Day 0 — Investor Day
8:30 — House opens and breakfast hosted by Arion Bank
9:00-9:05 — Welcome
9:05-9:25 — Why emerging markets are the new goldmine
As global capital searches for fresh opportunities, emerging markets like Iceland are stepping into the spotlight. In this session, we take a close look at Iceland’s evolving investment landscape—what makes it unique, where the biggest opportunities lie, and how local and international investors are approaching early-stage funding.
Sæmundur K. Finnbogason, Advisor at Arctic Bridge
Heath Cardie, Managing Partner at New Iceland Advisors
9:25-10:05 — The State of VC and LP today
The venture capital landscape is evolving fast. This session brings together voices from both sides of the Atlantic to unpack how the VC and LP dynamic is changing. Are LPs still doubling down on climate? How are smaller funds staying competitive? And do specialized funds have the edge in today's market?
Bodil Siden, GP at Kost Capital
Bryan Sivak, Founder & MP at Evidenced VC
Destana Herring, Principal at Regeneration.VC
Daragh Brown, Senior Regional Representative for Scandinavia and Iceland at EIF
Moderator: Gregor von dem Knesebeck, Co-Founder & MP at Blue Future Partners
10:05-10:45 — Exit Strategies
In this session we unpack how the exit landscape is shifting, what strategies remain viable and how investors can help guide portfolio companies through an increasingly uncertain path to liquidity. From secondaries to strategic sales and everything in between, we’ll explore what it takes to cross the finish line in today’s market.
Jón Ingi Bergsteinsson, co-founder of IceBAN
Alfie Lavery, Investment Manager at Vencap
Signe Marie Sveinbjornsson Partner & COO at Heartcore Capital
Patrick Polak, Co-Founder & MP at Newion Partners
Moderator: Izzy Fox, ex. Head of Third Party Funds at Molten Ventures
10:45-11:10 — Growth Company Pitches:
11:10-11:40 — AI Agent Startups Dominating the Largest Venture Rounds
Venture capital is shifting at lightning speed, and AI agent startups are taking center stage. In this panel, we will dive into the latest funding trends, exploring why AI-driven companies are securing record-breaking rounds. What makes these startups so attractive to VCs? Are we in an AI funding bubble, or is this just the beginning?
Fabian Siegel, Venture Partner at LifeX Ventures
Amy Horrocks, Investor Partnerships at Georgian
Jaja Liao, Partner at 25madison
Moderator: Valerie Bures, MD & Partner at XAnge
11:40-11:45 — Closing Remarks by Business Iceland
11:45-12:40 —Lunch hosted by Frumtak Ventures
12:40 —Walk to the harbour
13:00-15:30 — Exclusive boat adventure: Whale Watching
This whale-watching tour goes from the old harbor of Reykjavik. Be prepared to capture a photo of the giant whales of Iceland. In Faxaflói Bay, the most frequently seen animals are Humpback whales, Minke whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins. For your comfort and warmth, they offer special suits on board. We do advise that you wear your warmest clothes – hats, scarves, gloves etc – as it can get very cold (even on the warmest days) when the boat is in motion. You also have the option to watch the whales from inside. With the large windows and inside warmth, you can enjoy the animals of the North Atlantic from a very comfortable view
17:00-19:00 — Official Founder & Investor Mixer: Find your match with Smitten // Registration and info is all HERE
Evening: Invite-only dinners here and there, exclusive invites sent out.
Dress code
Business casual + rain gear, hat and good shoes for adventures