ABOUT DATA WEEK
Data Week is the spring gathering of the Data and AI research and innovation community. In Data Week, the participants share knowledge and results, discuss topics of common interest, find synergies, build new collaborations and identify new challenges and recommendations. Data Week also links the communities and their results to the European policies and market needs and brings European initiatives and activities closer to local communities.
The theme of DW 2026 was “Data Fjords: Unlocking AI for Industry and Society”, focusing on the fundamental elements of Data Value creation. Artificial intelligence (AI) serves as a pivotal tool in unlocking data value through various means. Creating value from data also requires viewing it from an ecosystem perspective and fostering collaboration among multiple stakeholders, which lays the groundwork needed for research excellence, that is required to be rapidly put into action for competitiveness and societal benefit.
Data Week 2026 was a 2-day physical event taking place in Oslo, Norway between 5-6 May. The event was be organised by the Big Data Value Association in collaboration with the following BDVA members: IFE (Institute for Energy technology), NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), SINTEF, Western Norway Research Institute and supported by The Research Council of Norway.
Make sure to stay updated by following us on our website, on BDVA’s website and on BDVA`s social media channels!
Explore the Data Week 2026 report!
Data Week 2026 mobile phone photos!
Please credit as follows: “Photo: Data Week 2026 / Big Data Value Association (BDVA).”
Data Week 2026 photos – professional camera!
All the images are free to use, however, it is always good practice to give photo credit, and the images can be credited as follows: “Photo: William Husby Hoven / SINTEF.”
ORGANISED BY
The Big Data Value Association-BDVA is an industry-driven organisation with a mission to develop an innovation ecosystem that enables the data-driven digital transformation of the economy and society in Europe. BDVA has over 240 members all over Europe and a well-balanced composition of large, small, and medium-sized industries, as well as research and user organisations. We focus on advancing areas such as big data technologies and services, data platforms and data spaces industrial AI, data-driven value creation, standardisation and skills. In the BDVA Task Forces, our members contribute to the European data and AI R&I agenda and develop guidelines and strategic roadmaps for industry and policymakers. Our events give opportunities to build collaborations and co-create projects. Through the BDVA community, the members gain higher visibility on the European level. Our services are designed to give timely updates on the latest developments in the fields of data and AI.
SUPPORTED BY
The Research Council’s aim is to promote a society where research is created, used and shared, and thus contributes to restructuring and enhanced sustainability. Every year, we distribute more than NOK 11 billion to the best Norwegian research and innovation.
IN COLLABORATION WITH
Since 1948, IFE has been a frontrunner in international energy research. The knowledge they have developed has saved the petroleum industry several hundred billion Norwegian kroner. They have contributed to the development of ground-breaking cancer medicine, new solutions in renewable energy, more energy-efficient industrial processes, zero-emission transport solutions and future-oriented energy systems.
IFE has unique expertise and systems within radiation protection and environmental monitoring of radioactive and chemical emissions. This makes it an important partner for companies that want to research, develop and produce new solutions for renewable energy and medicine using radioactive sources.
The digitalisation of society is seeing the emergence of a new era. IFE has broad digital expertise and contributes to quality assurance and efficiency improvements for customers in the public sector and in trade and industry. When the next chapter in Norway’s history is written, it will be about how we adapt. We must create new and sustainable jobs. IFE has already begun – they are conducting research for a better future.
Norwegian University of Science and Technology – NTNU is an international oriented university with headquarters in Trondheim and campuses in Gjøvik and Ålesund.
NTNU has a main profile in science and technology, a variety of programmes of professional study, and great academic breadth that also includes the humanities, social sciences, economics, medicine, health sciences, educational science, architecture, entrepreneurship, art disciplines and artistic activities.
The university’s root goes back to 1760 with the foundation of Det Trondhiemske Selskab (Trondheim Academy). A merger in 2016 made NTNU Norway’s largest single university.
SINTEF – Applied research, technology and innovation. SINTEF is one of Europe’s largest independent research organisations. Every year we carry out several thousand projects for customers large and small.
Sintef’s 2000 employees deliver applied research, innovation, technology development, knowledge and solutions for customers large and small across the world.
As an R&D partner, they contribute to value creation and increased competitiveness within the public and private sectors.
They apply their multidisciplinary approach in a wide range of projects, from small test and verification projects, and expertise evaluations, to multinational research programmes with several partners.
SINTEF collaborates with leading universities, companies, institutes, industry clusters, start-ups and authorities, and we develop projects that generate public financing for their customers.
Western Norway Research Institute (Vestlandsforsking) is an independent, non-profit research organisation committed to advancing knowledge and solutions for a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient society. With a strong interdisciplinary foundation, the institute’s work spans climate and environmental research, tourism development, and the evolving relationship between technology and society. Our projects are deeply rooted in regional needs while contributing to national and international agendas, ensuring that our research remains both locally grounded and globally relevant.
At the heart of our technological innovation, the Big Data and Emerging Technologies group leads research in artificial intelligence, data science, and advanced digital systems. The group integrates foundational and applied approaches across machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and knowledge management, with a consistent focus on ethics, privacy, and data security. This ensures that our technological advancements are not only cutting-edge but also responsible and trustworthy. A key emerging priority for the institute is to understand and strengthen resilience in complex socio-technical systems. We aim to help societies, infrastructures, and technologies better adapt to, withstand, and recover from disruptions – whether caused by natural hazards, digital threats, or systemic challenges. Our research addresses real-world problems in areas such as emergency management, disaster resilience, transport, energy, agriculture, and social cybersecurity. Through close collaboration with academia, industry, and the public sector, we bridge the gap between research and practice. Our work contributes directly to smarter, greener, and more resilient communities, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and supporting long-term societal transformation. We invite stakeholders from all sectors to engage with us in shaping innovative solutions that matter locally and globally.
