Wisdom

Geothermal power plant in Iceland with digital operational data overlays and snowy mountains in background

Building a Stronger Economy: The Role of Technology in Iceland

This piece discusses Iceland’s economic challenges and the importance of maintaining monetary sovereignty. It argues that technology can drive competitiveness and absorb inflation pressures, offering a buffer for high-margin businesses. The author emphasizes the need for structural reforms to deepen domestic capital markets to retain successful companies and build a resilient economy.

Commemorative coin with penguin and snowflakes underwater in Antarctic sea

Understanding Inflation’s Impact on Icelandic Competitiveness

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.

City street with colorful buildings, wet roads, people with umbrellas, and misty mountains behind

Iceland’s Inflation Battle: Ending Indexation and Restoring Stability

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.

A Loan, Not a Gift: On the Prime Minister, the Euro, and the Promise of Lower Interest Rates

This analysis critiques Iceland’s Prime Minister’s arguments for EU membership regarding monetary sovereignty. It emphasizes that historical examples show joining the euro could lead to lower initial interest rates but also hidden risks, mispricing, and inflation issues. The author advocates for domestic reforms instead of abandoning currency sovereignty.

The Illusion of Digital Success: Finding Reality

The Dissonance Between the Digital and the Real
We live in a world where everything online looks finished — startups, ideas, even people — while reality remains imperfect, slow, and deeply human. This essay explores how the digital world distorts our sense of progress and truth, how that distortion has been hijacked to spread anxiety, and why thinking for oneself has become a radical act in the age of digital illusion.

Give First: The Power of Mentorship and the Story of Iceland’s Startup Renaissance

When we launched Startup Iceland in 2012, few believed a startup ecosystem could take root in Iceland. But with the support of early believers like Brad Feld—who not only keynoted our first conference but also mentored founders in person—we planted the seeds of a Give First culture. Since then, mentorship has become the foundation of everything I do, from Startup Reykjavik to the investment funds I manage. I dedicate one hour every week to each founder we back—because generosity and compassion aren’t just values, they’re strategies for long-term success. Brad’s upcoming book, Give First – The Power of Mentorship, captures this beautifully. It’s not just a philosophy—it’s how we build the future.

Wisdom on How to get Rich

I have been getting a lot of questions about investing and startups. I think what most people are really asking me is how do I get Rich and Financial Independence. I have shared what Naval shared, I wrote it because it become real rather than link to what he wrote.