Kjetil Kriken
About Kjetil Kriken
Kjetil Kriken is a Norwegian entrepreneur and founder currently working at a stealth startup in Oslo. He has held various leadership roles, including CEO of Extreme Sports Week and special adviser at the Norwegian Ministry of Culture, and has a strong background in business and marketing education.
Current Role at Antler
Kjetil Kriken serves as a Founder in Residence at Antler, a global startup generator and early-stage venture capital firm. He has held this position since 2024, contributing to the development of innovative business ideas and supporting emerging entrepreneurs. His role involves mentoring startup founders and guiding them through the initial phases of their ventures.
Experience at Innovation Norway
Since 2023, Kjetil Kriken has been working as a Mentor at Innovation Norway, an organization that supports Norwegian businesses in their growth and innovation efforts. In this role, he provides strategic guidance and mentorship to startups and established companies, helping them navigate challenges and seize opportunities in the market.
Leadership at Extreme Sports Week
Kjetil Kriken was the CEO of Extreme Sports Week from 2017 to 2024. During his tenure, he secured the first national budget allocation for the event in 2020 and achieved the highest equity in its history by 2022. Under his leadership, the event experienced significant growth, including a 65% revenue increase in 2023, despite global financial challenges.
Educational Background
Kjetil Kriken has a diverse educational background. He studied at Harvard University, completing the CS50 course in Computer Science for Business Professionals in 2020. He also attended the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, where he completed various courses within the MBA Core Curriculum in the same year. Additionally, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Marketing from BI Norwegian Business School from 2009 to 2012.
Previous Roles and Achievements
Prior to his current roles, Kjetil Kriken held several positions, including Special Adviser at Kulturdepartementet (Norwegian Ministry of Culture) from 2021 to 2022, and Advisor at twoday from 2011 to 2013. He co-founded Vernekompaniet.no and served as Interim CEO at Konsis / HELLI Visuell kommunikasjon AS. Notably, he closed a historic TV deal with Discovery Networks in 2021, enabling broadcasts of Extreme Sports Week to 63 countries.