Whether in the middle of a high-stakes pitch, hiking through Iceland’s highlands in changeable weather or navigating a crisis, Thorey Proppe finds clarity in the chaos.

This trust in herself mixed with her adventurous spirit is what led her toward an entrepreneurial career. “Sometimes it felt totally random,” she says about her entrepreneurial path. “Why am I going this way?” But it all came together with crystal clarity in the founding of Alda. “Alda is the result of everything I’ve done. Politics, business, activism – it all feeds into this.”

Thorey was born and raised in Reykjavík, but she’s always been traveling. “I couldn’t live here without that,” she says. “Being on an island, you can start to feel a bit trapped.” Still, no matter where she travels in the world, she always returns. Iceland not only provides easy access to both Europe and the US, but the deep quality of life and epic nature keep pulling her back. “I go sea swimming. I sleep on glaciers. That sense of adventure has always been part of me.”

Before founding Alda, Thorey served on the board of UN Women Iceland and was active in the national conversation around gender equality. In 2015, after leaving politics, she transitioned into management consulting, focusing on strategy and design thinking. It was there, while working closely with company leaders, that she began to sense a need: “Everyone was talking about equality, but nobody was talking about culture. You can have equal pay, but if people don’t feel safe, seen or able to be themselves at work, then what’s the point?”

This question became the foundation for Alda. It began as a consultancy project inside a larger firm, but when that firm collapsed, Thorey seized the chance to build something new. “It was classic startup timing. A crisis opens the door.” She took her methodology and the clients she’d been working with and founded her own company. “I knew I wanted to take this global,” she says. “We had something different. Something that wasn’t just a training program or a one-off workshop.”

In 2021, Alda secured €2.2 million in funding from an Icelandic VC fund Frumtak Ventures. Her cofounder, Sigyn Jonsdottir, joined to lead product development as a CTO. Together, they turned their strategic approach into software. By 2023, the Alda platform had launched – on time, impressively – and just months later, it was named one of Gartner’s top six DEI software solutions globally. Today, Alda has 30,000 users across 50 countries.

But what does Alda do? Thorey breaks it down with the ease of someone who has pitched this many times: A 10-minute anonymous survey, embedded in workplace systems through smooth API integration, collects data on how people from different backgrounds experience their company culture. Alda then calculates an inclusion score based on three pillars: inclusive leadership, psychological safety and authenticity. That last one is the most important, she says. A high authenticity score means that the team feels safe to be themselves. “If people can’t be themselves, you’re not getting the benefits of diversity.”

The platform also provides tailored action plans, micro-learning content and benchmarking via the Alda Inclusion Index. An AI engine is in the works to help customize those action plans even further. “The data is a huge empathy booster. It shows people that their experience isn’t the only experience. That’s when change happens. When you sit down with real numbers and see that, for example, women in your company feel significantly less heard than their male colleagues or that LGBTQ+ employees report lower psychological safety, it hits differently than a theory or a feeling. It’s no longer abstract. The numbers give shape to those lived experiences, and they often reveal gaps leaders didn’t even know existed.”

This visibility not only creates accountability but also opens the door to meaningful dialogue. “People don’t usually want to harm others at work. Often, they just don’t know what others are going through. When you present the data in a clear and human way, it invites reflection. It encourages leaders and teams to listen, not defend. That’s the real power of data when it’s used right – it invites action from a place of understanding, not guilt.”

However, Alda’s success hasn’t come without hurdles. Thorey has faced all the usual challenges of startup life, from navigating funding rounds to refining the product. But perhaps the most daunting moment came when US political developments sent ripple effects across the DEI landscape. In 2025, the US Administration announced a series of federal rollbacks and restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, particularly in public institutions and universities. Government contracts began including clauses that prohibited certain DEI training and assessments, and states followed with legislation targeting workplace equity initiatives. “It’s strange when the president of a superpower nation essentially bans what you’re doing,” she says. “When DEI becomes politicized to that extent, it shakes the sector globally. We felt it immediately – in the media, in investor conversations, even in some boardrooms.”

And yet, in the weeks that followed, the response outside of the US was not to retreat but to renew commitment to the cause. “I was also surprised by how quickly the pendulum started to swing back,” she says. “It sparked a different kind of urgency. People wanted to double down, to show that inclusion isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s fundamental.”

In Europe and Canada, interest in Alda surged. And despite the political headwinds, none of Alda’s clients backed away. “It was eye-opening,” she says. “There’s a lot of misunderstanding about what DEI really is. For us, it’s about creating workplaces where people belong. Where everyone can contribute. That’s not just good ethics; it’s good business.”

