The Estonian Startup Awards were announced on 22 January in Tallinn, with a record number of contenders and defence technology emerging as the sector to watch.
Estonia’s leading startups were unveiled on 22 January at the Nobel Hall of the Noblessner Foundry. This year’s awards marked a pivotal moment for the country’s startup ecosystem: a record 506 companies were nominated for Estonia’s Best Startup, with 109 progressing to the final round.
Winners were named across 11 categories, underscoring both the scale of the ecosystem and the priorities shaping it.
Community of “resilient builders”
Organisers and ecosystem leaders stressed that the past year had tested founders, but also sharpened priorities. Elise Sass, co-founder of Lift99, described Estonia’s startup scene as a community of “resilient builders” who continue to create and adapt amid more challenging market conditions. Established names such as Starship Technologies appeared alongside newer teams, illustrating what Sass called a shared mindset across generations of founders: the ability to create, adapt and reinvent.
According to Startup Estonia, nearly 1,600 startups are now operating in the country, with this year’s awards highlighting a strong tilt towards science-based and technology-intensive ventures. Vaido Mikheim, CEO of Startup Estonia, said the prominence of such companies reflected Estonia’s long-standing strengths in technology development, while also underlining the difficulty – and significance – of standing out in an increasingly competitive global market.
Defence technology
Defence technology emerged as one of the most striking themes of the evening. KrattWorks was named DefenceTech of the Year, recognised for rapidly scaling drone production, expanding into new European markets and establishing operations in Kyiv, Tartu and Tallinn. The award echoed a broader shift within Estonia’s startup landscape, where security, resilience and dual-use technologies are moving firmly into the mainstream.
Several awards underscored the international reach of Estonian companies. Veriff featured prominently, with its founder Kaarel Kotkas named Founder of the Year and the company also recognised in both fintech and revenue growth categories. Other winners reflected Estonia’s growing footprint in energy technology, AI-driven enterprise software and health innovation, including Gridraven in energy systems, Pactum AI in SaaS, Skeleton Technologies in deep tech and Muun Health in femtech.
Impact-driven entrepreneurship
The awards also highlighted impact-driven entrepreneurship. Alpa Kids was named Impact Visionary of the Year for its language-learning platforms for children, while the DefenceTech Meetup received recognition for building a thriving community around Estonia’s fast-growing defence startup sector.
Taken together, this year’s Estonian Startup Awards painted a picture of an ecosystem that has moved beyond early-stage exuberance into a more grounded phase – one focused on scale, substance and global relevance. In a tougher economic climate, Estonia’s startups appear less concerned with hype and more intent on building technologies that endure.
The Estonian Startup Awards are jointly organised by Lift99, the Estonian Founders Society and Startup Estonia.
