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KRAFT: Entrepreneurship and Employment Programme

Build your business, career, or next step in Norway with the right knowledge, network, and support.

If you are an immigrant or an individual from an underrepresented background and want to start a business, grow professionally, or enter the Norwegian labour market — KRAFT is designed for you.

In-person Workshops: June 15 – June 26 2026 | Lillestrøm, Norway

Apply to KRAFT 2026 Become a Mentor

Entrepreneurial Training Program

The KRAFT Startup program is a transformative solution to the employment and professional development barriers faced by immigrants and individuals from underrepresented backgrounds in Norway. This annual program addresses systemic inequalities in access to business opportunities and supports participants with the knowledge, resources, and networks needed to create sustainable livelihoods and economic independence.

KRAFT workshops will take place in Lillestrøm between June 15 and June 26 for the 2026 program, followed by a 6-month-long mentorship program.

The program is organised by Diversify in collaboration with Kunnskapsbyen Lillestrøm and Business Lillestrøm.

Joining Kraft will give you the opportunity to meet and connect with new people, expand your network and find a supportive community to help you thrive in your entrepreneurial endeavours.

What We Do

All Courses Taught in English

Free of Charge for Participants

Internship Opportunity at Business Lillestrøm

Prizes for Top Companies

All Courses Taught in English

Internship Opportunity at Business Lillestrøm

Free of Charge for Participants

Prizes for Top Companies

Register for the program

Contact & Personal

Please take your time and fill out all the fields before submitting your application.

Background

Your Business & Motivation

If yes, please provide more information.

Share your skills and knowledge and make a positive impact in the life of an immigrant in Norway

BECOME A MENTOR 

Mentors play a key role in the journey of starting a business, offering guidance, industry insights, and practical advice to aspiring entrepreneurs.

Why mentor with KRAFT?

As a mentor, you will:

  • Share your expertise to help participants navigate the challenges of starting and growing a business.
  • Support economic inclusion by ensuring talented entrepreneurs have access to the knowledge and networks they need to succeed.
  • Expand your own professional network by connecting with a diverse group of business leaders and innovators.
  • Make a meaningful impact by empowering underrepresented entrepreneurs to create sustainable livelihoods.
 

Who can be a mentor?

We are looking for experienced professionals, business owners, and industry experts who are willing to share their knowledge and provide guidance to emerging entrepreneurs. Whether you have expertise in finance, marketing, business development, or scaling a company, your insights can make a real difference.

 

Get involved

Becoming a mentor is a rewarding way to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable business landscape in Norway.

The KRAFT Mentorship Program lasts for six (6) months, starting in July and concluding in December. Each KRAFT participant will be paired with a primary mentor, who they will meet with on a monthly basis for six months (adding up to 6 meetings altogether).

Apply to become a KRAFT mentor today!

Become a Mentor

Kraft: Measurable Impact and Outcomes

  • Number of completed yearly programs: 4
  • Number of companies that have completed the program to date: 47
  • Number of mentors engaged: 34
  • Number of facilitators involved: 47
  • Number of companies still operational: 35
  • Number of participants who secured employment through the program: 6

Participants feedback

  • 100% reported increased professional network
  • 100% reported increased sense of belonging
  • 100% reported increased self-confidence
  • 100% reported increased overall mental health and wellbeing

Workshop Facilitators

Chisom Udeze

Chisom Udeze

Founder of Diversify, HerSpace & Mettle Consult

Hyacinth Walters-Olsen

Hyacinth Walters-Olsen

Founder of YUDconsult

Ka Man Mak

Ka Man Mak

Founder of The Oslo Desk

Sara Pestana

Sara Pestana

Founder of Humans for Humans

Kim-Andre Nikolaisen

Kim-Andre Nikolaisen

Claims & Service Manager at Heidenreich; Founder of TechUp

Ateh Atabong

Ateh Atabong

Business Development Manager, Pharma and Healthcare at DSV

Kraft Gallery

Pitch Day at Kraft Entrepreneurial Training
Entrepreneurs Presenting Their Start-Ups
Kraft Demo Day: Business Presentation
Participant at a Kraft Workshop
Interactive Business Workshop at Kraft
Hands-On Learning at Kraft
Design Thinking Worshop
Building Entrepreneurial Skills Together
Collaborative Learning During Kraft Workshop
Peer-to-Peer Learning in Action
Demo Day Highlights from Kraft
Participants at Kraft 2021
Winners of Kraft 2021
Building Connections at Kraft
From Idea to Action – Workshop Moments at Kraft
From Idea to Action – Workshop Moments at Kraft
Workshop in Progress
Participants at Kraft 2021
Participants at Kraft 2021

Become a mentor

To join us as a mentor at Kraft program please fill out the form.

Chisom Udeze

Founder of Diversify, Diversify Consult, HerSpace & The Annual

Chisom is an Economist, a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategist, and a 3 times founder of impact driven companies. She has over 14 years of experience working with organizations like the European Commission, The United Nations, ExxonMobil and The Economist Group. Chisom is analytical and a data enthusiast. She is passionate about interrogating the cross-sectoral relationship between society’s inhabitants, resources, production, technology, distribution and output. She efficiently and effectively unlocks complex systems, interprets data, forecasts socio-economic trends and conducts research.

Having lived and worked in 7 countries across 3 continents, she is highly adaptable to different circumstances and people, and thrives in uncertain environments.

As the founder of Diversify and Diversify Consult, Chisom and her team work with companies, institutions, governments and civil society to develop sustainable DEIB strategies and embed measurable diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace and society. In addition, in 2022, Diversify launched the Diversify Nordics Summit, the largest conference in the Nordics that gathers cross-sectoral stakeholders to amplify DEIB in the Nordics and beyond.

In 2020, she founded HerSpace, a diverse and inclusive co-creation community for all genders, with particular focus on women and non-binary people. In 2022, HerSpace launched HerTech, Women in Tech incubator, for women-led companies, with a focus on the inclusion of diverse founders. 

Chisom is a thought-leader in DEIB and a passionate advocate for mental health and wellness. She writes often on DEIB and justice related topics, some of her work is published on Forbes.