Oslo Innovation Award 2015: Gelato Group

Gelato Group is the winner of Oslo Innovation Award 2015. The Prize was presented during the Official Opening of Oslo Innovation Week at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet this afternoon.

Gelato Group is presented with the Oslo Innovation Award 2015 for the innovative way it has restructured and increased productivity in the distribution of print jobs globally. Through a highly intelligent cloud service and related software, they have disrupted a traditional industry and introduced the printing industry to the sharing economy. Gelato Group currently enables delivery of printed materials in 40 countries and reaches 2 billion people over one single print cloud.

Henrik Müller-Hansen, CEO of Gelato Group, said:
"Today the Gelato-team AND Oslo as a hub for building global tech companies are the winners. This Award is a recognition providing energy for a global team that wants to change a global industry."

Per L. Saxegaard, Chair of the jury for the Oslo Innovation Award said:
«Gelato Group is a truly impressive growth company. Brilliantly exploiting new technologies to develop a groundbreaking and disruptive printing service model, they have achived a stronghold in the market and opened up a global opportunity in an industry 50 times greater than music. They are a worthy winner of the 2015 Oslo Innovation Award and very good representative of innovative business ecosystem in Oslo - region."

The full conclusion from the jury:

“Gelato Group is presented with the Oslo Innovation Award 2015 for the innovative way it has restructured and increased productivity in the distribution of print jobs globally. Through a highly intelligent cloud service and related software, they have disrupted a traditional industry and introduced the printing industry to the sharing economy. Gelato Group currently enables delivery of printed materials in 40 countries and reaches 2 billion people over one single print cloud.

The printing industry counts for $800 billion revenue a year - 50 times bigger than the global music industry. In 2014 the revenue of Gelato Group was 170 million NOK. This year, revenue is trending towards more than 300 million NOK, with profits tripled compared to 2014.

Headquartered in the Oslo region and with offices in Sweden, Ukraine and Estonia, the company is now focused on global expansion. While fairly unnoticed by the general public until now, Gelato Group has, since it was founded in 2007, been able to build an impressive employer brand, creating jobs and attracting applications from top universities and employers across the world.

The winner of Oslo Innovation Award 2015 is through its global reach and fast growth highlighting and stimulating the international competitiveness of the innovation ecosystem in Oslo.”

About Oslo Innovation Award

Oslo Innovation Award is intended to encourage the building of Oslo´s reputation as a leading, innovative region. The prize is awarded to a company, organisation or person that in exceptional ways have fulfilled the following criteria:

• Highlighted the international competitiveness of the innovation ecosystem in Oslo.
• Created new, knowledge-based ventures and jobs with substantial international potential.
• Developed new technology, research-based knowledge or unique business models that has stimulated the international competitiveness of the innovation ecosystem in Oslo.

Oslo Innovation Award was introduced in 2008, and is awarded by the City of Oslo and Innovation Norway. The actual award is a marble sculpture specially made each year by artist Inger Sannes.

Oslo Innovation Week 2015 Jury:

Per Saxegaard, Chair
Karina Birkeland Lome, Finn.no
Tor-Jakob Ramsøy, Arundo
Tonje Frydenlund, Snøhetta
Tellef Thorleifsson, Northzone

Previous winners:

2014 Snøhetta
2013 Algeta
2012 Fronter
2011 Eirik Næss-Ulseth
2010 Ocean Saver AS
2009 Opera Software
2008 Schibsted ASA