---
title: "Estonia launches €12.6m deep tech programme with universities and science parks"
id: "85039"
type: "post"
slug: "estonia-launches-e12-6m-deep-tech-programme-with-universities-and-science-parks"
published_at: "2026-02-02T15:39:13+00:00"
modified_at: "2026-02-02T15:39:14+00:00"
url: "https://estonianworld.com/business/estonia-launches-e12-6m-deep-tech-programme-with-universities-and-science-parks/"
markdown_url: "https://estonianworld.com/business/estonia-launches-e12-6m-deep-tech-programme-with-universities-and-science-parks.md"
excerpt: "Estonia is launching a €12.6 million programme to accelerate the development of deep-tech companies in partnership with science parks and universities; the aim is to […]"
taxonomy_category:
  - "Business"
publisher: "Estonian World"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Sten Hankewitz"
author_url: "https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/"
---

# Estonia launches €12.6m deep tech programme with universities and science parks

![At Startup Day in Tartu, Estonia’s economic affairs minister Erkki Keldo (fourth from the left) unveiled a new chapter in national innovation: a €12.6 million programme, launched with science parks and universities, to accelerate the growth of deep-tech companies. Photo: Startup Day.](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/55065412399_c5cf45913a_k-1024x576.jpg)

At Startup Day in Tartu, Estonia’s economic affairs minister Erkki Keldo (fourth from the left) unveiled a new chapter in national innovation: a €12.6 million programme, launched with science parks and universities, to accelerate the growth of deep-tech companies. Photo: Startup Day.

By  [Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
  ·  February 2, 2026  · [Business](https://estonianworld.com/category/business/)
 · 1 minute of reading

### Estonia is launching a €12.6 million programme to accelerate the development of deep-tech companies in partnership with science parks and universities; the aim is to build 37 competitive companies over the next four years.

The investment will establish a DeepTech Startup Network, bringing together the expertise of Sparkup Tartu Science Park, Tehnopol, the University of Tartu, TalTech and the Estonian University of Life Sciences.

To deliver results, the network plans to identify 350 potential deep-tech ideas, organise pre-incubation for 200 teams (with 57 progressing to an accelerator), provide more than 10,000 hours of mentoring, and launch 37 new, operational deep-tech companies.

The state will support the programme with €12.6 million, while the network will also help companies attract around €38 million in capital, including an estimated €29 million in private investment.

According to Startup Estonia, 1,620 companies operate 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 – indicating steady growth.

Deep-tech companies attracted nearly €161 million in investment, accounting for just over 52% of the €309.9 million invested across the entire start-up sector.

## About The Author

![Avatar photo](https://estonianworld.com/wp-content/uploads/local-avatars/15/1707599474-bpfull-100x100.jpg)

[Sten Hankewitz](https://estonianworld.com/author/stenhankewitz/)
Sten Hankewitz is a lifelong journalist and the Executive Editor at Estonian World. Having lived in Estonia, Spain, the UK and all around the US, he now resides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He loves to write and besides working at Estonian World, he [writes books](https://estonianworld.com/culture/the-grand-illusion-estonian-worlds-sten-hankewitz-publishes-a-novel-about-growing-up-in-the-soviet-union/)
 and contributes to other outlets. He has strong convictions and shows them unashamedly. You can follow Sten on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@stenhankewitz)
, [X](https://twitter.com/stenhankewitz)
 and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/shankewitz/)
. You can also [email him](mailto:sten@estonianworld.com)
.