SPECIAL CATEGORY INVESTOR FESTIVAL
Team Norðanáttar. Photo: Daníel Starrason
For the third year in a row, all Iceland's major investors gathered in Siglufjörður to meet with entrepreneurs working on projects related to resource, energy and environmental issues.
Investor Festival Norðanáttar was held for the first time in 2022, when the focus was exclusively on start-up projects in North Iceland. Due to the success, it was decided to invite and appeal to start-ups from all over the country. This year there was no change and nine companies were selected for the festival from a number of applications, including one guest project from the Faroe Islands.
Aurora Abalone – Suðurnes
Circula – South Iceland
Hringlaga bókasafnsnet – Höfuðborgarsv. (whole country)
FoodSmart Nordic – Norðurland vestra
Humble – Capital Region and Sandgerði
Nanna Lín – North East
Ólafsdóttir - Guest project from the Faroe Islands
Skógarafurðir – Austurland
Surova – Capital Region
Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, addressed the festival and urged guests to work in this area, but the challenges are great.
'The objectives for green energy transition and emissions reductions are clear. We are aiming for a full-scale green road and no part of the country can be left behind...", Guðlaugur Þór said, among other things. It would be important to mobilise ingenuity in all parts of the country and that a festival like this would be a good platform to connect resources with solutions that would help us tackle these measures.
Guðmundur Gunnarsson, chaired the panel discussion for the day. Haraldur Hallgrímsson from Landsvirkjun, Katrín Sigurjónsdóttir from Norðurþing, Sigríður V. Vigfúsdóttir from Primex, Pétur Arason at Húnabyggð and Daði Valdimarsson from Rotovia stressed the importance of taking initiative and leadership when it comes to employment and innovation and for municipalities and regions to establish policies and follow up on them when it comes to value creation. Times have changed from before, and communities need to decide what they want and work systematically to create their own opportunities.
The title of the panel was Global Thinking – Local Activities
The second panel addressed the importance of diversity and equality in the innovation and funding environment. Hekla Arnardóttir of Crowberry Capital, Arne Vagn Olsen of the Commercial Pension Fund, Ragnheiður H. Magnúsdóttir of Nordic Ignite and Þórey Vilhjálmsdóttir Proppé of Alda discussed that although there are good things going on and that many things are on the right track, we need to address concretely how investors can support diversification, e.g. in new companies. in terms of boards, ownership, etc. Equality and diversity enhance companies' ability and ability to succeed.
Panel on gender equality and investment.
Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, Minister of Culture and Trade, addressed guests in the second part of the programme, where entrepreneurs held investor presentations in the Herring Museum's boathouse. Following the investor presentations, a meeting of entrepreneurs and investors and other key players in the supportive environment for innovation in Iceland took place in the Salt House, the new collection of the Herring Museum, and this is the first time an event has been held there.
The consensus among guests and participants was that such a platform is extremely important for projects looking for investment, as it is a good opportunity to make connections and take the first step towards future cooperation.
To the project Norðanátt EIMUR and the regional associations in North Iceland SSNE and SSNV are supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Climate.Hraðið, the Husavik Center for Innovation is also involved in the project.
The sponsors of the 2024 Investor Festival are the Technology Development Fund, KPMG, the New Business Venture Fund and KEA.
