focus areas

in short

Startup Estonia is a governmental initiative, we work closely with Estonian ministries and stakeholders to connect different sectors with the startup community.

Together, we have pinpointed five focus areas to support systematically: Startup Environment, DeepTech, Global Talent, Regional Development, and New Nordic DeepTech Valley – areas that have the most impact on the world of tomorrow.

5 focus areas to discover

Startup Environment

We shape a dynamic startup environment through advocacy, insight-sharing, community engagement, flagship events and piloting new services.

DeepTech

Starting 2022, Startup Estonia has focused heavily on providing activities and programs to Estonian DeepTech startups to create a diverse, resilient, and vibrant community that will eventually shape the future.

Global Talent

Since 2017, we have streamlined the entry for global talent and entrepreneurs into the country through our Startup Visa programs.

Regional Development

From 2018 onward, we have empowered local change-makers through boots-on-the-ground community building, engagement, tools, and access to programs and services.

Nordic Valley

The Nordic Valley is making Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania a thriving innovation hub and a unified ecosystem for deep tech startups. We connect startups, investors, and policymakers to create the confidence to start, the tools to grow, and the framework to scale globally. Together, we’re putting the Nordics on the map as pioneers in deep tech innovation.

previous focus areas

The goal of CyberTech, which was opened in 2017, was to strengthen the local CyberTech startup ecosystem, grow the number of new CyberTech startups, and support the development of existing startups in the sector.

Cybersecurity has been among Estonian national priority areas; therefore, enhancing our CyberTech startups’ growth has been essential. CyberTech startups develop technologies, processes, and practices that are designed to protect networks, computers, programs, and data from attack, damage, or unauthorized access.

See the CyberTech program summary (in Estonian) in the Strategic Documents section.

Starting in 2019, Startup Estonia placed more focus on education. It was important to offer opportunities to engage in innovation already in general education in order to promote the mindset of start-up entrepreneurship, which is why the focus of educational technology was initiated. The main objective was to create a program that supports the emergence of new EdTech companies and thereby creates access to education for every learner.

See the EdTech program summary in the Strategic Documents section.

From 2022, EdTech Estonia will be responsible for the development of the education ecosystem.