Snjallræði was established in 2018 to support strong teams working on solutions to contemporary societal challenges. The projects aim to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and cover areas such as healthcare, welfare technology, the education system, and equality issues.

A record number of applications were submitted to Snjallræði this year, with 68 in total, and 11 teams were admitted this time. They are:

• Animara: Animara designs adaptive, stylish clothing for individuals with paralysis, enhancing independence and reducing caregiver burden.
• SKIMA: Develops software to streamline psychological assessments for children, improving accuracy and efficiency in diagnosis.
• CodonRed: Is developing a platform to screen compounds for DNA damage.
• Velferðalag: Aims to enhance well-being and public knowledge through positive psychology interventions
• CHEMeFuel: Develops high-energy-density biofuels from waste materials and green methanol for sustainable aviation, targeting significant reductions in carbon emissions.
• Vitkast: Creates a user-friendly online platform offering cross-disciplinary projects focused on innovation, STEAM, and sustainability.
• Textílbarinn: Collects and resells unused textiles, offering workshops to teach repair and repurposing, reducing textile waste.
• NúnaTrix: Creates educational video games for children undergoing medical procedures to reduce their anxiety and improve their health literacy.
• Heillaspor Center: Aims to establish an early intervention center in Iceland for eating disorders.
• ALDA Clinical Technologies: Develops automated linguistic analysis tools for early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases and language disorders in smaller languages.
• Hvað nú?: Streamlines the many complex tasks following the death of a loved one, by offering a centralized resource and guidance.

The teams began their participation in Snjallræði at the end of August and will, over the coming weeks, attend a variety of workshops, mentoring sessions, and events, all aimed at helping them further develop their ideas. Here they are at a workshop where experts from MIT share their knowledge with the participants.

Snjallræði is a collaborative project between the University of Iceland, Reykjavík University, and the University of Akureyri. It is run in partnership with MITdesignX, where experts from MIT share their knowledge with the participants. The participants have access to education and training from both local and international experts in societal issues and innovation, as well as meetings with experienced mentors.

The project is funded by the City of Reykjavík and Marel.