Health Founders Estonia Launches a New Development Model for the HealthTech Ecosystem
On March 19, Health Founders Estonia hosted its official launch event, introducing a new operational model for the national HealthTech ecosystem, alongside upcoming development programs and community activities. The event focused on the future of Estonia’s HealthTech sector and the key challenges that must be addressed for sustainable growth.
A Foundation Built on Collaboration
Erki Mölder, Chair of the HFE Advisory Board, opened the event by outlining four core principles that guide Health Founders Estonia’s approach:
- Technology development must go hand-in-hand with business strategy and real market potential
- Co-creation is essential – all players in the ecosystem must work together to drive progress
- Startups need stage-specific, structured, and combined support
- Open information sharing and peer-to-peer learning are critical for accelerating innovation
The Future of Estonia’s HealthTech Sector – Four Key Challenges
Sandra Särav-Tammus, Deputy Secretary General for Economy and Innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, emphasized that Estonia could have the highest number of HealthTech unicorns per capita by 2035. To achieve this, she outlined four pressing challenges:
- Workforce shortage – Half of Estonia’s healthcare professionals are expected to retire in the next decade; the inflow of new talent is too slow
- Community cohesion – The HealthTech community needs stronger collaboration and a shared vision
- Access to capital – Estonia must attract investment and focus on exportable technologies and services
- Regulatory barriers – The state must act as a partner, helping companies overcome regulatory roadblocks and not get stuck behind them
Designing the Future, Not Reacting to the Past
Tõnu Esko, Vice Rector for Development at the University of Tartu, pointed to Estonia’s global edge: highly integrated data, systems, and services. He highlighted that while others are catching up with yesterday, Estonia is already building tomorrow. For the ecosystem to thrive, players must understand its full complexity and co-design solutions that have international growth potential.
Connecting Startups to Growth Opportunities
Eve Peeterson, Head of Innovation and Startup Services at the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency, explained that Startup Estonia focuses on building bridges—connecting startups with talent, capital, networks, and knowledge to grow within a thriving ecosystem.
Panel Discussion: The Future of Estonian HealthTech
In the panel “The Future of Estonian HealthTech,” experts from across the ecosystem shared insights on current bottlenecks and opportunities. The panel included:
- Erki Mölder, Health Founders Estonia
- Kristiina Sepp, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS)
- Dr. Katrin Kaarna, University of Tartu, Institute of Clinical Medicine
- Ergo Sooru, Co-founder and CEO, DrHouse
They emphasized the following:
- Research and business need stronger alignment – Science should be tied to real-world applications
- Bureaucracy slows down innovation – Regulation must support, not hinder, technological progress
- Startups need structured support – Including access to funding and clear paths to clinical validation
- Academic mindset needs to shift – Entrepreneurship is a valid and valuable path for scientists, not a sign of failure
The panel also called for greater public sector expertise and closer cooperation between academia and private companies.
Health Founders Estonia Calls for Bold Innovators
Health Founders Estonia encourages researchers, startups, and entrepreneurs to bring forward bold, ambitious ideas. Their aim is to co-create the future of HealthTech in Estonia.
- The team is looking for visionary concepts and early-stage companies ready to grow
- Their vision is to make Estonia the most valued early-stage HealthTech growth environment in Europe
Upcoming Events
- March 26 – Innovation and Idea Collection Day at Tartu University Hospital
- April 7–8 – Doctoral Spring School
- May 16–17 – HFE Startup Bootcamp
- Latitude59 – HealthTech Day and Investor Bootcamp
National Collaboration with a Global Mission
The program is initiated by Startup Estonia and funded by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS).
EIS and Startup Estonia aim to create a value-based operating model that, through Health Founders Estonia, connects everyone involved in the HealthTech field—from patients and hospitals to biomedical technology entrepreneurs.
This interdisciplinary, nationwide collaboration helps ensure the development of innovative, personalized health solutions, the emergence of success stories, and an increase in the number of healthy life years for people in Estonia.
With world-class medical science and a thriving startup ecosystem, Estonia has the potential to become a global HealthTech leader.
