regional innovation company in Helgeland, Norway, fostering collaboration among businesses, entrepreneurs, knowledge institutions, investors, and the public sector. With over 20 years of experience and a team of 20 professionals, KPH promotes sustainable growth, value creation and industrial development through advisory services, project development, competency programs, and incubator. KPH manages the Arctic Cluster Team (ACT), one of Norway’s leading industrial clusters, with over 110 members. The focus areas within ACT include Circular Economy, Digitalization, Hydrogen, CCUS, and Logistics. The cluster strengthens the innovation ecosystem in the region and contributes to fulfilling Norway’s commitment in the Paris agreement.
About the partnership
As one of the two replication regions in the project, KPH facilitates collaboration between businesses, stakeholders, and public-sector actors in Nordland.
Our key activities include:
- Workshops and Stakeholder Engagement: Organizing workshops to refine replication strategies and map energy, water, and material side streams.
- Reference Group Formation: Establishing and coordinating a reference group with local, regional, and national representatives from both the private and public sectors to provide strategic guidance for I-US initiatives.
- Business Case Development: Identifying, evaluating, and matchmaking sustainable innovations with industries through our incubation ecosystem.
- Policy Recommendations: Developing policy recommendations for the municipality to support regional industrial symbiosis and just transition strategies.
Meet the Team
Monica Paulsen
MSc & MBA – CEO & Cluster Manager
Ms. Monica Paulsen has > 13 years industrial experience and holds two master degrees: MSc Manufacturing Technology and MBA Tech. Management. The last 15 years she’s been a driving force in developing a strong innovation eco system, supporting SMEs and large industrial corporates in achieving their goals for sustainability and digital transition. In ACT, she fosters an open innovation landscape where industrial partners, investors, entrepreneurs, educators, and the R&D community co-create a sustainable and eco-friendly future.
Karin Kristensen
Cand.Polit – Senior advisor R&D and Innovation / EU advisor
Ms. Karin Kristensen has more than 15 years of experience from regional development through increased cooperation between R&D and the region’s business community. As a senior advisor for Nordland County Municipality, she was responsible for the region’s R&D strategy, led Nordland’s collaboration with the Research Council and was central in developing the regions innovation strategy for smart specialization under the EU scheme. In ACT, she is the link to Europe and facilitates cooperation through the EU’s funding instruments. Karin Kristensen has a Cand. Polite degree in Social Anthropology from University of Oslo.
Hildrun Hope Rydsaa
MBA Project manager and Circular Economy Group Manager
Mrs. Hildrun Hope Rydsaa has an MBA in technology management is a former journalist with 15 years of experience in research and science journalism. She is an administrative project manager at Arctic Cluster Team and works closely with its members. As the Circular Economy Group Manager of the Arctic Cluster Team, she develops value chains, facilitates collaboration, and contributes to the development of circular projects within the working group.
Varshini Gnana Sekaran
MSc – Trainee and Hydrogen Group Manager
Ms. Varshini Gnana Sekaran is an engineer with a master’s degree in Circular Economy, specializing in hydrogen and industrial symbiosis. As Hydrogen Group Manager of the Arctic Cluster Team, she develops value chains and facilitates collaboration. Her expertise includes waste management, sustainability assessments, policy research and business development.
Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions programme under grant agreement No 101095303, under topic HORIZON-CL4-2024-TWIN-TRANSITION-01-38 – Hubs for circularity for industrialised urban peripheral areas (Processes4Planet partnership) (IA).
