Defence Technology startup ecosystem

S Svend Haakon Kristensen

Svend Haakon Kristensen is Head of the Defence Initiative at Laerdal Medical, one of Norway's most internationally recognized medical technology companies, headquartered in Stavanger and operating in over 100 countries. Laerdal Medical is a global leader in emergency medical training equipment, patient simulation, and life-saving solutions used by healthcare systems worldwide. In his role, Kristensen leads efforts in dual-use health technology applications for defence and emergency preparedness, a strategically growing field. He is a panelist at the Healthtech Festival 2026 Stavanger, where defence and preparedness is a dedicated session theme.