The Estonian Startup Awards will be announced this evening in Tallinn, with a record number of contenders and defence technology emerging as the sector to watch; Estonian World will broadcast the gala live from 7 PM.
Estonia’s leading startups will be unveiled on 22 January at the Nobel Hall of the Noblessner Foundry. This year’s awards mark 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 will be named across 11 categories, underscoring both the scale of the ecosystem and the priorities now shaping it.
Estonian World will broadcast the gala live from 7pm.
Defence startups move into the mainstream
Long associated with fintech success stories, Estonia’s startup landscape is undergoing a strategic recalibration. Russia’s war against Ukraine and rising international demand for advanced security solutions have accelerated the growth of defence-focused startups.
Just three years ago, Estonia had little more than a dozen defence startups. Today, there are at least 100, according to Ragnar Sass, investor and founder of the Tallinn-based startup hub Lift99. Data from Startup Estonia indicate that defence companies are now among the fastest-growing contributors to the sector.
The defence industry is also becoming a significant employer. By 2025, Milrem Robotics employed 342 people, followed by Threod Systems with 187 and Defsecintel Solutions with 110.
Investor sentiment has shifted just as markedly. “A few years ago, defence was a red flag for many institutional investors,” Sass said. “Today, what was once seen as a niche is an international trend.”
A Threod Systems drone, developed in Estonia. Photo by Threod Systems.
Reflecting this change, defence has been introduced this year as a dedicated category at the Estonian Startup Awards. In total, six special awards will be presented, recognising excellence in defence, healthtech, deep tech, fintech, software services and impact entrepreneurship.
The main awards remain Founder of the Year, Investor of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Revenue Hack of the Year and Giving Back Powerhouse of the Year.
The Estonian Startup Awards are jointly organised by Lift99, the Estonian Founders Society and Startup Estonia.
