Company Profile

Headquartered in Oslo, Xelerator was founded in 2000 by European and American entrepreneurs experienced in adapting emerging technology companies from around the world for growth in the unique American business environment.

Xelerator helps Scandinavian technology companies create sound businesses in international markets. We reduce clients’ costs and risks in launching foreign operations and significantly increase their chances for success. Xelerator accomplishes this by combining our trademarked Terra Firma™ process with an established network of people and resources.

We are always interested in working with companies that offer disruptive, scalable technologies in any category or industry. The typical Xelerator client company has achieved early success in its home market by providing business customers with wireless solutions, Internet or enterprise software.

Team

People are central to Xelerator’s success. Xelerator professionals have the domain expertise, track records, industry insights and connections that enable them to establish successful international businesses for clients. Our team has many years of combined international, start-up, marketing and financial management experience.

Rick Salmon
Senior Partner

In July 2002 Rick Salmon joined International Business Accelerator (now Xelerator). Among his recent assignments he was acting Vice President for Global Relationships for IBM at Scali AS, a leading software provider of Linux cluster technology. Rick led a team responsible for Scali’s strategic relationship with IBM, driving global sales & market development. From 2006-2008 Rick was interim CEO at RPR Technologies and took the company from zero to 5MNOK in the first year, to 10MNOK the second and past breakeven. At the end of 2008 he entered RPR into the Eurecan European Venture Contest and won the prize for Best Cleantech Company. He is currently the author of a popular blog entitled Empowering European Entrepreneurs.

Rick has over 25 years of experience in the technology sector, having held international marketing and sales positions for companies such as IBM and Norsk Data. Rick co-founded two technology companies; Scala Incorporated (www.scala.com) and Blue Sky Software (renamed eHelp Corp and acquired by Macromedia/Adobe). Both companies started in Norway and successfully migrated to the US. Rick has a degree in Finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Contact: rs(at)xelerator(dot)com

Helge Krøgenes
Founder, Senior Partner

In January 2000, Helge Krogenes co-founded IBA – International Business Accelerator (now Xelerator). Prior to this he served as the trade commissioner for the Norwegian Trade Council in San Francisco. Krogenes also led MaXware USA, a subsidiary of a Norway-based electronic messaging company. At MaXware, he identified partners and built support infrastructure for back- and front-end messaging and directory systems. A native of Norway, Krogenes actively participated in the business community of his home country prior to his arrival in the States. He has led the development of several software companies and was one of the founders of Unic-Gruppen AS, a distribution company with the Acer distributorship for Scandinavia. He also worked as a cost controller and system consultant for the industry and offshore division of Det norske Veritas. Krogenes studied international management at the Norwegian School of Management in Oslo. He is currently CEO at MobilAxept. Contact: hk(at)xelerator(dot)com

Sebastiano Lombardo
Associate, Business Development

Sebastiano Lombardo is an Italian who lives in Norway and has a broad international experience. He graduated from the Norwegian School of Management in Oslo where he focused on international and cross cultural management, Public Relations and Project Management). He holds a Master of Science from NTNU (the Norwegian University of Science and Technology with thesis on: “Use of Creative Methods in Highway Planning”). Lombardo is the founder of two start ups www.creativitas.net and www.praticaitaliano.com

He is currently the Innovation Program Manager at Norconsult and Senior Adviser at SINTEF where he also is coordinator of FP7 research projects. Earlier he worked at Pera Innovation Ltd (UK) as Business Development Manager, at Gjensidige Insurance as a Senior Market Developer and at STATOIL as a trainee in business development. He has been a guest lecturer at the University of Turin (Italy),  University of Palermo (Italy), BI (Oslo, Norway) and the High School of Narvik (Norway). He is also a certified instructor of Dr. Edward deBono’s Six Thinking Hats, which is a powerful creativity tool for business leaders and entrepreneurs. Sebastiano is fluent in Norwegian, English, French, Spanish and Italian. He is passionate about business development and internationalization. Contact: sl(at)xelerator(dot)com

Mail Address:

Postbox 1595 Vika
N-0118 Oslo, Norway