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July 1, 2009
Northern Sprouts appear in Northeast Iceland
Today, the Alcoa Foundation presented the University of Akureyri (UNAK) with a grant of 52,500 US dollars to launch an innovation programme under the name of Northern Sprouts. Alcoa in Iceland, the University of Akureyri and Impra Innovation Centre founded the collaboration project late last winter. The project focuses on supporting innovation ideas by individuals seeking employment in Norheast Iceland, possibly leading to more job opportunities in this quarter of Iceland.
The Northern Sprouts project centers on the design of business plans and the Alcoa Foundation grant will be used to pay related costs. This year, the Alcoa Foundation focuses on projects in Iceland that either help individuals to cope with the economic crisis or encourage people to participate in constructive work and experience solidarity. The Foundation presented the Icelandic Church Aid with a grant earlier this year, which was used to help those hardly hit by the economic crisis and unemployment.
Now, the decision was made to support innovation, which could lead to more jobs. The project includes that Impra Innovation’s project managers provide individuals with consulting on the presentation and design of their business plans, and teachers in UNAK’s Business and Science Faculty contribute accordingly. An evaluation committee that reviews the applications consists of representatives from UNAK, Impra Innovation Centre and Alcoa Fjardaál.
A constructive project
Tómas Már Sigurdsson, Director of Alcoa Iceland, presented Thorsteinn Gunnarsson, Rector of UNAK, with the Alcoa Foundation grant for the Northern Sprouts project. The grant was presented in the facilities of RAF, an electrical contractor company in Akureyri, which started as a growth company and has grown and prospered under the guidance of Impra Innovation Centre, currently with eleven full-time employees. Tómas Már said on the occasion: “It is particularly pleasing that the Alcoa Foundation decided to support innovation and development in Northeast Iceland in this way, and I hope that the grant will contribute towards further progress in the area.â€
Thorsteinn Gunnarsson, who will retire from his position as Rector at UNAK at the end of this month, after a successful career spanning 15 years, said that the grant will be immensely helpful for development in this area, which has been hardly hit by the crash in Iceland’s economy.
Call for applications
Impra Innovation Centre will oversee the project in collaboration with UNAK, and shortly, a call for applications from individuals in Northeast Iceland will be announced. Assumably, 12 to 15 individuals will be supported to design a business plan based on their innovation ideas. Each individual grant will amount to a maximum of 3,200 US dollars. Consequently, individuals can presumably work on the realization of the business plan in co-operation whith companies in Norheast Iceland, that may be interested in the development.
Individuals who are interested in applying for a Northern Sprouts grant can seek further information and an application form on Impra Innovation Centre, www.impra.is. The deadline for applications in Monday 20 July.
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The town of Akureyri
The beautiful town of Akureyri is often called "The capital of North Iceland." The University of Akureyri has grown aggressively to an important and progressive milieu of higher education and research since its establishment in 1987. Students are systematically challenged with inspirational subjects of sciences and practical knowledge under the guidance of its highly-qualified faculty. The university is known for its quality on-campus and distance education.
 visit the UNAK website
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