Business opportunities in Estonia

Estonia is a cashless society with over 99% of financial transactions occurring digitally. Electronic ID and Blockchain are widely used in FinTech applications. 80+ FinTechs ranging from innovative startups such as Wise to Blockchain leader Guardtime make Estonia a global centre of excellence for FinTech.

Estonia is the world’s most digitally enabled nation, offering a unique combination of talent, environment, and innovation. Our IT R&D ecosystem enjoys global proof of concept, being trusted by global organisations such as Kuehne+Nagel and NATO and producing unicorn startups like Wise and Bolt.

Estonia has a sizeable food industry which benefits from ecological raw materials, skilled workers and modern production facilities. With an established export capability and growing application of food science and technology, Estonia is the ideal location for export and R&D oriented investment.

Estonia is not only a pioneering digital society, which has found convincing answers to the challenges of digitalization, but it also is a very green country. There is a strong societal and political will to utilize the capabilities and ecosystems. These have been developed to tackle the challenges of decarbonization of the economy and to become once again a leading player – in CleanTech and GreenTech.

The most advanced cyber security country in Europe, Estonia has unique expertise in the research, development and management of cyber security solutions and systems. Home to NATO CCDCOE, Guardtime and Malwarebytes, Estonia is trusted to keep the digital economy safe.

Defence systems have always been a focal point for Estonia. The country has built very capable defence army consisting of a professional army, reserve forces, and national defence league, complimented by NATO allied forces. Over the years technology entrepreneurs and engineers have teamed up with the army to develop world-class solutions for the global defence industry. When we mean defence, we mean business.

Estonia is an emerging hub for global e-commerce activity. World-class IT skills have created numerous e-commerce applications and are supported by leadership positions in enablers such as online trust, payments and digital logistics.

Metaverse is the parallel universe or a unified universal virtual world, facilitated by the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets. In addition to the fact that existing products and services can be transferred to the Metaverse, it achieves a completely new economic environment and opportunities to create and market products and services that are unique to the Metaverse. Simply said, Metaverse has no limits in Estonia.

With over 90 captive, BPO and ITO centres, Estonia is an established location for finance, IT and customer services and has a growing expertise in supply chain, HR and process automation.

Estonia developed X-Road, its proprietary decentralised, distributed system in 2001 and has utilised Blockchain since 2008. World-class technical skills supported by practical experience implementing public and permissioned Blockchain’s place Estonia at the forefront of the emerging Blockchain economy.

Patient records in Estonia are digitised and secured by the Blockchain, providing a single immutable data source for healthcare professionals. With a unique digital platform and collaborative ecosystem, Estonia is positioned to lead on preventative medicine, patient self-treatment and industry efficiency.

With a highly-qualified workforce and strengths in engineering, electronics and IT, Estonia is at the cutting edge of R&D, production and service for mechatronic solutions with embedded software.

Estonia is the most effective supply chain hub for the Nordic and Baltic regions thanks to its strategic location, modern infrastructure, multi-modal capabilities and reliable but flexible approach.

Estonia has a diversified energy sector which comprises long-standing expertise in oil shale, a sizeable renewables sector and growing CleanTech capability. World-class expertise within a highly digital, pro-business environment will see Estonia play a leading role in the energy revolution

Estonia has a collaborative ecosystem for Industrial R&D including academia, accelerators and competence centres. Supported by world-class expertise and a highly competitive, digital environment, Estonia is the ideal location for Industrial product and technology R&D.

Estonia has one of Europe’s largest bioeconomies, including world leading expertise in forest-based activity. Supported by high-quality natural resources, ultra-high use of IT and supportive policy making, Estonia offers a range of production and innovation opportunities.

Estonia has a niche capability in the design and engineering of hardware and software solutions for intelligent transportation, urban planning, tourism and smart homes. Advanced digital infrastructure, skills and consumer adoption provide the ideal R&D testbed.

Estonia’s marine sector specialises in the design and build of small and medium-sized commercial and leisure vessels. Centuries long expertise, cutting-edge application of IT and a flexible approach make Estonia a competitive location for innovation and export-oriented production.

Estonia has an export-oriented Chemicals sector benefitting from a full value chain and world-class skills in oil shale, rare earth metals and petrochemicals. Our pro-business environment is competitive and trustworthy, with digitalisation applied to deliver new capabilities.

Estonia has a full value chain for R&D, prototyping, and production of precision components and complex systems, and is trusted by ABB, Ericsson and the European Space Agency.

Estonia has a two-decade track record of successful innovations and investments thanks to its smart people and a unique environment which enables the accelerated development and commercialisation of IP.