World Future Day 2024

1 March 12:00-15:50Epicenter Oslo

Welcome to the future

Every March 1st, we celebrate World Future Day at Epicenter. On this special day we delve into the intriguing possibilities at the crossroads of technology and humanity. We come together for a sneak peek into the promising future ahead and encourage everyone to explore it with us.

This year we will explore the future of:

Energy

Welcome to a journey into the heart of the energy revolution. In this exploration of 'The Future of Energy,' we unravel the potential, challenges, and promises that lie within the nucleus of our power landscape. Get ready to rethink the way we power our world.

Health

Join us in a journey into the 'Future of Health,' as we investigate the revolutionary role technology plays in reshaping the landscape of well-being. From cutting-edge advancements to unprecedented breakthroughs, explore the possibilities that lie ahead and envision a healthier, tech-driven future for all.

Space

Join us in a captivating exploration of 'The Future of Space,' as we navigate through the boundless possibilities and groundbreaking innovations set to redefine the very fabric of our existence.

Speakers

Eirik Norman Hansen
Chief Disruption Officer & Host

Eirik is our own Chief Disruption Officer. He loves technology. And he loves the future. That combination makes the perfect host of World Future Day. He has his own podcast, "30 minutes into the future" where he invites guests to discuss the future - and how it is fantastic.

Mathias Willumsen
Country Manager at Epicenter Oslo

Mathias has worked with the Epicenter community for more than 5 years. During this time he has worked close with many startups and scaleups and seen close at hand how they have developed and scaled their companies. With his former experience from running professional leader networks, he has developed Epicenter’s own Leader program and network meetings.

Keynote: Sunniva Rose
Director of Communications at Norwegian Nuclear Power AS

Sunniva Rose is the Director of Communications at Norwegian Nuclear Power AS and one of the founders. She holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear and Energy Physics and has many years of experience as a researcher. She has given numerous lectures on nuclear power/nuclear physics. Additionally, she is the author of the book "We are Stardust – Nuclear Physics for the General Public." Sunniva actively participates in the climate and energy debate, contributing with several opinion pieces in various national newspapers on these topics. In addition to the mentioned achievements, she is an Associate Professor at the University of Oslo, where Ishe teaches nuclear technology, among other subjects.

Keynote: Ishita Barua
MD, PhD; AI in Medicine, Author

Ishita Barua, a medical doctor with a PhD in artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine, serves as the Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer at the medtech startup Livv Health. She is an award-winning AI researcher and a former Fulbright scholar at Harvard Medical School. Recognized as one of Norway's 50 most influential women in technology, Ishita Barua has also made her mark as an author, publishing her book "Artificial Intelligence Saves Lives" last year.

Keynote: Mia Kleregård
Head of Marketing, Swedish Space Corporation

Mia Kleregård is on a mission to create a sustainable society on Earth and beyond. She sits on +25 years of international leadership experience, and her clear mission led to a position in the start-up scene as the CEO within FoodTech, setting out to solve the challenge with food supply on Mars. Adding two years at Tesla to her resumé before embarking out in Space as the Head of Marketing at the Swedish Space Corporation and Esrange Space Center. Mia holds graduations from Singularity University and International Space University. She is a visiting lecturer at the Swedish Defense University.

Nima Shahinian
CEO, Nåva Space

Nima Shahinian, Norway's first astronaut candidate, withdrew from the Russian space program due to the Ukraine conflict. Leading Nåva Space, he collaborates with SpaceX on groundbreaking projects, including a para-astronaut program and crucial medical research for Mars exploration. Nima, Mission Commander, plans to fly with three colleagues aboard a SpaceX rocket by 2025. Nåva Space also focuses on projects like a new spacesuit and NASA HUNCH Norway, an education program. Combining military experience with a master's in product design, Nima is known for designing Lamborghinis and award-winning universal sockets. Passionate about aviation, he advocates for innovation, technology, sustainability, culture, and humanity's future, shaping leadership philosophies emphasizing collaboration, robust design processes, and building teams driven by innovation culture to achieve seemingly impossible goals.

Christine Utne
Astronaut Candidate

Christine Utne, one of the world's first para-astronaut candidates, bears the title of Astronaut Candidate/Backup Crew.Despite a spinal cord injury at the age of 21, Christine, an economics graduate and consultant by profession, has embraced resilience and pursued her dreams.Beyond her corporate role, she actively contributes to the realms of sports and inclusivity. Christine dedicates her free time to initiatives with Oslo Ski Association, the Norwegian Ski Federation, and Oslo Kayak Club, aiming to adapt sports for individuals with disabilities and enhance inclusive participation.

Alexander Cannistraci
Specialist in clinical psychology at Angstklinikken

Alexander is a specialist in clinical adult psychology, with a predominant focus on anxiety disorders and their treatment throughout the majority of his professional career. In 2019, he commenced utilizing Virtual Reality (VR) as a therapeutic tool for various anxiety disorders. This decision was influenced by a prior positive experience in a different context, leading Alexander to believe that VR could be an exceptionally beneficial tool in anxiety treatment.

Jarl Erik Cedergren
UX designer at Sopra Steria & HoloCare

Jarl is a senior UX designer at Sopra Steria and HoloCare. With several years of experience in designing mixed reality solutions, he closely collaborates with users to gain insights into their work routines and ensure a positive user experience through the use of innovative technology. In HoloCare, Jarl is responsible for enabling clinicians to utilize holograms as an intuitive tool for pre-operative planning on patient-specific organs. Both professionally and personally, Jarl has a keen interest in innovative technologies and how mixed reality/XR will impact our daily lives in the years to come.

Jonas Kristiansen Nøland
Associate Professor, NTNU

Jonas Kristiansen Nøland is an Associate Professor in Energy Conversion at NTNU, specializing in research on the role of nuclear power in a renewable energy system (NERES project). He also serves as the coordinator for NTNU's focus area on clean aviation and is the communication manager for the hydropower system project SysOpt. He holds a Ph.D. in Technical Physics from Uppsala University - Ångström Laboratory. Since 2022, he has been part of NTNU's Star Program, recognizing researchers who have excelled internationally in their respective fields.