Ásta Sóllilja Guðmundsdóttir, Lilja Kjalarsdóttir, Haraldur Þorkelsson and Magnús Ingi Óskarsson
KPMG in Iceland has signed a partnership agreement with KLAK VMS, the mentoring service of KLAK – Icelandic Startups, with the aim of enabling KLAK to further enhance its mentoring service, for the benefit of Icelandic startups and the innovation environment. KPMG is a leading knowledge-based firm that provides services in the areas of auditing, accounting, tax and legal, and consulting and Through this collaboration, it will support individuals and teams participating in KLAK projects, such as accelerators or the DAFNA program, which is specifically intended for recipients of the Technology Development Fund. This service will reach those working on innovation and technology development and contribute to their advancement in the market.
KLAK VMS is based on the philosophy of the MIT Venture Mentoring Service and aims to support startup teams with teaching and mentoring. Each year, KLAK VMS supports 80-100 startup teams, increasing their chances of success and contributing to the economic benefits of Icelandic society.
This is not a first date though.
KPMG has been a loyal participant in the entrepreneurial environment over the years and, among other things, has been one of the sponsors of Gulleggsin, run by KLAK – Icelandic Startups, since 2010.
The new partnership includes, among other things, increased involvement of KPMG experts in KLAK VMS's mentoring services, and they will also provide start-ups with advice in their fields of expertise through KLAK's numerous contact points.
We look forward to seeing the results of this exciting collaboration and believe that it will further strengthen the startup environment in Iceland.
Asta Sollilja Gudmundsdottir, Asgeir Skorri Thoroddsen, Magnus Ingi Oskarsson
Awards for outstanding instructors
At a special mentoring event held at KPMG at the end of December, two outstanding mentors at KLAK-VMS were honored and awarded the title of Mentor of the Year 2024, Lilja Kjalarsdóttir, Director of Operations and Strategy in the Research and Development Department of Alvotech, and Haraldur Þorkelsson, Founder and CEO of Eimverk.
Lilja Kjalarsdóttir was a mentor to three teams – Marimo, SeaGrowth and Akthelia. Her expertise in biotechnology, research and development, as well as experience in operations and marketing, made her invaluable in guiding the startups through challenging challenges. Entrepreneurs have described her as a key pillar when the going got tough.
Haraldur Þorkelsson mentored four teams this year – Visk, SeaGrowth, Snotra Sustainability and Sveppariðinu – and played a key role as lead mentor for two of them. Team reviews describe Halli as an exceptionally insightful and resourceful mentor with extensive experience, who helped them overcome the most difficult obstacles.
What is KLAK VMS?
KLAK VMS is based on the ideology of MIT VMS who have spent the last 20 years building a mentoring system to support entrepreneurs within the MIT University community in Boston.
The MIT model is based on three basic pillars:
- A team of two to four mentors assists each startup.
- Full confidentiality prevails within the mentoring and startup community so that the startups can put all their problems and ideas on the table without risk.
- Mentors focus on the progress of the start-ups and must not have any other interests in the participation.
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