What it is
Nordic Edge Expo is a smart-city and sustainability event run each May in Stavanger by Nordic Edge. It has been running since 2015. The organiser’s history page puts the first edition at 500 people from 14 countries, with 23 exhibitors. By 2018 it had grown to 5,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors. The 2024 edition was smaller, with 650 participants from 70 cities. For 2026 the organiser says it turned the event from an exhibition into an “impact conference” for leaders, cities and businesses.
How the programme works
The 2026 edition, on 5 and 6 May, was themed on making communities “regenerative, resilient and inclusive”. The day before was set aside for side events, including a hike to Preikestolen. Day 1 was the conference at Fiskepiren, the city’s new concert venue, with two parallel stages: a main stage for keynotes and debates, and an “Action Stage” for concrete cases and financing. Day 2 was given over to workshops at Innoasis, Nordic Edge’s own building. Nordic Fund Day, an investor meeting held alongside the conference, is by invitation only.
Who goes and how to take part
The audience mixes city governments, companies, start-ups and investors. The 2026 programme opened with the mayor of Stavanger. It included a session on climate resilience in Rotterdam, given by a former chief resilience officer of that city. Speakers from Madrid City Council and the EU’s NetZeroCities platform were also listed. Tickets are paid. The organiser lists a cheaper two-day rate for members and the public sector, and group prices for six or more people.
What came out of past editions
The organiser’s history shows the event’s range. In 2017 the EU Triangulum project, with Stavanger as one of its lighthouse cities, joined the programme. In 2020 a week-long digital edition reached an audience of more than 20,000. In 2024 the event ran 18 workshops, and Nordic Fund Day brought 150 investors together with 12 companies.
Going, or following from home
The 2026 edition is over, and the 2027 dates have not been announced. The organiser’s ticket page gives the 2026 prices as a guide. The full two-day ticket cost NOK 5,995 excluding VAT, and the members and public-sector rate cost NOK 3,895. The organiser’s blog is the main way to follow the event between editions.