
The ICE Innovation Festival is anything but an ordinary experience
The program inspires, teaches and brings people together. This is not a one-off event, but a continuous activity done for years. Each year the event has been growing - and this year the festival is bigger than ever. And so it will be continued - bigger and louder year after year.
Program

Arctic Food Fair
Get ready for a journey full of Arctic tastes!
The Arctic Food Fair is an on-site catering open daily from 11:00 to 18:00 which will let passionate foodies explore local flavours and experiences.
Indulge your palate with exquisite delicacies served by local food vendors such as seaweed chips, reindeer meat, king crab dishes, cloudberry cheesecake, blueberry and lingonberry fruit leather and many other superfoods.
The Arctic Food Fair is so much more than just a simple nourishment – it cannot be experienced elsewhere. The uniqueness of local cuisine born under Nordic conditions combined with ingredients from clean Arctic nature leaves no one indifferent.
Come enjoy the Arctic feast!

This is not a traditional conference
Be prepared to experience excitement and engagement at the Festival
Draw inspiration from key notes that get your thoughts sparking with new ideas, questions and answers. Learn about new possibilities in the Arctic, or create the winning solution in the ICE Innovation Challenge. Arctic Experience track on husky sledding or catching King Crabs activating all of your senses.
This is something you have never experienced before - and the memories and connections will last.
Dive into the innovation and the Arctic experience through five different tracks:
Check the timetable and pick the ones that spark your curiosity - and leave room for some interesting coincidences.

Culture
Art and culture are the secret sauce
Local culture itself is an experience. But Kirkenes is also a place for thought triggering art and creation. We fill the old hospital with art that tells the story of the Kirkenes and the region in a unique way.
Kirkenes is known for its cultural diversity and variety of art forms. The festival showcases the best parts of it with installations and shows.
These opening ceremonies you do not want to miss!
Timetable
Explore the tracks
Day 1 – November 10th
Track: ICE Innovation Challenge
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and intro to ICE map, program and activities
Both stages
11:00-12:00
Kick off ICE IC, entrepreneurial mindset with Willy
ICE stage
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-15:00
Selling and pitching workshop with Willy
Both stages
15:00-17:00
Participants working on prototypes
ICE stage
17:00-18:00
Panel debate Artic Startup and the ArcTech industry
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
TBA
Cook dinner on a fire – open for all participants (interactive and encouraging cooperation with each other and locals)
ICE stage
20:00-21:00
ICE Youth winners present and network. Working in teams, testing and prototyping
ICE stage
21:00-22:00
Wake up! activity
ICE stage
22:00-00:00
Working in teams, pizza party
ICE stage
Track: ArcTech
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and intro to ICE map, program and activities
Both stages
11:00-12:00
TBA
TBA
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-15:00
TBA
TBA
15:00-16:00
Saga Forss - Advisor Corporate Finance | Angel Investor | Board Member - interested in sustainable, game changing ideas related to the Baltic Sea
Main stage
16:00-17:00
TBA
TBA
17:00-18:00
Panel debate Artic Startup and the ArcTech industry
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Track: Experience the Arctic
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and intro to ICE map, program and activities
Both stages
11:00-13:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
13:00-15:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
15:00-17:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
17:00-18:00
Panel debate Artic Startup and the ArcTech industry
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Track: Arctic Startup
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and intro to ICE map, program and activities
Both stages
11:00-12:00
Peter Vesterbacka – Finest Bay Area
Main stage
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-15:00
Selling and pitching workshop with Willy
Both stages
15:00-16:00
TBA
TBA
16:00-17:00
Virginia Vegas – Tech Investor. Community Builder. Startup Norway
Main stage
17:00-18:00
Panel debate Artic Startup and the ArcTech industry
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Day 12 – November 11th
Track: ICE Innovation Challenge
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and recap of yesterday, testimonials(?), program
Both stages
11:00-12:00
SVU+ Barsec intro, intro lecture from Elina
ICE stage
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-13:30
Paul Iske - Professor Open Innovation at Maastricht University, Owner KnocoM
Both stages
14:00-15:00
Conseptualizing and innovation design workshop with Elina
Both stages
15:00-16:00
Participant working on prototypes
ICE stage
16:00-17:00
ICE Innovation Challenge Finals pitching
ICE stage
17:00-18:00
Closing ceremony + IIC winners pitch and award
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Track: ArcTech
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and recap of yesterday, testimonials(?), program
Both stages
11:00-12:00
Christian Gummerus and Oulu Business
Main stage
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-13:30
Drone demo
TBA
14:00-15:00
Travel tech
Ofelas stage
15:00-16:00
Tomas Rakos - CEO | Participation Factory
Main stage
16:00-17:00
Panel debate - local impact/global reach
Both stages
17:00-18:00
Closing ceremony + IIC winners pitch and award
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Track: Experience the Arctic
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and recap of yesterday, testimonials(?), program
Both stages
11:00-13:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
13:00-15:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
15:00-17:00
TBA Experience the Arctic experience
TBA
17:00-18:00
Closing ceremony + IIC winners pitch and award
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
Track: Arctic Startup
10:00-10:30
Opening show
Both stages
10:30-11:00
Welcome and recap of yesterday, testimonials(?), program
Both stages
11:00-12:00
SVU+ Barsec intro, intro lecture from Elina
ICE stage
12:00-13:00
10 minute personal break / Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch AFF
TBA
13:00-13:30
Paul Iske - Professor Open Innovation at Maastricht University, Owner KnocoM
Both stages
14:00-15:00
Conseptualizing and innovation design workshop with Elina
Both stages
15:00-16:00
TBA
TBA
16:00-17:00
Panel debate - local impact/global reach
Both stages
17:00-18:00
Closing ceremony + IIC winners pitch and award
Both stages
18:00-
Afterparty and dinner
TBA
10:00-10:30
Performance by SAVVA and ICE Introduction

Northern Lights Main Stage

All tracks
10:30-11:00
Welcome speech by Mads Frederiksen, Executive Director of the Arctic Economic Council

Northern Lights Main Stage

All tracks
11:00-11:30
Katja Gustafson:
What the f* is wrong with these people?

