18 questions with Attensi CTO Anne Lise Waal

Attensi CTO Anne Lise Waal is looking forward to spending a lot of time with people in the autumn, whether it’s in trainers, football boots, mountain boots or party boots!

Shifter is getting to know Norwegian entrepreneurs during the summer heat.

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1. What does your 20-second pitch of yourself sound like?

At work, I’m first and foremost a strategic technologist. I’m good at seeing the big picture and drawing lines forward. I work best in a team and have a strong focus on a robust organization with a good culture.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast!”

2. Is it a Norwegian holiday, a foreign holiday or no holiday this year?

Norwegian holiday. Out on a roadtrip with a packed car. It’s going to be mountains, fishing and the outdoors with friends and family.

3. What is the worst thing you have experienced as an entrepreneur in the past year?

Like many others…leaving the office on 12 March 2020 and not knowing what to expect.

4. What is the best thing you have experienced as an entrepreneur in the past year?

I’ll single out two highlights. One has been seeing the team immediately realize digital events and meeting places and preserving our social glue despite Covid-19.

And landing NOK 220 million [US$20 million] in new growth capital into Attensi was a definite highlight.

Now the world is at our feet!

5. Do you have a favorite icebreaker?

After video meetings took over everyday working life, it has suddenly become a hit to talk about the weather again!

6. If you could choose from any entrepreneur in the whole world, who would you like to have in your team?

Not exactly an entrepreneur, but imagine being able to have Vaclav Smil and Hans Rosling on the team, ah!

7. Which other Norwegian company do you wish you had started?

ForgeRock has impressed me greatly.

8. What is the worst thing you have experienced in an investor meeting?

That an elderly gentleman in the front row fell asleep!

9. You get access to an optional sum from the oil fund, what would you use the money for?

To establish a school leisure scheme for technology for all children from an early age.

If Norway is to keep pace in the technology race, we should adopt the Football Ban’s children’s sports principle for technology learning too. The principle goes “as many as possible, as long as possible, as best as possible!”

10. What is the most important question for you in this autumn’s election campaign?

I will not go to the polls on a single issue, but I know that those who try to undermine women’s basic rights on the abortion issue will not get much attention.

11. Have you bought cryptocurrency during the spring?

Yes, the household has invested in various cryptos, without me closely following the development myself.

12. Own or rent a scooter?

Own… or maybe sponsor is the right word. I’m often found as an audience member /photographer/first aider in the skatepark.

13. Do you buy food online or in the grocery store?

Online. I’m loyal to Oda and would like to tell them that the only reason they only get 80% of our food budget is that their allergy food isn’t up to scratch.

14. Which holiday country other than Norway have you missed the most in the past year, and why?

There’s a bunch of us who usually go on holiday together, but not to a specific country. I’ve missed that.

But I have to say that I’ve also missed work trips to London and the US. I’m looking forward to the green light again!

15. What is the most embarrassing thing you have experienced as an entrepreneur?

Having to register my passport. Not many things that embarrass me…

16. What is the most important thing you will do in the autumn?

Spend an incredible amount of time with people. At work, on a trip, in the city, in trainers, soccer shoes, mountain shoes and party shoes!

17. What should Norwegian entrepreneurs get better at?

Taking selfies, obviously!

18. Tell us something about yourself, which we cannot read on LinkedIn.

I have played rugby.