Startup Estonia Expands Estonian DeepTech Accelerator to Sweden
Press Release
1 April 2025
In cooperation with the University of Tartu, Startup Estonia has expanded the international accelerator programme Creative Destruction Lab Estonia to Sweden, providing DeepTech startups with access to world-class mentors and international capital.
According to Kati Pärn, Head of Nordic Partnerships at Startup Estonia, the accelerator’s expansion is part of the New Nordic Deep Tech Valley initiative and aims to strengthen innovation across the Nordic region.
“The Creative Destruction Lab accelerator is specifically designed for science- and technology-based startups. This aligns closely with the objectives of the New Nordic Deep Tech Valley initiative, which seeks to build Europe’s most successful DeepTech startup region together with neighboring countries, creating innovation and exporting it to the rest of the world,” said Pärn.
The expansion into Sweden is expected to strengthen both the startup ecosystems of Estonia and Sweden, as well as collaboration between universities in the two countries. It also represents an important step in enhancing the quality of the programme and the expertise available to participating startups.
Mart Maasik, Managing Director of UniTartu Ventures, the University of Tartu’s startup development unit, emphasized the importance of strong relationships between Nordic university innovation units and investment organizations.
“Combining the experience and capital of both the private and public sectors creates the best possible environment for early-stage, knowledge-intensive companies to realize the economic impact of highly ambitious ventures. In this respect, Sweden serves as one of Europe’s leading examples alongside the United Kingdom and Switzerland,” said Maasik.
As part of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) mentorship programme, an intensive mentoring session took place at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm at the end of March. The event brought together ten startups operating in the fields of health technologies and digital society solutions.
The goal of the mentoring day was to identify critical milestones and development objectives that would help DeepTech startups scale faster and strengthen their international competitiveness.
The mentors included both Estonian and international experts, researchers, and investors from the United States, Canada, and Sweden. Estonian mentors included:
- Professor Gert Jervan (TalTech)
- Tõnu Esko, Vice Rector for Development, University of Tartu
- Helery Pops, international investor
- Luukas Kristjan Ilves, adviser to Ukraine’s Minister of Digital Transformation
- Marek Kiisa, Partner at NordicNinja VC
- Rainer Sternfeld, Partner at NordicNinja VC
- Mart Maasik, Partner at Nordic Science Investments
Following the mentoring event, participating startups will continue receiving individual guidance and support from mentors.
“The first mentoring day in Sweden was highly successful, and I hope the collaboration between Estonian and Swedish universities will help create a new DeepTech growth hub in our region. Hopefully, the connections formed in Stockholm will also lead to broader cross-border cooperation, enabling the programme established in Estonia to find new partners and supporters in Sweden,” said Pärn.
She added that Startup Estonia hopes to establish a future CDL Nordics programme that would bring together the best experts, international investors, and innovation-driven founders from across the New Nordic region. In addition to DeepTech, the programme would place a strong focus on defense technologies and dual-use technologies that can serve both civilian and defense-related purposes.
Originally founded at the University of Toronto, the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nine-month mentorship programme for early-stage science- and technology-based startups. The programme provides participants with access to world-class expertise, global networks, and international investment opportunities.
In Estonia, CDL partners include the University of Tartu, Vabamu, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, and entrepreneurs and investors Taavet Hinrikus and Sten Tamkivi.
The mentoring event in Sweden was hosted by Startup Estonia, the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS), and the KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Startup Estonia is a national programme for developing Estonia’s startup ecosystem, supporting the creation of new startups and helping them grow into international success stories. The programme is implemented by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) and funded by the European Union.
Media Contact
Marina Bachmann
Communications Partner
Startup Estonia
+372 5645 6600
://www.startupestonia.ee/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>www.startupestonia.ee
