KLAK – Icelandic Startups recently held a harvest festival to mark the tenth completion of the Dafna growth space. The event took place in Sykursalinn, where strong teams from Dafna 10 took to the stage, presented their projects and shared the successes they have achieved since receiving funding from the Technology Development Fund.
After the presentations, lively discussions ensued, and representatives of the Technology Development Fund and other guests had the opportunity to ask more questions about the diverse innovative solutions the teams are working on. The event ended with networking and conversation over light refreshments.
Investors, entrepreneurs and representatives from across the Icelandic innovation community attended the event. A good atmosphere prevailed in the Sugar Hall, as the teams in Dafni's tenth group were very promising and their solutions were likely to create diverse opportunities for Icelandic business and society.
Four-month growth space for grantees
Dafna is an incubator run by KLAK in collaboration with the Technology Development Fund and has been operating since 2021, and since the project began, over 500 entrepreneurs and 250 start-ups have participated. The project is available to teams that receive a Startup or Growth Grant from the Technology Development Fund and is free of charge to participants.
Dafna consists of interactive workshops, practical projects, and targeted mentoring. The workshops cover topics such as business development, marketing, product development, and other key aspects of building startups.
Each team is joined by three experienced mentors who will follow them throughout the period. The mentors provide the teams with advice, guidance, and access to valuable experience and networks. The arrangement is based on the methodology of the MIT Venture Mentoring Service at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and all participating mentors have been trained accordingly.
Dafni's goal is to provide entrepreneurs with the tools, business knowledge and support they need to take their projects to the next level. In this way, the project contributes to the best use of the Technology Development Fund's grants and increases the likelihood that innovation projects will be successful in the long term.
„"We at KLAK are very proud of Dafna and the good collaboration that has been built with the Technology Development Fund. The entrepreneurs who participate have a lot of expertise and powerful ideas. With targeted education, guidance from experienced mentors and connections to the business community, Dafna helps them build stronger companies and move forward faster and more confidently. The tenth group clearly demonstrates the great power that exists in the Icelandic innovation environment," says Ásta Sóllilja Guðmundsdóttir, Managing Director of KLAK – Icelandic Startups.
About KLAK – Icelandic Startups
KLAK – Icelandic Startups is a non-profit organization that works to strengthen the Icelandic innovation environment. KLAK supports entrepreneurs and startups with a variety of business accelerators and growth spaces, mentoring, education and a strong network. The goal is to help ideas and companies grow and succeed, both in Iceland and in international markets.