Electronic Coast

Electronic Coast is an independent association, committed to arena- and network building with the aim of promoting growth and innovation in electronic- and ICT-based companies in Vestfold.  The association “Electronic Coast" was founded in June 2003.

Electronic Coast (EC) has been a user-governed organisation where company members have been in the majority both on the head committee and in project groups. 


History

From project to association "Electronic Coast" is a registered trademark!   

Up until June 2003 Electronic Coast was a user-governed organisation where company members were in the majority both on the head committee and in project groups. The organisation had 46 members in the spring of 2003, most of these were electronic or ICT companies from the county of Vestfold.

Activities were directed towards increasing expertise, network building and the establishment of arenas for learning. The dynamic character of the project was its hallmark. There were many enthusiasts here who believed (and still believe) very much in this particular kind of network. 

Cooperation through EC has also lead to the creation of the following: 

• The start up of MicroTech Innovation AS, an instrument for R&D based business development in the field of micro systems technology in Vestfold County. 
• The University College and several of the member companies are now part owners of this company and are represented on its board of directors.

The project network was also the starting point of many inter-organisational joint ventures of which we neither can or should have a full oversight. Examples of this are: companies who have become one another’s suppliers, companies that have cooperated on smaller R&D projects, employees from the University College participating at business events, real life company case studies being used in the teaching of several courses, company participation in the development of the University College’s engineering courses, student projects for companies e.t.c..   

The EC concept dates back to the days of the Horten College of engineering (HIH) early in the 1980s. “Electronic Coast" began as a REGINN project financed by the Norwegian state R&D fund in 1998. The project period ended officially in 2001. Links to PDF-versions of some of the “EC newsletters" from those days can be found at the bottom of this page (in black and white). The committee decided to prolong the project in 2002 and efforts to continue the work of the EC within the framework of an association were crowned with success in June 2003.