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
11:00-12:00
Walid O. El Cheikh:
Entrepreneurial Mindset + Intro to Pitching For Life

ICE Auditorium

ICE Innovation Challenge
11:00-13:00
Only with pre-registration
-
Husky experience dogsledding or
-
Snowhotel Visit
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Snowhotel location w. shuttle bus

Experience the Arctic
11:30-12:00
Bo Koch Christensen:
Uniting the New Nordic Creative Changemakers

Northern Lights Main Stage

ArcTech
12:00-13:00
10-minute personal break challenge w/ Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch Arctic Food Fair

Northern Lights Main Stage and Dining halls

All tracks
12:00-13:00
Sanna Lutsoja:
Product development lessons from ideation to exit

Ritz nightclub venue

Creative North
13:00-13:30
Staale Risa:
Smart money - attract the right investor at the right stage in your company

Northern Lights Main Stage

ArcTech
13:00-14:00
Elina Korpela:
Think like a Designer

ICE Auditorium

ICE Innovation Challenge
13:00-14:00
Kim Daniel Arthur:
From your childhood playroom and out into the world of startups

Ritz nightclub venue

Creative North
13:00-15:00 (17:00)
Only with pre-registration
-
Husky experience dogsledding or
-
Snowhotel Visit or
-
King Crab safari (returning at 17:00)
.png)
Snowhotel location w. shuttle bus

Experience the Arctic
13:30-14:00
Debbie Nsamba:
A Tech Rebel's Guide To The Metaverse

Northern Lights Main Stage

Creative North
14:00-15:30
Elina Korpela:
Think like a Designer - A Customer-Centric Workshop

ICE Auditorium and group rooms

ICE Innovation Challenge
14:00-15:00
Walid O. El Cheikh:
Pitching With Confidence

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
14:00-16:00
Vanessa Kisowile:
Building for the Future with the gate keepers / Women in business – network meeting

Ritz nightclub venue

Creative North
15:00-15:30
Christian Gummerus:
Arctic Aviation – connecting hubs

Northern Lights Main Stage

ArcTech
15:30-16:30
Christian Gummerus:
Drone demo

ICE Auditorium

ArcTech
15:30-16:00
Henri Terho:
Self-Driving in the Arctic, truly enabling business where few dare

Northern Lights Main Stage

ArcTech
15:00-17:00
Only with pre-registration
-
Husky experience dogsledding or
-
Snowhotel Visit
.png)
Snowhotel location w. shuttle bus

Experience the Arctic
16:00-17:00
Verineia Codrean:
The Equation of Risk & Luck for Entrepreneurs

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
16:00-18:00
Bernt Nilsen, Thomas Nilsen & Rune Storvold:
GPS jamming technology and counter measures

Ritz nightclub venue

ArcTech
17:00-18:00
Panel debate:
How can we create sustainable economic growth in the Arctic regions?

Northern Lights Main Stage and ICE Auditorium

All tracks
18:00-20:30
Only for ICE Innovation Challenge participants:
18:00-19:00 Wake Up! Activity – ICE swimming with Lexi Lobdell
19:00-20:00 Cook dinner on a fire – design thinking your meal
20:00-20:30 ICE Youth Winners present their pitches and talk about being young in the Arctic

ICE Auditorium and work rooms

ICE Innovation Challenge
19:00-00:00
ICE Afterparty

Ritz nightclub

All tracks
Day 1 – November 10th
10:00-10:30
Welcome by CEO Kirkenes Chamber of Commerce Magnus Mæland: Love, jobs, happiness and the good life in Kirkenes

Northern Lights Main Stage

All tracks
10:30-11:00
Peter Vesterbacka:
Creating gravity in Kirkenes – it all starts with Nothingness

ICE Auditorium

Arctic Startup
10:30-12:00
Walid O. El Cheikh:
Pitching With Confidence Workshop

Northern Lights Main Stage

ICE Innovation Challenge
11:00-11:30
Yuri Kozik:
Ukraine's development after the war and the role the Nordics should play

ICE Auditorium

Arctic Startup
11:00-13:00
Health Tech:
Health Tech networking session

Ritz nightclub venue

Creative North
11:30-12:00
Katariina Komulainen:
Digital innovation hubs, paving the way for next-generation entrepreneurship

ICE Auditorium

Arctic Startup
12:00-12:30
Peter Vesterbacka:
Revitalizing the Arctic with the Triple E model

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
12:00-13:00
10-minute personal break challenge w/ Reidar Wasenius. Program break, entertainment, lunch Arctic Food Fair

Northern Lights Main Stage and Dining halls

All tracks
13:00-14:00
Paul Iske:
Sometimes you earn, sometimes you learn!

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
13:00-14:00
Students empowering students – networking session for shaping a sustainable future

Ritz nightclub venue

Creative North
13:00-15:00 (17:00)
Only with pre-registration
-
Husky experience dogsledding or
-
Snowhotel Visit or
-
King Crab safari (returning at 17:00)
.png)
Snowhotel location w. shuttle bus

Experience the Arctic
14:00-15:00
Walid O. El Cheikh:
Pitching Clinic for ICE Innovation Challenge participants

ICE group work rooms

ICE Innovation Challenge
14:00-14:30
Caspar Høgh:
How to get Venture Funding

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup
14:30-15:00
Sabyachi Sengupta:
Path to Transform

Northern Lights Main Stage

Arctic Startup