Author: Magnús Símonarson

CCP Games secures a $40M funding round for a new AAA Game with blockchain technology

CCP Games, the Icelandic gaming company that created the popular sci-fi MMO EVE Online, has secured $40M in funding for a new AAA game using blockchain technology. The financing was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), with participation from Makers Fund, BITKRAFT, Kingsway Capital, HASHED, Nexon, and additional participants. The funding will allow CCP Games built… Read More CCP Games secures a $40M funding round for a new AAA Game with blockchain technology

Magnús Símonarson

Slate secures investment from Aranja to simplify backend development for software development teams

Slate, an Icelandic startup that aims to make the development of web services and databases more accessible to software development teams has secured an investment from Aranja, a development studio known for creating comprehensive digital solutions. The founders of Slate, Alexander Jósep Blöndal and Birkir Örn Karlsson, have been working on the product for the… Read More Slate secures investment from Aranja to simplify backend development for software development teams

Magnús Símonarson

IS Haf is a new Icelandic $71M fund focusing on ocean related opportunities

Fund management company Íslandssjóðir just announced a new $71M (10bn ISK) fund called IS Haf fjárfestingar slhf that will invest in Icelandic ocean projects over the next years. The fund’s investment capacity is even greater if the shareholders’ co-investment authorization is taken into account. By that measure, the investment capacity could go up to $200M… Read More IS Haf is a new Icelandic $71M fund focusing on ocean related opportunities

Magnús Símonarson

Glaze secures $1.1M in funding from Brunnur

Glaze, a Reykjavik-based technology startup, today announced it has secured $1.1M in funding from Brunnur, the Icelandic venture capital firm. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of Glaze’s order and pay solutions for the experience economy, enabling businesses to offer frictionless, contactless experiences to customers. Glaze is a cloud-based platform that transforms… Read More Glaze secures $1.1M in funding from Brunnur

Magnús Símonarson

The Icelandic government introduces a new system around work and residence permits for people outside of EEA

Last week, a press conference was held by three Icelandic ministers including Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the prime minister, where they proposed a new system around the granting of work and residence permits for foreign workers coming from countries outside of The European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA includes all EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.… Read More The Icelandic government introduces a new system around work and residence permits for people outside of EEA

Magnús Símonarson

Tulipop secures a $1.8M investment from Eyrir Vöxtur

Earlier this week, Tulipop, a fantasy world and lifestyle brand from Iceland, raised $1.8M from the Icelandic growth fund Eyrir Vöxtur. After being founded in 2010, Tulipop became known for producing merchandise featuring the Tulipop characters, but in recent years the focus has shifted to developing and producing entertainment based on the Tulipop world. The… Read More Tulipop secures a $1.8M investment from Eyrir Vöxtur

Magnús Símonarson

Meet five (partly) Icelandic startups abroad that raised VC funding in 2022

Our annual funding report focuses on investments in companies with operations in Iceland. However, as all Icelanders that have traveled abroad know, we’re everywhere. And in some of those places we’re founding startups and raising cash. We figured it would be interesting to gather information about startups abroad with rich Icelandic connections that received funding… Read More Meet five (partly) Icelandic startups abroad that raised VC funding in 2022

Magnús Símonarson

Oculis listed on Nasdaq in New York, a first for an Icelandic VC portfolio company

Last week, Oculis, the Iceland-founded biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Switzerland was officially listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange in New York. Oculis’ shares have now started trading there under the ticker OCS. This makes Oculis the first Icelandic VC portfolio company to go public. Both Klappir and Solid Clouds were previously listed on the Nasdaq… Read More Oculis listed on Nasdaq in New York, a first for an Icelandic VC portfolio company

Magnús Símonarson

Oculis raises an additional $15M in funding before going public

The Iceland-founded biopharmaceutical company Oculis which is purposefully driven to save sight and improve eye care with innovations has raised $15M as first reported by Viðskiptablaðið. The participating investors in this newly secured funding round are from Iceland and abroad. This funding adds to the $80M that the company raised in October last year. Along… Read More Oculis raises an additional $15M in funding before going public

Magnús Símonarson