Deep tech is at the centre of a new initiative unveiled by Estonia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry, Erkki Keldo, marking a fresh chapter in the country’s innovation landscape. In cooperation with science parks and universities, the government is launching a €12.6 million programme to accelerate the development of deep‑tech companies.

At the opening of the “Thinking in Billions” conference in Tartu, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry, Erkki Keldo, stated that this investment will help new science-based companies overcome early growth challenges, the valley of death, enabling them to release innovative ideas – as have been achieved by Starship with their delivery robots, Skeleton Technologies with energy storage devices, and Milrem Robotics with unmanned vehicles.

“It is precisely the early stage where many good ideas get stuck. The network’s goal is to share these risks with entrepreneurs and scientists and help overcome the so-called valley of death – the moment where potential exists, but support and certainty are still missing.” 
Pirko Konsa, Sparkup Tartu Science Park board member

“While technological advancement enabled the start-up boom, the next wave of innovation, which will positively redefine the economy, is deep tech. If we want to lead this wave, we must support the bridge between ideas born in laboratories and everyday life – precisely what the DeepTech Start-up Network does,” noted Erkki Keldo.

DeepTech programme targets 37 new start‑ups and €38M in capital

“The network allows scientific ideas to be developed into functioning businesses. In the future, these could grow with both investor funding and support from the state’s applied research programmes, and, if necessary, test their products at applied research centres to reach industrial production,” said Keldo, adding: “These companies create high value-added jobs, attract foreign investment to Estonia, and support the development of a knowledge-based, export-oriented economy.”

The investment will establish a DeepTech Start-up Network that brings together the expertise of Sparkup Tartu Science Park, Tehnopol, the University of Tartu, TalTech, and the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

To achieve results, the network plans the following over the next four years: map 350 potential deep tech ideas; organise pre-incubation for 200 teams, of which 57 will proceed to the accelerator; provide over 10,000 hours of mentoring support for start-ups and launch 37 new operational deep tech companies capable of competing internationally.

The state will support the implementation with €12.6 million, and the network will also help companies attract around €38 million in capital, of which €29 million is expected to be private investment.

Science parks are strong partners 

“Estonian universities and research institutions conduct high-level, internationally visible research. Too often, however, the value created by science does not reach our daily lives, and new enterprises are not born. To change this, the entire ecosystem needs a push. The DeepTech Start-up Network addresses these bottlenecks. Tehnopol is pleased to be part of the consortium and to offer practical support to early-stage teams so that science-based solutions can develop into strong, export-capable, internationally competitive companies,” said Tehnopol board member Agnes Roos.

“These companies create high value-added jobs, attract foreign investment to Estonia, and support the development of a knowledge-based, export-oriented economy.” 
Erkki Keldo, Estonia’s Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry

“The reason why many innovative scientific discoveries do not become products that drive the economy and create jobs lies in the complexity and high risk of starting out,” said Sparkup Tartu Science Park board member Pirko Konsa. “It is precisely the early stage where many good ideas get stuck. The network’s goal is to share these risks with entrepreneurs and scientists and help overcome the so-called valley of death – the moment where potential exists, but support and certainty are still missing.”

GOOD TO KNOW

• According to Startup Estonia, there are 1,620 companies operating in Estonia’s start-up sector, including 216 deep tech start-ups.
• In 2025, deep tech start-ups paid €68 million in labour taxes to the state, 27% more than the previous year, demonstrating steady growth. By year-end, the number of employees in science-based companies had grown to 2,544.
• Deep tech companies attracted nearly €161 million in investment, which accounts for just over 52% of the total €309.9 million invested in the entire start-up sector.
• The largest employers were Milrem (342 people), Threod Systems (187 people), Starship Technologies (181 people), Cleveron (120 people), and Defsecintel Solutions (110 people).

Are you interested in trading with Estonia? Enterprise Estonia is providing sourcing services for foreign enterprises. Contact Estonian export advisors or use our free e-consulting service to start trade with Estonia.