Banners, balloons, popcorn, slush, and competitions – a celebration awaited curious students as they entered the Mine during the Innovation Days.
By Vilde Falck Husum
The Innovation Days are precisely that – a celebration showcasing the many actors that make up the innovation environment at NTNU.
Some of you may have heard of Tise or Douchebag, both were founded on this Hill. – Torgeir, Centre Director of Engage.
The words of the Centre Director summarize the enormous drive generated year after year from the very epicenter of innovation at NTNU: its students. Hosted by FRAM, the Innovation Days have become an annual event at the start of the semester. The purpose is to showcase what the innovation environment at NTNU has to offer. Mainly, it targets new and curious students with stands, inspirational talks, pitches, and competitions, all in hopes of inspiring and engaging new members.
The Innovation Days are meant as a way to showcase NTNU’s innovation environment to the students. Additionally, it’s also an opportunity for the organizations to get to know each other better – Vetle, leader at FRAM
The Innovation Days are not just for students. Several partners, including Sparebank 1 SMN, DNB, and Equinor, were also present. These actors are key contributors to the Innovation Days, as well as to the operations of FRAM and the Mine. The event provides a platform for them to highlight their interests and investments in student innovation. When asked about the importance of the event, representatives from Sparebank 1 SMN shared that it allows them to stay connected with the university’s activities while also reminding students that they have supporters beyond campus. Equinor further expressed their hope to motivate and inspire students, viewing innovation as a societal mission. They have established initiatives such as Innovate for Better to support entrepreneurial mindsets and future innovations.
A shared intent among the representatives was therefore to showcase their organizations and what they have to offer. Additionally, many student organizations are eager to recruit new enthusiasts, making the Innovation Days an excellent venue for recruitment, as stated by some of the attendees:
Those who come here are curious and already have an interest in innovation and creativity. We feel that we gain a lot from being here where we can meet the right people. – Representative from Njord.
People here are so willing to learn and they aren’t afraid to spend time on what excites them. – Representative from Cogito.
Spark, Njord, Orbit, Cogito, Revolve, Designhjelpen, and Gründerbrakka were among the many organizations spread around the Mine. At their stands, students could experience everything from a race car simulator at Revolve to watching the process behind a rocket launch at Propulse. At Hackerspace, they could even try their own version of the game Flappy Bird, which won the Gamers’ Choice award at the Norwegian Game Awards 2024.
There is no lack of drive and engagement from students who volunteer countless hours alongside their studies, developing, learning, and experimenting with innovative ideas. Organizations like FRAM not only recruit but also create an environment that fosters innovation. The Innovation Days represent a wide range of interests, offering something for everyone. Several organizations, like Hackerspace, Make, and FRAM, provide a social arena for creative idea development open to all NTNU students, even those who don’t hold official positions. As stated at the Make stand: “It’s a breath of fresh air on Gløshaugen, which often gets very technical”.
Curiosity, creativity, and playfulness are celebrated, and characterize the atmosphere at the Mine during these two days. Having fun with what they do is something many of the representatives emphasize. They are not afraid to set ambitious goals with a limitless openness to what is possible. When we ask participants to describe the Innovation Days in three words, these keywords are featured: ‘inspiring,’ ‘social,’ ‘engaging,’ and ‘packed’ — words that represent NTNU’s innovation environment far beyond just these two days.