sTARTUp Day was packed with inspiring talks and great company

The startup sector from Estonia and beyond gathered on January 24-26 in Tartu to exchange ideas, network, hangout and let’s be honest – party (just a little) – during sTARTUp Day 2024. Tehnopol Science and Business Park and Startup Incubator were also present and we are glad that there were so many inquiries about our various accelerator programs. 

As always, sTARTUp Day was packed with intreaguing and inspiring talks and presentations, and we of course tried to soak in as many good thoughts and vibes as possible. Here’s an overview of some of the ideas that stood out from different talks. 

⚡️Female founders should empower each other more and instead of saying that they are trying to do something, they should say that they are doing it! Stop trying and start doing.  
(Carmen Kivisild from Nora.AI and Mari-Ann Meigo Fonseca from Gelatex on empowering women in healthtech) 

⚡️Storytelling becomes crucial – If I won’t understand it, I won’t be able to see its potential and I won’t invest in it. Deeptech startups need to simplify their ideas, so that investors can get a clear understanding of what they are bringing to the table. 
(Linda Võeras from Karma Ventures and Alessandro Braglia from Seraphim Space Accelerator on raising money) 

⚡️We need to make cities great again for us and for other species. More emphasis should be place on small, multi-functional structures; we should fight against awful urban planning; we must cut back on using cars and promote public transport instead, or prioritize walking and cycling. Public spaces should be built for locals, not for commuters. 
(Photographer Tõnu Runnel on attractive cities) 

⚡️Three simple things to bear in mind, or the art of surviving: the urgency of now (there’s never a perfect time for anything; do something today that you have been postponing); the significance of who (people over fame, pivots and money); the necessity of pause (take a break before life breaks you). Live a life that is worth telling a story at the end. Thrive, not just survive. 
(Peep-Ain Saar from Arco Vara KVB on the art of surviving) 

⚡️Building a strategy is non-linear, you cannot copy-paste and hope it works in a different context. Every market and its needs are different, there’s no one solution for all.  
(Luiz Fittipaldi from Bolt on building a long-term strategy) 

⚡️Encouraging innovation and agile approach go hand-in-hand with taking risks. Would you like to have a team that delivers in a mediocre way? The startup sector is full of talent, but how do you onboard these people if your company is mediocre?  
(Kadri Tammai from Tehnopol on will corporates beat startups) 

⚡️Brand is a story and companies are telling it every day with their products, websites and clothes. Design always carries a message.  
(Andres Kuusik from the University of Tartu on corporate branding) 

⚡️Marketing goals should support the business goals (which should come from the founder or the management). The whole company must be working towards the same goals. Your task at the marketing team, is to choose those actions that have the biggest impact on your company’s goals.  
(Marelle Ellen from grit. podcast on growth strategies from top Estonian startups) 

⚡️There is no business on a dead planet – the startups, and actually all companies, need to think about their environmental impact today. 
(Ragmar Saksing from Tehnopol on ESG) 

In addition to collecting good ideas and experiencing the overall nice vibes of the conference, we are glad to congratulate some of the startups that we have worked with and that received funding or other kinds of bonuses at the sTARTUp Day Pitching: 

• Up to €125,000 investment from Baltic Sandbox Ventures: Wayren  
  Wayren is developing a connectivity agnostic communication platform for rapidly deploying mission-critical networks. Wayren is among the alumni of the Startup Incubator growth program. 
• €10,000 equity-free cash from Swedbank & legal support from TRINITI: GaltTec  
  GaltTec makes small and powerful electric power sources for portable devices using a proprietary fuel cell technology. It is the only Estonian startup that got accepted to the NATO DIANA Innovation Accelerator. 
• €1000 equity-free cash from Sparkup Tartu Science Park: Triumf Health. 
  Triumf Health develops a mobile game for children to improve their health. They are the member of the Tehnopol Healthtech Community.  

Thanks to all who visited our booth and let us lift them up (to check out the demo area)! And a huge thanks to the organizers for yet another successful event! 

Check out the official sTARTUp Day galleries in Flickr!