Silicon Valley opened its doors - we must too
With OIW coming up, and me joining a panel to discuss how we can attract the best international talent (https://www.oiw.no/event/Driving-Growth---Innovation--Attracting-International-Talent), I’ve spent the past few weeks diving into the current situation in Norway when it comes to international talent. And it’s really made me think.
Are we talking about this enough? Do we, deep down, truly want international talent? Or are we too focused on investments, capital, and the idea that more money and lower taxes alone will make us successful?
I’d like to challenge everyone who’s passionate about building an outstanding tech ecosystem to really reflect on this. Are we doing enough to attract and fight for the best international talent? And, perhaps even more importantly, do we genuinely want that talent here?
We like to think of Norway as open, modern, and inclusive. We talk about internationalization, talent, and diversity. But when you look closely at how the Norwegian tech industry often actually works, a different picture appears:
We are polite, but sceptical. Inclusive, but reserved. Curious, but cautious. Maybe we even think we are too good and that people already in Norway are better tech-folks than people outside of Norway?
So for research purposes, what better place to look to than Silicon Valley. Our excuse is often that we can`t compete with them, but excuses don’t get us anywhere.
San Francisco: The Magnet for Global Talent who opened their door!
Silicon Valley didn’t become the world’s innovation capital just because it had great universities and venture capital. It did because the region opened its doors to the world.
In San Francisco, engineers from India, designers from Brazil, and founders from Ukraine sit side by side. Not as guests, but as the driving force of the system.
They speak with accents, think differently, and build companies that change the world.
Diversity there isn’t decoration. It is the competitive advantage.
When Google, Airbnb, or Y Combinator recruit, they don’t ask “Will you fit in?” They ask: “What will you bring?”
Norway: Friendly, but Closed, we are better!
In Norway, we love talking about attracting international talent. But we often act as if we only want people who are already Norwegian or at least, already live in Norway.
In Norway, tech companies don’t like to offer relocation packages.
We emphasize cultural fit — finding “someone who fits in. ”It sounds nice, but it often really means: “Someone who talks like us, thinks like us, and doesn’t challenge us too much.”
Foreign founders often say they’re met with kindness, but rarely with trust. Job candidates are told they “don’t speak good enough Norwegian” — even in English-speaking companies. And many hit a career ceiling, no matter how qualified they are.
We rarely discriminate openly. But we exclude unconsciously.
If we truly want to attract international talent, we need to stop treating it as decoration on an already finished system.
Diversity isn’t a box to tick — it’s a strategy for survival.
That means:
Seeing diversity as a business advantage, not a PR line.
Lowering the language barrier.
Hiring for contribution, not conformity.
Building workplaces where difference is not just tolerated — it’s valued.
The Future Demands Discomfort
We say we want to be a leading tech nation. But that means doing what Silicon Valley did 40 years ago: open the doors, wide. Let in people who think differently. Who don’t necessarily “fit in” — but can take us forward. Because if we keep choosing comfort over talent, the most exciting minds will simply choose somewhere else.
There will come a follow-up post to this where I will share some thoughts and ideas about how we can compete for the best international talent within tech.