KLAK - Icelandic Startups and the Technology Development Fund have signed a new three-year agreement for Dafna, a series of workshops and mentoring services for recipients of the Sproti and Vöxtur grants from the Technology Development Fund. The agreement ensures continued support and targeted guidance for innovation companies in their early and growth stages, thereby strengthening the infrastructure of the Icelandic innovation community.

“We are proud of the Dafna project, which combines targeted education on building startups with a strong network of experienced mentors, experts, and investors. This combination can have a significant impact on success and increase the likelihood of companies thriving and flourishing,” says Ásta Sóllilja Guðmundsdóttir, CEO of KLAK.

“We are very pleased with the Dafna project and the collaboration with KLAK in developing it over the past few years. A strong group of mentors has been built up who will help the Technology Development Fund's grant recipients achieve their goals in the future. The fund's board decided to continue with the Dafna project because it increases the chances that the grants will deliver the intended benefits,” says Ágúst Hjörtur Ingþórsson, Director General of Rannís.

Dafna is a four-month growth space consisting of interactive workshops and mentoring services from KLAK VMS, based on the methodology of the MIT Venture Mentoring Service. Each grant recipient is assigned three mentors who form an advisory group and support the team with regular meetings during the period. The project is intended for teams that receive a Sproti or Vöxtur grant from the Technology Development Fund and runs twice a year following the fund's spring and autumn allocations. Since its inception in 2021, 219 innovation projects and 430 entrepreneurs have participated in Dafna.

The agreement underscores the shared vision of KLAK and the Technology Development Fund to build a strong and open innovation ecosystem where knowledge, connections, and experience are utilized to accelerate the growth of startups and further strengthen the Icelandic innovation environment.