Estonia continues demonstrating its digital advancements in the 2024 IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking, maintaining its position among the world’s top 25 most digitally competitive nations. The index, which evaluates 67 economies worldwide, sees Singapore claiming the top spot this year, followed by Switzerland and Denmark in the top three.
Despite facing increased global competition and economic headwinds, Estonia ranks 24th overall, proving the country’s sustained commitment to digital innovation and transformation. Even more impressive is that Estonia ranks 15th among smaller economies (less than 20M population).
The IMD ranking evaluates countries across three main factors: Knowledge, Technology, and Future Readiness.
When it comes to knowledge, Estonia particularly excels in Training and education, ranking 11th globally in this crucial sub-factor. No wonder—the country continuously ranks first in overall PISA scores in Europe and pays increased attention to all levels of education. According to the index, Estonia ranks 9th in total public expenditure on education and in the top dozen for pupil-teacher ratio at the tertiary level.
Some of Estonia’s other most impressive rankings include:
- Government cybersecurity capacity (1st globally)
- E-Government services (2nd globally)
- Wireless broadband connectivity (4th globally)
- PISA mathematics assessment (7th globally)
- Secure internet servers (8th globally)
Estonia is also actively improving its position regarding some of its weaker points. For example, regarding public-private partnerships, the government recently announced a €160M incentive for large-scale investments, with a focus on export-oriented projects that create high-paying jobs.
These numbers tell a straightforward story for investors watching the local tech and industrial scene. Estonia is actively delivering when it comes to a secure and progressive environment for doing business. With top-tier cybersecurity, widespread connectivity, the OECD’s best tax code, and a tech-savvy workforce, the country has built what modern businesses need to thrive.
Want to invest in the smartEST talent pool in Europe? Our quick and free e-Consulting service is here to help you.
