Dohop is one of the companies in the portfolio of The New Business Venture Fund Kría, with the Fund first investing in the company in 2008. David Gunnarsson, CEO of Dohop, is an avid runner, enthusiastic home cook, and has been involved in innovation for decades. To get to know both him and Dohop a little better, we at The New Business Venture Fund Kría asked him a few fun questions.
Can you describe Dohop in one sentence – your elevator pitch?
"Dohop is all about making connecting flights simpler – for both airlines and passengers. We enable airlines to create connections with other airlines, help them sell those flights and support connecting passengers, while making it easier for travelers to book and take connecting flights. And when something goes wrong, we're there to help get them back on track."
How did the idea for Dohop come from, and how has it evolved?
"The original idea came about in 2004 when Frosti Sigurjónsson, one of the company's founders, had to travel regularly between Reykjavík and Nice, France. At the time, only connecting flights were available, and finding the best options was difficult, so the obvious solution was to build a website and start a company. Since then, we've evolved into working directly with airlines to help them sell connecting flights. We still offer flight search through dohop.is, and last year we launched a new website, WAYA.travel, which focuses primarily on connecting flights."
What were you doing before joining Dohop?
"I returned home from university in the United States in the spring of 2005 and joined Kaupthing. I was fortunate to be part of that incredible journey until it came to an end in the autumn of 2008, first in equity research, then proprietary trading, and finally investor relations. It was an amazing experience that shaped me and gave me friendships I still value today. I lost my job in November 2008 and joined Dohop in February 2009."
What is your educational background?
"Like a few others in my position, I'm technically a university dropout. I studied mathematics, computer science and economics, but my final thesis is still waiting to be written!"
When did you first get involved in innovation, and why?
"I came to innovation relatively late in life—in my twenties—when a friend and I started a company building websites and later content management systems for businesses and secondary schools. That was back in the summer of 2000, when that sort of thing was still considered pretty cool. We called the project Bláskjár (Blue Screen), inspired both by the infamous 'Blue Screen of Death' and by a book called Bláskjár that I had read as a young boy."
Which past experience has been most valuable in your current role?
"I carry every experience with me. I was President of the Student Council at the University of Iceland, which taught me how to give speeches and write effectively. I also experienced the rollercoaster of Kaupthing, which gave me invaluable insight into the financial world—knowledge that's extremely useful when talking to investors. And then there are, of course, all the mistakes. The best way to learn how to make good decisions is to make plenty of bad ones first."
If you weren't the CEO of Dohop, what would you like to be doing?
"I'd probably be running another company—perhaps even going back to a true startup. I could also imagine working as a chef or somehow making running and strength training my profession, although the latter is probably unrealistic given my limited natural athletic ability."
What are your hobbies?
"I love cooking, and I use it as a form of meditation—although I don't do it as often these days, perhaps once or twice a month. I've always enjoyed exercise, but about a year ago I discovered running and completely fell in love with it. I've already completed two half-marathons this year, along with several shorter races. I'm still a slow runner, but that'll improve with time! I also love reading and learning. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, revisit old favourites, and always mix in new ones."
What's the most enjoyable thing you do?
"Right now, it's definitely running. But I tend to become obsessed with whatever interests me at the time, so that changes every now and then."
And the most boring or frustrating?
"I'm not naturally detail-oriented, so having to focus on small details is probably the part I enjoy the least."
Do you have a motto?
"Never give up. I think about that often because running a company always means facing some kind of headwind, and I always believe things can move faster and work out better. That said, there are occasions when giving up is actually the right decision—but then it's not really giving up because you've failed, it's simply the best decision in the circumstances."
Can you share a fun fact about yourself—something most people don't know?
"I sang in a boys' choir for almost ten years and studied classical guitar for twelve years. The choir is probably the one that surprises people the most. I have a small circle of close friends, and I'm also the father of four children—which catches some people off guard as well!"
If you could say something to your younger self, what would it be?
"Everything will work out in the end. Don't worry so much, and don't be quite so impatient—but just a little impatience is okay."