Companies with inclusive cultures don’t just see higher engagement, they retain talent more effectively: industry reports show, again and again, that inclusion directly impacts retention. When people feel they can be themselves at work, they stay longer, perform better and contribute more deeply to the team. The financial case is also strong: replacing an employee can cost up to twice their salary, so even modest improvements in retention can translate into significant savings. Inclusion also drives innovation, she says. “When people with different perspectives feel safe enough to share their ideas, it unlocks new thinking. It’s not just about doing the right thing; it’s about building stronger, more resilient businesses.” Alda’s mission is global, but its roots remain deeply Icelandic. Reykjavík has long been a leader in gender equality, not just in principle but in practice. Thorey points to the country’s progressive policies that support families and create a foundation for inclusion. “We have incredible infrastructure,” she says. “We’re not just talking about ideals. We have affordable childcare, parental leave that’s split equally between parents, and a cultural understanding that caregiving is not gendered.”

The impact of these policies is visible in everyday life. Parents of all genders are expected to take time off with newborns, and children are guaranteed access to daycare, allowing both caregivers to stay active in the workforce. This shared responsibility model has been key to Iceland’s high participation rates of women in leadership and politics. “It’s not just that we have role models – though we do, from our first female president in 1980 to our current prime minister, president and police chief – it’s that the system allows everyone to participate.”

Much of this progress stems from Iceland’s feminist movements, which have been vocal and effective for decades. The 1975 Women’s Day Off, when 90 percent of Icelandic women went on strike to protest wage inequality, marked a turning point in the national conversation. Since then, political organizing, legal reforms and cultural advocacy have continued to push the country forward. Iceland has topped the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index for over a decade.

Still, Thorey is quick to acknowledge that no place is perfect. “We have our own challenges, and we’re not immune to global trends,” she says. “We’ve seen how easily progress can be stalled or reversed, even here. That’s why we need to keep the conversation alive and evolving.”

In a small city, navigating that backlash can feel both distant and personal. The startup community in Reykjavík is tight-knit. The whole ecosystem fits within a few cafés, a few coworking spaces. For Thorey, the city’s small size has been both a challenge and a superpower. “You can’t really hide here. Everyone knows everyone. But that also means you can make things happen. You just have to be persistent.”

She believes that Reykjavík can be a great place to start a business, if you know how to work within its limits. “It’s small, yes, but that’s also what makes it dynamic. You can test ideas fast. You can get feedback quickly. And there’s a strong culture of creativity here.”

Despite the international ambitions of Alda, the company’s heart remains in Reykjavík. Its office is just a short walk from downtown, nestled between local bakeries, bookstores and the bustle of a city that always feels on the edge of something new. “You have this mix here,” Thorey says. “A startup scene that’s still growing but also very connected, and nature is always just a few steps away.”

When she needs to clear her head, Theory likes to head to Nauthólsvík, Reykjavík’s lone city beach, for a freezing-cold swim. Or she climbs Esja, the city’s signature mountain. She also loves the Blue Lagoon. “I know it’s touristic, but it’s beautiful. Especially now with the lava fields all around.”

For newcomers in Reykjavík, her advice is simple: embrace the unexpected. She compares the city’s startup life with the Icelandic weather: “That’s the only thing you can expect here: that it won’t go as planned.” This mindset echoes how she sees entrepreneurship. “It’s not linear; it’s chaos. You find your way through it. And if you want to be a good entrepreneur, you have to be comfortable in uncertainty. That’s what I always tell new founders. Don’t wait. Don’t overthink. Just go for it.”

For Thorey, Reykjavík is more than just a base for her company. It has shaped how she sees the world and what kind of business she wants to build. “I feel really grateful,” she says. “In a moment when so much is uncertain, I get to work on something that matters. Something that can really change how people experience their everyday lives.”

What’s your favorite book?
Death of a Diplomat by Eliza Reed, the former first lady of Iceland. And Her Voice: Stories of Women of Foreign Origin in Iceland by Chanel Björk Sturludóttir.

What’s your favorite podcast?
The Rest is Politics US with Katty Kay and Anthony Scaramucci, and The Daily by the New York Times.

What’s your most used app?
I guess it is the Alarm (I have ADHD – my tribe knows why).

What coffee shop do you recommend?
Roasters at Kárastígur for coffee and Brauð & Co. for pastries, especially the cinnamon buns.

What’s your favorite place to hang out?
Nauthólsvík, the only beach in Reykjavík where you can swim in the Atlantic ocean.

One thing to be aware of?
The weather. Umbrellas are useless.

One thing to bring to Reykjavík?
All types of clothes. You will need layers!

What restaurant would you recommend?
Nordic cuisine and seafood at Brút. Hosiló is also a hidden gem.