---
title: "Five reasons why Estonia is a successful start-up nation"
id: "142"
type: "post"
slug: "5-reasons-why-estonia-is-a-successful-start-up-nation"
published_at: "2012-07-06T00:48:08+00:00"
modified_at: "2023-04-27T10:52:06+00:00"
url: "https://estonianworld.com/business/5-reasons-why-estonia-is-a-successful-start-up-nation/"
markdown_url: "https://estonianworld.com/business/5-reasons-why-estonia-is-a-successful-start-up-nation.md"
excerpt: "Estonia is the 151st -smallest country in the world by population, yet it produces more startups per head of population than any other country in […]"
taxonomy_category:
  - "Business"
taxonomy_post_tag:
  - "e-government"
  - "e-voting"
  - "estonia"
  - "Skype"
taxonomy_post_format:
  - ""
publisher: "Estonian World"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Silver Tambur"
author_url: "https://estonianworld.com/author/silver/"
---

# Five reasons why Estonia is a successful start-up nation

![Image](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/untitled.png)

Tallinn skyline. Photo by Visit Estonia.

By  [Silver Tambur](https://estonianworld.com/author/silver/)
  ·  July 6, 2012  · [Business](https://estonianworld.com/category/business/)
 · 1 minute of reading

### Estonia is the 151st -smallest country in the world by population, yet it produces more startups per head of population than any other country in Europe.

1. Skype was programmed by Estonian tech wizards. The internet-telephony company (now part of Microsoft) runs on software written by four Estonians and has its headquarters in the capital, Tallinn. Skype founders “look like rock stars” to Estonians and inspire imitation.
2. Estonia’s leadership has been consistent and eager to embrace new solutions and technology since regaining the independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. It now has one of the world’s most advanced e-governments. Estonia held world’s first local and parliamentary e-voting, in 2005 and 2007 respectively.
3. Estonia has a simple and straightforward tax system, with flat rate of tax paid regardless of one’s income.
4. Estonians learned a can-do attitude during harsh Soviet times and became eager to create prosperity, once the Iron Curtain fell.
5. Estonia is too small to succeed internally, forcing aspiring entrepreneurs to treat the entire world as their oyster. They know too well the famous quote from writer Ernest Hemingway:” In every port in the world, at least one Estonian can be found.”

## About The Author

![Avatar photo](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/local-avatars/2/1572652467-bpfull-100x100.jpg)

[Silver Tambur](https://estonianworld.com/author/silver/)
Silver Tambur, co-founder and publisher of *Estonian World*, studied journalism at the University of Tartu and politics at Birkbeck, University of London. He has edited Estonian Public Broadcasting’s English news and contributed to *Business Sense*, *Deutsche Welle*, and *Radio New Zealand*. He is currently editor-in-chief of *Trialoog*, TalTech’s business and research portal. You can also follow him on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/SilverTambur)
 and like [his page on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/silvertamburpage/)
. You can write to Silver at [silver@estonianworld.com](mailto:silver@estonianworld.com)
.