AI+ is a Nordic conference on applied artificial intelligence held in Halden, bringing together startups, investors, corporates, academia, and public sector actors for a multi-day, cross-sector innovation arena. The 2026 edition places a stronger emphasis on real-world AI deployment, ecosystem building, and investment, positioning the event as both a knowledge-sharing platform and a dealflow catalyst. The program blends formal conference tracks with informal cultural and networking experiences, reinforcing its role as a “low-threshold, high-relevance” meeting place where collaboration continues beyond the stage.
The conference is organized in partnership with NorBAN – Norwegian Business Angel Network which is closely aligned with a the central element of AI+ which is the structured startup–investor matchmaking embedded across the event and in particular on the opening day. This “Investors & Startups Day” is explicitly designed for dealflow matching, complemented by curated, invite-only dinners and social formats that facilitate relationship-building between founders, angels, and innovation leaders.
This approach strengthens the conference’s function as a bridge between early-stage companies and capital, integrating Norwegian networks within AI and early-stage investments into a broader European AI investment ecosystem.
See more information about the Upcoming Conference
Overview
STARTUP & INVESTOR DAY
The event opens with a dealflow-oriented Investors & Startups Day, where founders and capital providers engage in structured matchmaking, followed by a curated invite-only investor dinner and a startup-focused social events. These transition into an open pre-party, deliberately blending formal pitching environments with informal networking to initiate relationships that continue throughout the conference.
MAIN CONFERENCE
The core AI+ conference is structured around parallel thematic tracks for business leaders, public sector representatives, and academia, alongside the academic Human-Centric AI conference. Participants move between domain-specific sessions and the shared “AI+Mesh” networking arena, enabling cross-sector interaction and knowledge exchange. The day culminates in a large social event (AI+Party), reinforcing the conference’s emphasis on community-building alongside formal content.
DEEP DIVE WORKSHOP
The programme concludes the day after the main event with smaller, more interactive formats focused on workshops, roundtables, and partner-driven sessions under “AI+Tracks.” This day shifts from broad inspiration to practical collaboration, allowing participants to engage in deeper discussions, co-create ideas, and explore specific use cases. It also includes the final sessions of the academic conference, tying together research insights with applied, hands-on exploration
Key Objectives:
✅ Facilitate startup–investor dealflow: Dedicated matchmaking arenas designed to connect founders with angels and VCs.
✅ Enable cross-sector collaboration: Bring together business, academia, and public sector stakeholders to accelerate applied AI adoption.
✅ Deliver practical AI insights: Focus on real-world use cases, strategy, and value creation for organizations.
✅ Support ecosystem building: Strengthen Nordic and European AI innovation ecosystems through partnerships and co-created sessions.
✅ Deliver high-quality networking environments: Combing formal sessions with curated social events to build trust-based relationships.
✅ Encourage knowledge exchange across disciplines: Dedicated tracks for business leaders, researchers, and public sector actors combined with networking across areas.
✅ Promote responsible and human-centric AI: Emphasize ethical, practical, and societal aspects of AI deployment.