The seventh piece of a series on Iceland’s economy discusses how full inflation indexation prevents anyone from bearing the cost of inflation, ultimately eroding national competitiveness. As Icelandic prices rise compared to global alternatives, many Icelanders perceive Europe as a cheaper option. The solution proposed is dismantling the indexation system to restore balance.
This piece outlines a phased plan to abolish verðtrygging in Iceland, interlinked with combating inflation. It highlights how current indexed mortgages disconnect from central bank policies, leading to persistent inflation. The proposed approach involves first ceasing new indexed loans to restore monetary policy effectiveness, followed by gradual conversion once inflation is under control.
As Iceland’s marine industries face mounting financial and environmental pressures, the need for innovation has never been greater. Startups are uniquely positioned to revitalize the Blue Economy—bringing fresh ideas, agile technologies, and sustainable models to an industry in transition. From rural job creation and emissions reduction to smarter data systems and global competitiveness, these ventures will not only support resilience—they will define the future of ocean-based prosperity.
Iceland’s sweeping fishing fee reform marks a historic shift in how the nation manages its marine resources. By linking fees to international market prices, the policy promises a surge in government revenue but poses serious risks to industry profitability, rural livelihoods, and investment incentives. With coastal communities bearing the brunt and innovation budgets under pressure, the stakes extend far beyond taxation. This blog unpacks the economic, political, and environmental dimensions of the reform—and what it could mean for the future of Iceland’s fishing industry and national identity.
We are thrilled to announce the launch of Blue Nova Ventures. This is a new venture fund born out of …
India’s Education Renaissance: The Opportunity Ahead
India stands on the cusp of a dynamic shift in education—one that breaks free from rote memorization and embraces creativity, collaboration, and leadership from an early age. My visit to Prometheus School highlighted how a carefully designed environment, world-class facilities, and a student-led administrative framework can transform the way young minds learn and grow. This is more than just a school—it’s a blueprint for the future of India’s education system. By adopting forward-thinking methods that encourage innovation and real-world experiences, Indian schools can empower an entire generation to lead confidently on the global stage. And I truly believe that, with this kind of reimagined learning, the coming decades will undeniably be India’s decades to shine.
Hackathons are foundations for tinkering, learning and innovation For over a decade, I have had the privilege of organizing and …
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFounders Ventures Invests in ALDIN Biodome to Create Geo-Climate Infrastructure in Iceland Reykjavik, Iceland — [November 22, 2024] …
The talk in Ljubliana, Slovenia focused on Circular and Green Innovation, emphasizing the importance of small, mission-driven groups in shaping the future. The speaker highlighted the need to challenge negative narratives and shared examples of innovative sustainability solutions, promoting optimism and proactive action. The event showcased inspiring initiatives, encouraging positive change.
WHO has published a new report on the status of Mental Health and Mental Healthcare around the world and the result is not good. Most countries are falling short and the need is only growing rapidly. There are several solutions in the market that can help but they are not part of the mainstream healthcare.
After a 2 year hiatus, Startup Iceland is back on the calendar this year. The event will be on June …
How often do you as a leader take time off? Not as in “watch Netflix for one night” or even …
Startup Iceland hosted the 2nd CASSINI Hackathon in Iceland and the Iceland winning Team went on to Win the overall Hackathon. The team’s idea was to use space imaging technology to solve land erosion globally.
A new AI tool, dubbed IceNet, could lead to improved early-warning systems to protect Arctic wildlife and costal communities. Data …
Today, the Swiss company Climeworks formally opened the air purification plant Orca in Iceland. It has only been sixteen months …
Startup Iceland will host the 2nd CASSINI hackathon in Reykjavik on Nov 5-7. The theme is using Space technologies to protect the Arctic region. Submit your ideas for the challenges.
Iceland Venture Studio is investing in eKosh Finance a non-banking-technology-first-financial-company that is decentralizing lending to micro-businesses in India.
Sharing tools, teaching people how to fix things and also being an activist on reducing waste. Anna moved to Iceland from the UK but is originally from Brazil, we talk about Circular Economy, sustainability and how to reuse tools.
Iceland Venture Studio is leading an investment syndicate in Mussila, the award winning decentralized music learning app. We are doing a deep dive into showing how we make decisions on a team we chose to back. The Mussila team answered the 7 questions that gives you an idea of how they are thinking and where they plan to take Mussila.
Startup Iceland joins LOOP to inspire and transition the global economy to circular economy. LOOP was launched in 2018 by Avanto Ventures, Sitra and Nordic Innovation to take circular economy from strategy to action.