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From hot desk to hydrogen lab
Bjørn Brandtzæg started Photoncycle on his own at a hot desk in Oslo Science Park. Today the company has around 25 employees and its own hydrogen lab in the basement.
“A network that can’t be compared to anything else”
Published: 14 October 2026
Text: Anja Bratt
Photo: Jonathan Vivaas Kise
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At Oslo Science Park, Litech has found its first investor, new colleagues and an environment that CEO Synne Sauar believes is Norway’s best for early-stage tech companies.
Litech is developing a sensor that detects hazardous and incorrectly sorted waste at sorting facilities, including batteries that can cause fires. Today, the team of eleven is based at Startuplab in Oslo Science Park, where they have been for the past three years. Startuplab also became the company’s first investor.
“There’s a network here that can’t be compared to any other network in Norway for early-stage tech companies. That, combined with a really good hardware lab, is why we’re still here,” says Synne Sauar, CEO and co-founder of Litech.
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Litech has one of the larger offices at Startuplab, but quickly realized they also needed their own lab for the sensors they develop, and not least a test conveyor belt for their technology development.
“Today we have an office at Startuplab, plus a lab down in the basement where we can do technology development and testing with more peace and quiet than in the common areas. Oslo Science Park has been very accommodating whenever we’ve needed more space,” she says.
“A fantastic meeting place”
Sauar highlights the community as an important reason why Litech has chosen to stay.
“That applies both to the mentors we get through Startuplab and to the other companies based here. We share a lot of experience with them, and not least, we get important advice. It’s also a fantastic meeting place, with exciting conferences and other kinds of events held regularly that bring together international networks across different fields. We’ve benefited a lot from that.”
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Among them are Startuplab’s annual conference, “2030 Summit,” and the monthly AI meetup.
“Both of these meeting places have been really valuable for us. That’s where we’ve met potential investors and future colleagues,” says Sauar.
“I’d recommend that everyone building the technology companies of tomorrow be based at Oslo Science Park,” she concludes.
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