Startup Spotlight: Alda CEO on improving DEI with sustainability and scalability

Founded in 2022 as Alda, the Reykjavik-based startup aims to bring sustainability, scalability and a sense of fun to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for employers.

It counts Aker Solutions (Norway), Icelandair (Iceland) and Avalanche Studios (Sweden) among its clients, and has raised total funding to date of €2.9 million from investors Frumtak Ventures and Tennin.

John Brazier: What is Alda’s USP? What makes your proposition special?

Thorey V. Proppe: We are an all-in-one DEI solution, where we provide a long-term, sustainable journey for DEI with assessments, goals and KPIs. We have everything in one place, while a lot of the other DEI solutions are fragmented.

Because it's fully digitalized, it's really scalable. Our solution is scalable across countries and continents. It's great for global enterprises and that's something that is really unique.

Each organization gets a tailored action plan based on their assessment and goals, with a micro-learning journey tailored towards each company. We already have 60 micro-learning courses in our gallery; we produce them really fast and we're getting great responses from customers.

Along with all of this we are also building an inclusion benchmarking database, where each organization gets their inclusion score from the Alda platform, and then they can benchmark towards the Alda Inclusion Index. We have launched the first version of our benchmarking database, so that's very exciting.

One thing that is very important when it comes to DEI is to focus on inclusion. There are lot of organizations out there who have been focusing on diversity, but of course diversity does not thrive without inclusion.One thing that is very important when it comes to DEI is to focus on inclusion. There are lot of organizations out there who have been focusing on diversity, but of course diversity does not thrive without inclusion.

JB: How is Alda trying to change the world?

TP: In so many ways! But to put it in clear terms: we are providing organizations with a tool that can drive meaningful DEI projects in a sustainable way - while making the DEI journey fun and more engaging, something that people actually look forward to.

When we first started producing our micro-learning courses, our goal was simple: to create something that employees would genuinely enjoy and where they can’t wait to try the next course.

We are especially focusing on engaging majority groups within the organizations, helping them see the value in these initiatives. We believe that driving real change requires making the process interesting and relevant for everyone involved.

This also needs to be a long-term commitment, so it becomes a part of the company’s DNA and woven into its culture and everyday operations.

JB: What is your key message to HR leaders?

TP: In the global climate we are experiencing today, it’s crucial to incorporate data into DEI projects.

It’s very difficult to drive a DEI journey without proper assessments or tools or a way to build them. Data can act as a powerful empathy driver or booster when it helps us understand the different experiences of different people, especially since we only know our own experiences.

For the more privileged groups in the workplace, seeing the vastly different experiences of other groups often inspires them to actively support and drive change in the workplace.

Data is so important, but so is sustainability. If you look at ESG and sustainability in general, the S (social) component is coming in strong. Organizations are realizing that they really need to nurture the social part, alongside the environmental and governance part, to achieve their goals. DEI is a critical element to this.Data is so important, but so is sustainability. If you look at ESG and sustainability in general, the S (social) component is coming in strong. Organizations are realizing that they really need to nurture the social part, alongside the environmental and governance part, to achieve their goals. DEI is a critical element to this.

JB:What are the next strategic goals for Alda?

TP: We have big plans for the future! Further expansion, of course, in the global market and getting more enterprises on board the Alda journey, we are especially looking at the US market.

There are so many things we want to do to enhance the gamification in our micro-learning. That's something we're really keen on doing, because we see that it's also something that people relate to and really want to do.

Additionally, we’re working on very exciting AI implementations to take our customers through a complete, seamless journey where they know exactly what is going to happen in the coming months. We are training the AI model to do tailored action plans, give recommendations, and more.

JB: What one trend will be top of mind for HR leaders in the next 12 months?

TP: A focus on inclusion. While DEI discussions, particularly in the United States, have often focused heavily on diversity, leaders are now realizing the critical need to emphasize on inclusion as well.

Leaders are beginning to recognize the issues that arise when the focus is solely on diversity, without giving enough attention to the inclusion part.

UNLEASH Startup | Spotlight is a monthly Editorial interview series where we speak to and profile the best and brightest technology startups the HR world has to offer. Want to feature in the series? Get in touch with john@unleash.ai to find out more.