Estonian Regional Leaders Inspired by Lithuania’s Thriving Startup Ecosystem
From 6–10 October 2025, Startup Estonia brought together nine regional startup ecosystem builders from Ida-Viru, Lääne-Viru, Pärnu, Võru, Tartu, and Tallinn for a study trip to Kaunas and Vilnius. The goal was to explore how Lithuania supports innovation and entrepreneurship outside its capital and to strengthen collaboration across Baltic startup communities.
Over the course of five days, participants met with Kaunas IN, Kaunas Tech Park, Junicorn, Rockit Vilnius, and Startup Lithuania, and took part in Startup Fair – the country’s biggest startup event. The trip provided deep insights into how Lithuanian cities and organizations create a connected and collaborative startup environment driven by shared vision and pride.
Learning from collaboration and courage
What stood out most was Lithuania’s systemic cooperation and unified approach to ecosystem development. In Kaunas, participants witnessed how the city has managed to “sell itself” not as a marketing effort, but as a consistent, collective commitment to making Kaunas an attractive place to live, work, and innovate.
“The way Kaunas talks about its development – proudly yet genuinely – is exactly the kind of energy I’d love to see more of in our regions,” shared Ingrid Änilane (kood/Võru).
Lisanna Elm (Kupland) noted that every organization in Kaunas spoke the same language: “Universities, businesses, and public institutions all work toward the same priorities. That sense of alignment is powerful.”
Eerik Hannus (Pärnu HUUB) added, “This trip came at the perfect time for us. It made it clear that our next step is to support startups more actively – and the Lithuanian examples gave us both structure and inspiration.”
Participants were especially impressed by Junicorn, a fund dedicated to investing in young founders, and by Rockit Vilnius, where public and private sectors jointly create a dynamic innovation environment that fosters long-term growth.
Mart Lättekivi (ex sTARTUp Day) summed it up: “Lithuania’s enthusiasm and strategic mindset were inspiring. Every meeting was meaningful, and we returned with valuable contacts and ideas for future collaboration.”
Why empowering regional ecosystem builders matters
Innovation thrives everywhere – not just in capital cities. Talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial drive are distributed across all regions, and empowering local ecosystem builders helps turn that potential into action. They are the connectors who link youth, universities, and entrepreneurs; the people who bring new formats to life and give small communities a voice in the larger innovation landscape.
Supporting regional startup ecosystems means building a stronger, more inclusive Estonia, where new ideas can emerge from anywhere and find their path to growth.
Shared purpose, shared impact
The study trip laid the foundation for future Estonia–Lithuania collaboration and inspired participants to launch new community-building initiatives at home – such as monthly “Founder Stories” meetups to share real experiences from local entrepreneurs.
Startup Estonia remains committed to supporting the growth of regional startup communities, helping local leaders learn from international best practices and ensuring that every corner of Estonia can be a place where good ideas grow, connections happen, and innovation feels possible.
