AWE Graduation 2025 - Remarks by Halla Tómasdóttir, President of Iceland and Our Founder & FKA’s Board representative for the invaluable partnership

Icelandic version available below

The President of Iceland, Halla Tómasdóttir, and our founder and board member of FKA, the Association of Businesswomen, Grace Achieng, following the President’s inspiring address at the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Graduation Ceremony.

In a powerful and personal keynote panel, President Halla Tómasdóttir addressed the graduating cohort of the AWE Accelerator (Academy for Women Entrepreneurs) with reflections on entrepreneurship, gender equity, and leadership with purpose.

She began by acknowledging the long-standing imbalance in global investment flows:

“Over 20 years ago, when we founded Auður Capital, we discovered that less than 3% of global institutional capital was managed by women or people of color. Today, the number remains virtually the same.”

She stressed that this persistent inequality is deeply problematic and added that;

“We tend to invest in people who look like us and think like us. That has consequences — not only in venture capital and private equity but in all areas where decisions are made.”

President Tómasdóttir highlighted the importance of inclusive perspectives in addressing global challenges. In her remarks, she said,

“We are looking at the world with one eye closed. If we’re not tapping into the creativity and capacity of those who are closest to the problems, we’re missing out on the solutions.”

She emphasized the need for belonging, particularly among women entrepreneurs:

“In my experience, women thrive when they belong to a community of courage — a compassionate, supportive environment where they feel seen, encouraged, and safe to take risks.”

Drawing on her own entrepreneurial journey, she encouraged graduates not to go it alone, “Whether it’s a co-founder, a mentor, or a trusted ally, success often comes from not walking the path alone.”

Three Key Pieces of Advice from President Tómasdóttir

1. Lead with a strong moral compass “Know your purpose and your principles — both as an individual and as a company. If there is a mismatch between what you stand for and what your company does, it will drain your energy.

2. Surround yourself with the right people “Find those who share your values but bring different perspectives. You don’t need sameness — you need diversity rooted in shared purpose.”

3. Embrace resilience and agility “Every obstacle is an opportunity to grow stronger. And every successful entrepreneur I’ve known has had to pivot. Be open to what comes and willing to adapt.”

She concluded with a simple but powerful message:

“Have fun. Let joy carry you through. Joy matters more than we admit — even in leadership.”

Grace Achieng, our founder and board member of FKA ©Kristinn Ingvarsson

Representing the Board of FKA - The Association of Businesswomen, Grace Achieng, founder of Gracelandic and board member of the organization, introduced the mission of FKA—a powerful network for women in Iceland’s business sector and labor market. She highlighted its focus on visibility, empowerment, and leadership growth, with special opportunities for members through events, mentorship, and advocacy. Grace announced a 50% discount on the first-year membership for AWE 2025 graduates, valid until May 30. She emphasized the value of diversity and encouraged women of foreign origin to join FKA, reminding them that being outside their comfort zone is where growth happens.

She urged Icelandic society to support immigrant women by including them in innovation and the labor market. “By uniting people of different backgrounds in a trusting community, we can build a space where skills, Icelandic language, and knowledge flow freely.

She closed by congratulating the graduates and expressing gratitude for the meaningful partnership between FKA and AWE in collaboration with the University of Iceland and the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík.

Icelandic:

AWE útskrift 2025 – Ávarp Höllu Tómasdóttur, forseta Íslands og stjórnarkonu FKA, um dýrmætt samstarf

Í kraftmiklu og persónulegu ávarpi á AWE Hraðlinum (Academy for Women Entrepreneurs) talaði Halla Tómasdóttir, forseti Íslands, við útskriftarnemendur um frumkvöðlastarf, jafnrétti kynjanna og markvissri forystu.

„Fyrir meira en 20 árum, þegar við stofnuðum Auði Capital, komumst við að því að innan við 3% af alþjóðlegu stofnanafé væri stýrt af konum eða lituðu fólki. Í dag er hlutfallið nánast óbreytt.“

Hún benti á hversu alvarlegt þetta ójafnvægi er og sagði, „Við höfum tilhneigingu til að fjárfesta í fólki sem líkist okkur – sem hefur áhrif á öll stig ákvarðanatöku.“

„Við horfum á heiminn með annað augað lokað. Ef við nýtum ekki sköpunargáfu og getu þeirra sem eru næst vandamálunum, þá finnum við ekki lausnirnar.“

Hún undirstrikaði mikilvægi þess að tilheyra og sagði að „konur dafna þegar þær tilheyra samfélagi hugrekkis – í stuðningsríku og hlýju umhverfi þar sem þær finna til öryggis og fá hvatningu til að taka áhættu.“

Á grundvelli eigin reynslu hvatti hún konur til að leita sér samferðafólks:

„Hvort sem það er meðstofnandi, leiðbeinandi eða traustur bandamaður, þá er það sjaldnast farsælt að fara þessa leið ein.“

Þrjú lykilráð frá Höllu Tómasdóttur voru

Leiddu með sterkum siðferðisáttavita - „Hafðu skýran tilgang og gildi – bæði sem einstaklingur og fyrirtæki.“

Umkringdu þig réttu fólki. „Veldu fólk sem deilir gildum þínum en bætir við fjölbreytni í hugsun.“

Sýndu seiglu og aðlögunarhæfni. „Hver hindrun er tækifæri til að vaxa. Allir frumkvöðlar þurfa að haga seglum eftir vindi af og til.“

Hún lauk svo orðum sínum með þessum einföldu en kraftmiklu skilaboðum:

,,Ekki gleyma að hafa gaman. Gleði skiptir meira máli en við viðurkennum – líka í leiðtogahlutverki.“

Fyrir hönd stjórnar FKA – Félags kvenna í atvinnulífinu – kynnti Grace Achieng, stofnandi Gracelandic og stjórnarkona FKA, hlutverk félagsins: sterkt tengslanet sem styrkir konur í íslensku atvinnulífi. Hún kynnti sérkjör fyrir útskriftarnemendur AWE 2025: 50% afslátt af félagsgjaldi fyrsta ársins, sem gildir til 30. maí.

Grace lagði áherslu á kraft fjölbreytileikans og hvatti konur af erlendum uppruna til að ganga í FKA. „Þegar fólk með ólíkan bakgrunn kemur saman í traustu samfélagi, þá deilum við hæfni, íslenskri tungu og reynslu – og byggjum upp þekkingarsamfélag án takmarkana.. Hún lauk máli sínu með þökkum til samstarfsaðila FKA;  AWE, Háskóla Íslands og bandaríska sendiráðsins á Íslandi.