VILNIUS - When Mantas Mikuckas recalled the intense pressure surrounding Accel Partners' 2013 investment into Vinted, he framed it as a baseline trial for an entire nation. Addressing a packed hall at the LOGIN innovation conference inside the Litexpo exhibition centre in Vilnius, Vinted’s co-founder noted that international
TALLINN — The Estonian startup ecosystem, which has seen an 83% drop in direct angel investments over the last few years, could follow Lithuania's lead in seeking a solution to get angels off the sidelines. Fomo.Observer caught up with Viktorija Trimbel, Managing Director of Lithuania's state-backed
TALLINN — The traditional startup accelerator model is facing an existential crossroad as rapid advancements in artificial intelligence dismantle technical barriers, allowing solo entrepreneurs to launch companies with little to no human assistance. At a Latitude59 panel discussion titled "If AI can build startups, how should we define the role
TALLINN - The Estonian startup sector, frequently lauded for its record-breaking concentration of unicorns per capita, is facing a critical bottleneck: a deficit in raw numbers of new, active builders. Sitting down on the sidelines of the Latitude59 conference in Tallinn, Tim Vaino, an early-stage investor with Practica Capital, discusses
TALLINN - Finnish Granarium won the largest award at Latitude59 pitching competition, with Backoffice and Dogbase winning other awards. Finland's Granarium, the maker of renewable supercapacitors for grid-scale power stabilisation, received a 200,000-euro investment offer from business angel networks. “A key structural shift is that storage is
TALLINN — Gabriel Ferraz grew up in Brazil, scaling a crypto payment gateway past $200 million in gross merchandise value (GMV). But when launching his next venture, he traded São Paulo for Tallinn, choosing to become a physical resident of Estonia rather than running a digital business from a distance. "
TALLINN — Speaking at Norrsken Evolveevent at Latitude59, Wise co-founder and tech veteran Taavet Hinrikus laid out the fundamental vision driving Kasvuhoone, an ambitious 15,000-square-meter technology hub currently under construction in Tallinn’s Krulli quarter. For Hinrikus, backing the project isn't just about real estate development — it is
TALLINN — The primary bottleneck to the next generation of tech innovation is no longer a lack of capital or ideas, but rigid, outdated regulatory frameworks and a public-sector risk aversion that stifles growth – this was the consensus among tech leaders and policymakers at the official pre-event of the Latitude59 tech
Estonia has ranked 12th in the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2026 by StartupBlink, with an 8.8% annual ecosystem growth rate, down one place from last year. On the list, headed by the United States and Britain, Estonia ranks close to the Netherlands at 10th and to France at 11th,
The Estonian fund market is moving towards a critical turning point. Smartcap has an important role in this development. It is difficult to summarise the six years I have spent in the Estonian fund market, both as a member of the Superangel investment team and as the chairwoman of EstVCA,
RIGA — Estonian deeptech companies secured victories at the Deep Tech Atelier 2026 pitching competition, capturing top category awards and prominent corporate prizes at the Baltic region's flagship deep-tech event. The conference, which concluded this week, drew more than 2,300 registered participants representing 69 countries. The annual gathering
TALLINN - Are you heading to Latitude59 next week? Even for the seasoned conference goer it can end up being a very hectic week. There’s so many events, so many people to meet and even the tempting agenda can take you away from your actual business agenda. To help
News
TALLINN - Congratulations to the seven finalists, representing four different countries, in Latitude59’s pitch competition. They beat out 465 applicants to reach the Bold stage next week, where they will pitch for a chance to secure angel and VC investment. With nearly €500,000 in this year’s prize
Dispatches
Why Apple & Wealthy Individuals Use Both Equity & Debt Striking the right balance between equity and debt can optimise your company’s balance sheet and fuel its growth. Every business requires equity, while debt is mostly optional. Borrowing money can complement equity and boost returns, without diluting ownership. The
fintech
RIGA - On Wednesday evening, at the Baltic Fintech Days event, the following teams won the annual awards: Company of the Year: Lightyear Growth Story of the Year: SME Bank Infrastructure of the Year: Inventi Innovator of the Year: Flagright Startup to Watch: Flagright Leader of the Year: Nauris Bloks
Angel investing
TALLINN – After three "normal" years of stabilised investment following the post-pandemic bubble, the Estonian tech sector is bracing for a potential €1 billion fundraising surge in 2026 — a figure heavily anchored by a single, massive round in the pipeline. The ambitious target comes at a pivotal moment for
EESTI
Aprilli alguses mõistsin, et EU Inc-i (varemalt 28. režiim) üle käib arutelu kahes täiesti erinevas tempos. Ühelt poolt ei saa iduettevõtluse ökosüsteem aru, miks sellega on nii kaua venitatud. Nende jaoks on teema juba ammu selge ning tundub arusaamatu, miks midagi, mis on paberil valmis, on nii keeruline päriselt ellu
In the world of renewable energy, we often talk about the “laws of physics” — how many electrons a solar panel can capture or how quickly a battery can discharge. But for Toomas Kärner, founder of MarkeDroid, the real battlefield isn’tphysics; it’s economics. As the world shifts toward a
Latitude59
The competition drew 465 startup applications from 53 countries across five continents. These were the 14 best teams that pitched at the semi-final event on Friday evening: Energy and Environment Granarium A spin-out from the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Granarium is tackling grid volatility caused by renewable energy.
Fomo Academy
Before you consider approaching the media about your startup ask yourself why you want to get media attention. Then ask yourself, why should anyone care about you? This might sound a little harsh, but until you are sure on these two points, you are only wasting your time. Next up,
biotech
Tambet Teesalu's office sits one floor above the Laboratory of Precision and Nanomedicine at the centre of the University of Tartu. From its windows on a chilly, milky grey April day, one can see the faded green grass of an adjacent park and the roof of a supermarket.
founders
TALLINN — More than 30 leaders of Estonia’s technology sector have issued a sharp ultimatum to the government, calling for an immediate halt to rushed legislative amendments of the forest and nature conservation laws. In an open letter, the founders and executives argue that the proposed changes lack sufficient impact
Fomo Academy
Elevate your on-stage pitching with a deck that supports your pitch, not confuses the audience. My goal is to minimise the ineffective dance between founders and investors. Let the capital flow! I'm an entrepreneur, designer, startup ecosystem builder and fundraising advisor. I have an extensive background in product
Dispatches
It’s a spring Tuesday morning in Tallinn. I’m sitting in the office of an Estonian VC firm, listening to their vision for Estonia and for Europe. The room is full of the essence of the Estonian startup ecosystem: ambitious, optimistic, driven, intellectually curious people building the next generation