Snjallræði

🚀Join us for an inspiring evening focused on social innovation

📅 Date: Friday, May 17, 2024
🕟 Time: 16:30 - 18:30
📍Location: Rainbow pop-up space in Hafnartorg 🌈, Geirsgata 17, 101 Reykjavík

Join us for an informal gathering, bringing together aspiring social entrepreneurs, seasoned changemakers, and anyone interested in exploring the intersection of business and social impact.

*The event will take place in English

Snjallræði is a 16-week incubator that supports strong teams that are passionate about solutions to contemporary challenges and supporting the UN's sustainable development goals. There can be solutions relating to health care, welfare technology, improved education systems and gender equality, for example.

Snjallræði is a joint initiative of the University of Iceland, the University of Reykjavík, and the University of Akureyri, sponsored by Marel and the City of Reykjavík. It was founded by Höfði Peace Centre in 2018 and has been run six times since its inception.

The growth space is in collaboration with MITdesignX, is the focal point of the workshops where MIT experts come to Iceland and share their knowledge. Participants receive access to education and training from domestic and foreign experts in the field of social affairs and innovation, and meetings with experienced mentors.

The goal of Snjallræði is to promote innovation that addresses contemporary challenges. The focus is on promoting sustainability in innovation and building start-ups that directly support one or more of the UN's global goals from the first steps.

Social innovation involves utilizing the methodology of innovation and design thinking to tackle societal challenges and build systems and solutions that include benefits for people and the environment and therefore for society as a whole.

• Snjallræði supports teams that underpin sustainability in their core business and want to lead important social change.
• Innovation is welcomed at all levels, from fresh ideas to advanced innovation projects and businesses.
• Snjallræði is open to diverse teams, NGOs and companies that want the opportunity to develop their own ideas and find a sustainable pathway for them.

• 16-week program in collaboration with MIT designX
• Access to networking and advice from a strong team of mentors and experts in the field of social affairs, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and Innovation
• Facilities in Gróska, a welder of innovation in Vatnsmýri
• Training from foreign and domestic experts in social innovation, e.g. from MIT, University of Iceland, Reykjavik University, University of Akureyri and the City of Reykjavík

The teams involved in Snjallræði get to participate in four two-day workshops in Iceland hosted by Svafa Grönfeldt and her colleague from MIT designX. The workshops take place every four weeks, but in between, the teams are guided by skilled experts in Iceland to further develop the solutions. The workshops are thematic and address different aspects of the development process, from needs and stakeholders analysis, design of a sustainable business model, pine making losses and budgets to networking and conduct.

You can view the 2024 Snjallræði program here below.

The MIT designX workshops are four, in addition, participants meet mentors four times over the course of the period and participate in various events.

August 29 - 30: Understand

What problems are being solved and who will benefit from the solution?

Emphasis on:

• Needs analysis
• Market segmentation
• Stakeholder map
• Deconstruction

September 27 – 28: Solve

What is the solution and what are the benefits of it for stakeholders?

Emphasis on:

• Mission design
• Value proposition
• User journey
• Rapid prototyping

October 24-25 : Envision

What do we want to achieve, and what values are the basis for decision-making?

Emphasis on:

• Vision design
• Founder’s values / negotiations
• Sustainable business model 
• People and partners

November 21-22: Execution

What is the best way to implement, scale it and finance it?

Emphasis on:

• Action plan
• Budget
• Financing History
• Pitch