Katapult Ocean partners with Hafslund Eco
Katapult Ocean is pleased to announce its partnership with Hafslund Eco. Hafslund Eco is Norway’s second largest energy producer and holds a growing strategic focus on offshore windpower. The partnership will allow for a mutual transfer of insights, a promotion of early stage investment in offshore wind and an opportunity for Katapult to further deepen its expertise within the sector.
Noting Katapult’s existing specialisation within the offshore wind sector and the growing opportunity for further investment, Jonas Skattum Svegaarden, CEO of Katapult Ocean, says: “The IEA estimates that offshore wind will be the largest source of energy in Europe by 2040. This means that the sector represents the largest investment opportunity in the blue-green economy. We greatly appreciate that companies in Norway are showing interest in the early phase segment to drive innovation and development. In 2021, 20% of our investments in Katapult Ocean were in the offshore wind sector.”
The partnership also marks Hafslund Eco’s strengthening of ties within the offshore wind sector. Hafslund Eco is already an existing partner in the Blåvinge project alongside Ørsted and Fred. Oslen Seawind. On partnering with Katapult Ocean, Arne Lie-Rasmussen, head of offshore wind at Hafslund Eco, says, ‘Katapult is a very exciting company with a lot of expertise and a broad network in the innovation environments within marine technology. To be at the forefront of our offshore wind investment, Hafslund Eco must use the latest technology and work closely with start-up companies. When we focus on offshore wind, we want to do it with a positive impact on the sea and we share Katapult’s mission ‘save the ocean.’”
Katapult Ocean’s partnership with Hafslund Eco, represents Katapult’s growing dedication to deepen expertise within oceantech and foster early investment. In mid-February, Katapult will launch its annual report on the landscape for impact-driven startups, The Blue World Perspective. As part of Katapult’s core business of investing in offshore start-ups, Katapult is building a pipeline of offshore startups from around the world. Currently, the pipeline consists of more than 1800 startups.
“We look forward to sharing information about the trends we see for innovations in the ocean space. We can already report that both offshore windpower and seaweed are something we will see more of. In addition, this year’s report will also document the positive impact some of the start-up companies have. There are very many solutions out there that offer promising signs for the future and we believe that an increasing share of invested funds will be directed towards companies that have a positive impact on both society and the environment”, says Ingrid Maurstad, Commercial Manager at Katapult Ocean.
