We recently hosted Leile Haugen at the Iceland Ocean Cluster as a student in residence.
Leile focuses on sustainable value creation and innovation in the seafood sector. As part of his studies at the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, he completed a 10-week internship at VIS Innovation, where he worked on the “100% Fish” concept. His work focused on how Western Norway could increase value creation by utilizing the whole fish, transforming what is traditionally considered waste into new products and value chains. Through this work, he combined insights from biology, sustainability, and industry practices, translating them into a strategic narrative on how circular approaches can reshape the seafood sector.
His work builds on the Icelandic approach to full utilisation of marine raw materials and examines how reducing waste and increasing value from side streams can be applied to the Norwegian cod sector.
During his stay in Iceland, Leile conducted interviews with companies across the cluster, including startups, established firms, and actors working with marine byproducts and actors innovating sustainable solutions within the sector. He explored how collaboration between actors contributes to innovation and value creation and how Iceland Ocean Cluster facilitates these interactions.
“Through these conversations, he gained insights into how close interaction, informal networking, and trust between companies lower barriers for collaboration and enable new products and industries to emerge from marine resources.”
This residency connects Iceland and Norway, as well as research with industry conditions and supports applied work on resource efficiency and value creation.