Trondelag
Home of NTNU with 43,800 students training Norway's engineers while emerging startup scene connects academic research to commercial innovation.
Trondelag anchors Norway's technological future from its central position—a county where Trondheim hosts NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Norway's largest university with over 43,800 students and the nation's primary engineering institution. This creates a knowledge economy that generates innovation, trains the technical workforce, and incubates startups that spread throughout Norway's economic ecosystem.
The university's impact extends beyond graduates. NTNU's AI labs and quantum computing research position Norway at technology frontiers. A growing startup scene connects academic research to commercial application, with Trondheim emerging as a technology hub that complements Oslo's financial center and Stavanger's energy focus. International students comprise 44% of doctoral candidates in technology fields, creating brain gain that enriches Norway's research capacity.
Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim—site of Norwegian royal coronations—provides historical gravity that balances technological ambition. The county's agricultural sector remains significant, with farms producing for both domestic consumption and export. Aquaculture along the coast contributes to Norway's position as the world's largest salmon producer.
The county's central location creates logistical advantages for serving both southern population centers and northern resource regions. By 2026, expect continued university expansion, startup sector growth, and Trondelag's role as Norway's technology training ground to strengthen as petroleum sector decline increases demand for diversification expertise.