REYKJAVÍK, Iceland--()--A delegation of 33 Icelandic companies is set to bring Iceland’s spirit of innovation to Slush, the top tech startup festival running between 20th - 21st November 2024 in Helsinki, Finland. Led by Business Iceland, the group represents the breadth of Iceland’s thriving innovation ecosystem, inspired by the country’s unique natural environment.

“We’re thrilled to showcase a part of Icelandic tech at Slush this year. Iceland may be small, but our innovation culture is strong. Slush is the ideal venue offering a great opportunity for our startups and founders to meet with peers and investors and highlight ideas coming from our vibrant ecosystem,” said Erna Björnsdóttir, Head of Innovation & Technology at Business Iceland.

Today, Iceland’s tech startups range a variety of industries from green energy, to biotech, health- and life science, gaming and more. The businesses attending Slush offer a glimpse into this ecosystem, including:

  • DTE: Optimising metal production and processing with in-line chemical composition analysis of molten metals to increase throughput, quality and efficiency in the value-chain.
  • Hefring Marine: Leveraging AI, sensor data, and edge computing to provide real time decision-support that optimises vessel safety, fuel efficiency and sustainability.
  • PLAIO: A modern visual planning solution that uses AI and emerging technologies to improve the workflow of pharma planning processes and support decision making.
  • Smitten: A dating app that makes the user journey fun and easy, with creative games, interactive profiles, and icebreakers.
  • Knittable: Offering interactive, customisable knitting patterns to match any knitter’s design vision. Winner of the Silicon Vikings competition at IIW 2024, now representing Iceland in the Nordic Vikings final at Slush.

“Attending a global tech platform like Slush not only gives startups a chance to connect with international investors and partners, but it also reinforces collaboration – in our case across countries which share a similar spirit of innovation and resilience. I look forward to attending Slush,” said Helga Valfells, CEO at Crowberry Capital, an Icelandic female founded venture capital firm.

Despite its small size, innovation has been thriving in Iceland. There are now over 18,000 people employed in IP driven industries, the number having grown steadily in recent years. Icelandic startups have also secured more that €1.2bn in funding since 2019 (source: Dealroom). The country’s strong culture of entrepreneurship, combined with government and industry support, has fostered a robust ecosystem where tech companies can grow, scale, and reach global markets.

For a complete list of the delegation click here.

Notes to editors on Iceland’s thriving tech ecosystem:

  • Iceland ranks number 22 in the Global Innovation Index (Source: GII ranking 2024).
  • Icelandic authorities have been committed to encouraging innovation through grants and tax incentives for R&D in recent years, ranking among the top countries globally in R&D expenditure per capita (Source: oecd-iceland-tax-credit-evaluation.pdf).
  • Exports from IP driven industries in Iceland have doubled in the last five years (2024 figures est. Source: Federation of Iceland Industries)

About Business Iceland:

Business Iceland is responsible for the branding and marketing of Iceland and Icelandic export industries. It supports Icelandic companies in entering foreign markets and facilitates foreign investment in the Icelandic economy.
Website: businessiceland.is

About Slush:

Slush Helsinki is the world’s leading startup event bringing together European startups, world-class investors, and tech journalists, making it the perfect opportunity for Icelandic startups to showcase their Born Global approach to sustainable innovation.
Website: https://slush.org/