The Alga Heritage
Four generations of Icelandic innovation—from driftwood to digital
The Name
Alga—the Latin singular for algae, or 'þari' in Icelandic—is more than a company name. It's a family legacy spanning nearly a century. My great-grandfather, Gvendur, earned the nickname 'Þari' during seven extraordinary years in one of Iceland's most remote fjords, where he turned adversity into opportunity through ingenuity and determination.
Þaraláturfjörður—one of Iceland's most remote fjords in the Westfjords
Gvendur 'Þari' in June 1972
The remote fjord where Gvendur built his fence pole empire
The Vision (1939)
In 1939, while Iceland grappled with a devastating sheep epidemic that would claim 150,000 animals, Gvendur saw opportunity where others saw crisis. The government's response—building hundreds of kilometers of fence to contain disease spread—created unprecedented demand for fence poles. Meanwhile, Soviet timber operations along Siberia's Yenisei River were losing millions of logs that drifted through the Arctic Ocean to Iceland's shores.
He sold his house in Ísafjörður, packed his pregnant wife and infant daughter, and moved to a fjord where no one had lived before—or has lived since.
Seven Revolutionary Years
1939: The Move
Arrives in Þaraláturfjörður with family
1940: Innovation
First "fence pole farmer" to use a mechanical saw
1939-46: Self-Sufficiency
Family thrives through complete self-sufficiency farming with around 100 sheep
1946: The Return
Returns to Ísafjörður with wealth to buy the largest house and fishing boat
My grandfather Tryggvi 'Þari' aboard his vessel with driftwood fence poles
Þaraláturfjörður, 1950—after the family returned to Ísafjörður
Generations at Sea
The entrepreneurial spirit and connection to the sea passed through generations. My grandfather, Tryggvi 'Þari,' was born in Þaraláturfjörður during those seven years and inherited both the nickname and the boat. My father, Heimir 'Þari,' continued the tradition. I went to sea with both of them, learning the industry from the deck up—from fishing boats in Iceland to seafood markets in America.
Three generations of seafood expertise
Gvendur 'Þari' — the first fence pole farmer to use a mechanical saw
The Digital Generation
Today, ALGA Ventures continues this legacy of innovation. Where my great-grandfather saw opportunity in driftwood and disease, we see opportunity in data and digital transformation. We're bringing the same pioneering spirit that built fence poles from Siberian timber to building AI solutions for the global seafood industry.
Continue the Legacy
Ready to bring the same spirit of innovation to your seafood business?