For Startups
The startups are the heart of this festival. You are our first, our last, our everything. At Iceland Innovation Week you will get the opportunity to pitch, meet investors, learn about industry trends, meet like-minded people, attend crazy parties, and enjoy Icelandic nature.
Founder’s Day Workshops
↪ May 13th 10:00-15:00 @Gróska
We’re kicking off Iceland Innovation Week 2025 with a special Founder’s Day on Day 0, hosted in collaboration with the Science Park and Mýrin Innovation Center located in Gróska.
All startup festival pass holders can sign up here! Limited seats available.
10:00-11:00 — Founding and funding start-ups as living systems
What is business about? Business 1.0 was the industrial revolution. Business 2.0 digitalisation. Business 3.0 is an emerging paradigm of businesses as living systems. Innrwrks has for the past almost 10 years been pioneering new ways of funding and founding businesses in the living systems paradigm. The workshop is for founders. You'll be introduced to new frames around funding and founding business and get to build relationships with other founders in this excellent kick off to the first Founders Day. Innrwrks is a transformation lab with a Nordic footprint.
Workshop host: Amit Paul - Founder of Innrwrks
11:00-12:00 — The AI Advantage: Big Dreams, Small Teams
Imagine building a billion-dollar startup with a team of just 100, 10 or even just yourself. AI is rapidly turning this once-impossible dream into reality. In this interactive workshop, we'll explore real-world case studies from around the globe, revealing how innovative startups are using AI and Generative AI to achieve exponential outcomes with minimal resources. Discover the tools, tactics, and mindsets that are enabling entrepreneurs to disrupt industries, scale rapidly, and redefine what's possible.
Workshop host: Gísli Ragnar Guðmundsson - AI specialist at KPMG
12:00-13:00 — LUNCH
13:00-14:00 — Clear messaging and PR skills for startups and innovators
Join Erna and Anna Margrét, founders of marketing news outlet Herferð.is, for a focused 1-hour workshop on building clear, powerful messaging and PR strategies. Designed for startups and innovators, this session covers crafting your story, media outreach basics, and practical tips to communicate with confidence and impact.
Workshop hosts: Anna Margrét Gunnarsdóttir + Erna Hreinsdóttir founders of Herferd.is
14:00-15:00 - What Must Be True: A Smart Way to Think About Fundraising
All around the world, fundraising is universally considered one of the most difficult challenges that startup founders face. This workshop will provide founders with a new perspective that is guaranteed to reduce fundraising friction. We will begin with an introduction to GroundWork, a practical decision-making framework used by hundreds of founders to clarify strategic milestones, surface critical assumptions, and reduce unnecessary risk. We’ll break down the GroundWork Framework, then apply its principles directly to the unique challenges of raising capital. Whether you’re just beginning to consider fundraising or already deep into running a fundraising process, this session will help you think more clearly and act more deliberately. No hype, no playbook—just a smarter way to make the decisions that drive fundraising success.
Workshop host: Bob Crimmins, Startup Haven
Exclusive Founder & Investor Mixer
↪ May 13th 16:00 @TBA
At Iceland Innovation Week 2025, we’re hosting an invite-only Founder & Investor Mixer designed to bring together the brightest founders and top investors for real, meaningful connections. Forget AI-powered matchmaking—this is your chance to engage in genuine conversations, exchange ideas, and explore opportunities in an intimate, relaxed setting.
Founders can apply for an invitation to this exclusive event. Spots are limited, so don’t miss out on the chance to network with the best in the industry. Get your application in early!
Founder’s stage
↪ May 14th for festival pass holders @IIW official Festival Venue
This year, the Founder’s Stage at Iceland Innovation Week is all about creativity, celebrating the innovators who think outside the box and redefine what’s possible. Expect inspiring talks, interactive sessions, and stories from founders who’ve turned their creative visions into reality.
Fermented Shark Tank🦈
↪ May 14th and May 15th @ Official Festival Venue
The Fermented Shark Tank is a unique pitch opportunity open to startups from Iceland and abroad. Semi-finals will take place during Takeover Day on May 14th.
Here’s the twist: participants must take a bite of fermented shark before they pitch. The clock will be ticking with each participant given a maximum of 3 minutes to pitch their startup.
The top 5 startups will advance to the finals and pitch on the big stage of the festival on May 15th.
Are you ready for the challenge? Apply to pitch!
Please note that you have to have a ticket to Iceland Innovation Week to participate!
Maximize Your Festival Experience: Become a Startup Partner!
↪ Your event during IIW will be featured in our event calendar
↪ Your logo visible on our partner page
↪ 1 startup pass
↪ 40% discount on extra festival passes for your team
↪ 20% discount on a booth (based on availability)
↪ Eligibility to apply for the Startup/Investor mixer

FAQ
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FAQ 〰️
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The Startup Pass grants access to exclusive workshops on the Founder’s day, two days of a packed festival program and access to pitching opportunities.
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Founder’s day is a special day taking place in Mýrin Innovation Center offering workshops, talks, and networking opportunities designed to support and empower startup founders.
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Become a startup partner and all the necessary information will be sent out to applicants in the weeks leading up to the festival.
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For hosting a side event and becoming a part of IIW’s official event program you need to become a startup partner. All the necessary information will be sent out to partners in the weeks leading up to the festival.