I know my regular readers are anxious to hear about my trip to Brussels, but it’ll have to wait. You see last evening I had an IT serial entrepreneur and award blast and I just can’t get it out of my head. So since this after all is a blog about my daily life, I was thinking why not blog it?
The occasion was the yearly IT Award Ceremony hosted by The Norwegian Computer Society (NCS = DND) in SAS Hotel, Oslo. There were awards given out in categories like “IT Security”, “Usability”, “Competence”, “Creativity”, “Best Net Service” e.g. to software companies, consultants, organisation or others that have provided some special and good solutions within IT and the internet last year. I’ll get back to the awards after telling you about the key note speaker who really gave me a kick. It was Morten Lund giving the speech: The Next Big thing. It was an educational, insightful and above all an inspirational presentation about believes (and not believes), thoughts and ideas of an entrepreneur and startup ideologist – digging the VC soil.
Here is what a friend of his, Michael Lee from HelloGroup writes about him on his blog: “Morten is the kind of guy that accomplishes more in a month than most of us do in a lifetime. As a self-described Neo-Classical serial entrepreneur, Morten’s impact on the world has left an indelible mark. He has founded and invested in 40 high profile tech start-ups including VOIP star Skype (recently sold to eBay for $4.3 billion), anti-virus consumer brand Bullguard, Scandinavian web agency NeoIdeo (sold to Leo Burnett), high performing Chinese browser Maxthon with 62 million downloads and Play65.com the world leader in online backgammon.”
I was also talking to Morten during the party and it was interesting and amusing to share thoughts and ideas with him. As you can see, I also got the chance to take a picture and I told him it would be on my blog:-) Please visit his blog ‘It’s all about luck’ and tell him you’ve seen the picture and that I’ve sent you!
Back to the awards then: To give you an idea, I’ll provide you with a couple of pictures I took with my Nokia mobile phone. Among the guests who were presenting the awards was The Minister of Transport and Communication and Minister of Government Administration and Reform. So here we go:
Price presenter: Morten Lund.
I started to call this a blast and of course there was more to it. A famous rock artist from Norway, Øyvind “Elg” Elgenes (from Dance with a Stranger) had gathered some musical friends especially for the event and they called themselves The Moose Brothers Band (Elg is moose in Norwegian!). They accompanied the different awards so well playing music from the 80s and 90s suitable for the prize categories. It was truly my kind of music and since the IT industry has become kind of mature, I didn’t have to feel that old myself either:-) One of the Ministers’s even told us she had been to Dance with a Stranger concerts and had front row tickets!
I even captured a video with my Nokia mobile phone, showed him afterwards and asked if I could publish it on my blog. He said ‘Yes of course, it would be cool’, so with permission of the band leader himself, I have the privilege to give you provide you with a world premier. My apology for the bad quality, but it was difficult lighting and after all it is my mobile phone. Please click here and visit his website too and listen to some of his new music:
Hi Renny!welcome back! :)
That was really a blast!
Congratulations to all the winners!!
And the band is hottie :)
Good day to you!
OMG ! You have been in Brussels ? So sorry I didn’t know that ! Now I am curious to hear what you have seen ! And I join the comment above me !
You wild & crazy IT people! ;) Welcome back from all the fun & games.
Hola Renny!!
Welcome back again. Wow, youve just gone to Belgium to attend this awards.Inceredible!! It was nice to meet a high class in IT world. I was in the IT world as well graduated as a COE. Computer Engineer. Maybe you could help me work over there in the IT world. lol.
anyway. Email me again your address coz xmas time is near. I could send you some…hehe
Congratulations as well on your Blog Anniversary and yeah is a pleasure that your on the blogmate list!!
Big Hug from Spain!!
Welcome back! Looks like you enjoyed yourself.
This sounds like it was quite an event! Thanks for sharing…
And,
A VERY VERY HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOUR LOVELY WIFE!
OK, Renny. With IT fun and games like this, we can certainly wait for you to tell us about Brussels! Your life is full and upbeat and positive. That’s what I most like about your blog. I always leave a better person! :)
Sounds like a fun time! Thanks for sharing!
sounds like it was a lot of fun and just a priveledge to be part of…
And yes we can wait to hear about brussels.
Happy Thanksgiving & welcome back :)
I find this OH so amazing!
Renny:
I thought I saw you in Brussels. Either that or there are a lot of people in Brussels who look like you. I was looking for you everywhere, and I’m pretty sure I saw you at least one time. Were you in an Indian restaurant?
Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed Brussels.
Wow, another great event!
Wow! This business trip sounds like more fun than a complete game of golf. Sure wish I could’ve made a commission off of one of those big sales you spoke of.
It seems like you had a wunderfull time. Did you get to eet one of them wafles?
Glad you got to hang out with all these neat people. Wish one of you lived next door to help me with all my basic techy computer problems!
I like the sound of the group. Reminds me of an American group from the 70’s but I can’t remember which one. (sang..”Get back, Jack do it again..”) Steely Dan?
That was a pretty funky cool version of See See Rider, wasn’t it?
I am off to go check out that enrepeneur guy…Renny that is so inspiring…reading about him makes me want to try harder, and work harder, and all that!
Hope all is well with you and yours!
XX
Welcome Back Renny and we are so glad to get an update from you. Thank you for sharing…wonderful!
Do you really know all of that computer stuff? Is that how you win all of those awards? You are just SO amazing. I hope I get to meet you in person sometime. It would be the highlight of our lives!
Yes! Your gig really is a blast! So privileged to have you as one of my favorite reads.
It inspires me, sir!
That is so awesome Renny! I visited Morten’s blog and his was also very interesting. Anyway, have a nice weekend to you Renny and regards to Diane and your family!
I.T. and Rock and Roll – what a combination :)
I don’t understand what It is, in terms of “It and Rock and Roll.” I guess I’m just stupid. What is “It?”