Even among startups Estonia’s digital ecosystem continues to impress

Over the past three days, Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol hosted 20 startups around Europe to create another batch of ambassadors and potential foreign entrepreneurs to whom the Baltic and Nordic market entry point would be here.

Even though Tallinn is considered to be one of the smallest startup communities in Europe, the digital services provided to all citizens are main reasons why foreign co-founders would move their business to Estonia.

“The Estonian government is very much minded for digital life style by provided common online services, which makes the citizens of Estonia digital savvy community. This is an advantage as Estonia is an optimal test bed for any digital initiative,” said Yosi Glick, CEO of Jinni and a long-term entrepreneur from Israel.

International networks as entry-points

Various Estonian organisations belong to either some field-related clusters or are avidly widening their network through pan-European projects. Access2Europe which brings together four startup hubs from Barcelona, Berlin, Paris and Tallinn help to raise awareness and interest.

“Collaborating with the big three creates synergy among startup centres and offer the possibility to many startups to consider alternative locations. If in general London and Berlin are considered the best place for your business, then Tallinn should establish itself as the hot spot for Baltic, Nordic and Central European markets,” Triin Ilves, Community Manager of Tehnopol Startup Incubator noted.

Many startups noted that Estonia’s digital story is still relevant in many countries and it’s ofter brought out as a good example, especially on the governmental level. On a personal level, high living quality beats many metropolitans, even when local weather cannot deliver sunny, Barcelona-esque temperature.

“Cold winters make you focus more on work,” Alex Specchio, digital nomad from Italy who currently resides in Saint-Petersburg and co-founder of Kodi said. As an e-resident, he is also part of the 30+ thousand people who have now access to various e-services.

Together with what Estonia and Tallinn has to offer to these entrepreneurs, there is a good chance that their next business will be established in Estonia.

From 4-6 June, Tallinn Discovery tour gave European startups the opportunity to meet people from the government and ministries as well as from major banks. Visiting co-working spaces such as Lift99 and Tehnopol Startup Incubator as well as various startups (Jobbatical, Transferwise); e-Estonia Showroom, SEB Innovation Center was part of the H2020 programme Access2Europe.

Below are some pictures from the Discovery Tour: