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Every year, usually in winter, Estonian and international tech people gather in the city of Tartu for the sTARTUp Day conference to see which way the innovation winds are blowing. The event’s pitching competition acts as the best assessment of investor confidence and enthusiasm. This year, it was all about DeepTech. The sTARTUp Day 2026 pitching competition concluded with major investments for two Estonian startups addressing critical challenges in sustainability and healthcare: ImpactPCB and LifeGlue.
An EstBAN-led angel syndicate committed up to €150,000 split between both companies, while BSV added another €200,000 specifically for LifeGlue, bringing total commitments to €350,000.
- Estonian company ImpactPCB has developed a chemical-free approach to recovering valuable metals from electronic waste. Traditional e-waste recycling relies heavily on harsh chemicals to extract precious metals like gold, silver, and rare earth elements from circuit boards. ImpactPCB’s dry mechanical processing offers a cleaner alternative while recovering both precious and critical metals—materials increasingly essential for European manufacturing independence.
The company already generates revenue and has early customers, addressing what Martin Goroško from EstBAN called “a critical EU resource challenge.” The technology’s modular design allows it to scale as demand grows.
- Finnish startup LifeGlue has developed a hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel platform specifically designed for 3D bioprinting of human tissues. Their proprietary bioink—called Glue4Life—serves as a printable matrix that supports living cells during the printing process and maintains cell viability as tissues develop.
According to BSV General Partner Sandra Golbreich, the investment reflects both the strength of LifeGlue’s underlying science and its broad application potential across the life sciences sector. The company is also female-led, co-founded by Finnish researchers-turned-entrepreneurs Paula Puistola, Laura Kuittinen and Anni Mörö.
More exciting companies to watch for
Beyond the headline investments, Swedbank awarded €10,000 to BabAI Orbital for its satellite collision-avoidance AI, while multiple startups received legal support packages from Sorainen and TRINITI.
Values360Ventures provided Praktikal, an integrated STEM education platform, with a year-long mentorship package valued at €120,000.
Eager to see where the next unicorn is coming from? Book your tickets for sTARTUp Day 2027 and visit Tartu in January.
