The Birth of iSHINEd
It was here, in this historic gathering place, that iSHINEd was born.
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Inspired by:
• The cooperative spirit of Rise power plant
• The curiosity and discovery of the mineral museum
• The community resilience of Drivdalen's people
• The commitment to sustainable local resources
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iSHINEd emerged as a natural evolution: from local community to international movement.
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What began in a mountain valley now spans continents. What started with 35 subscribers now connects hundreds of researchers, engineers, and policymakers worldwide.
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In 2016, Dr. Manikandan acquired the property, seeing in those century-old walls what the community had always known: this place was meant to gather people around bold ideas.
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The main building became the Mid-Norway Technology and Research Center, in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and Næringshagen Oppdal. Research replaced minerals. Innovation replaced exhibitions. But the spirit remained.
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The building continued its role as a vital community center, hosting local meetings, welcoming residents and farmers of Drivdalen, bridging
tradition and technology.
A New Chapter Begins
Newspaper archive (1932)
Photo from private archives (2017)
Photo from private archives (2016)
Photo from private archives (2016)
Photo from private archives (2020)
Photo from private archives (2026)
Photo from private archives (2020)
Photo from private archives (2026)
The Mineral Museum: Treasures Beneath the Mountains
When the school moved to neighborhood, the building transformed again, this time into a geological museum showcasing the extraordinary mineral wealth hidden within Dovrefjell and Trollheimen.
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For years, Sigmund Rise curated one of Norway's largest private rock and mineral collections. Rare stones from Tverrfjellet mine, crystals from mountain depths, specimens that told the Earth's billion-year story, all gathered under one roof.
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The museum became a hub for amateur geologists, a classroom for geological courses, a place where curiosity met discovery. It reminded visitors that beneath our feet lies not just stone, but potential: energy, materials, and knowledge waiting to be unlocked sustainably.
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A Building with Soul
In 1895, a schoolhouse was built in Drivdalen, Norway, a small valley cradled by the majestic peaks of Dovrefjell and Sunndalsfjella National Parks.
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For many years, it served different purposes including as Drivdalen skole, where children learned beneath the shadow of Knutshø's ancient mountains.
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But this building became more than a school. It was a symbol of community, innovation, and the relentless human spirit to harness nature's power sustainably.
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Photo from private archives (1950)
Photo from private archives (1915)
Photo from private archives (1915)
Oppdal, Norway
From Mountain Community to Global Movement
The Pioneer Spirit: Rise Power Plant
The people of Drivdalen understood something profound: sustainable energy begins with local resources and community vision.
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In the early 1930s, they proved it. The Rise power plant rose at upper Risfossen, replacing an older station in Vinstra. Though the waterfall was modest, just 6.4 meters high, the ambition was not. With pipelines of remarkable scale for the era, the plant generated 50 kilowatts, powering a cooperative of 35 subscribers when it opened in 1932.
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This wasn't just infrastructure. It was collective action: neighbors investing in their shared future, building a 10-kilometer alternating current network with two transformers, later expanding to light more homes, more dreams.
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The spirit of Rise power plant echoes in iSHINEd today: innovation rooted in community, powered by collaboration.
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iSHINEd now operates from Fredrikstad (one of the top 7 cities in Norway)
but its roots remain in Drivdalen's soil.
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Every conference we host, every researcher we connect,
every innovation we celebrate carries forward the legacy of that 1895 schoolhouse:
a place where community gathers, knowledge grows, and sustainable energy solutions thrive.
Today: Operating from Fredrikstad
The Legacy Continues
From a 6.4-meter waterfall powering 35 homes... To a global society powering the hydrogen revolution.
From a schoolhouse in the mountains...To a movement reshaping the world's energy future.
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This is iSHINEd.
Built on history. Driven by community. Powered by innovation.
