Event Recap: Tervisekogukonna Kärajad 2025

On September 12, the Health Founders Estonia team participated in the annual Tervisekogukonna Kärajad 2025, organized by Tehnopol and Enterprise Estonia. 

We participated in two panel discussions about the future of health technology in Estonia, which centered on a single key theme: collaboration among scientists, entrepreneurs, and the broader ecosystem is essential for growth. Both panels reached the same conclusion: Estonia has the talent, ambition, and environment to create world-class health technology, but its success relies on integrating research, entrepreneurs, partners, and healthcare into a unified ecosystem. 

Panel Discussion: How Can Research and Industry Jointly Drive Healthtech Growth? 

During the first panel discussion, Tõnu Esko from the University of Tartu, Indrek Tulp from AS Metrosert, Jana Holmar from TalTech, and Jekaterina Kazantseva from TFTAK discussed ways to bridge the gap between science and society. The panel was moderated by Martin Gorosko from Tehnopol.

Key takeaways:

  • Doctoral training programs, such as Tartu University’s Winter School, help young researchers view entrepreneurship as a viable career path.
  • Health and medical sciences often produce research with strong application potential, from diagnostics to data-driven solutions.
  • The mission is not just to publish, but to shape how scientists see the impact of their work on society.
  • Bringing together science, acceleration, and business development is the way to unlock the full potential of our innovation ecosystem.

Panel Discussion: How Co-Creation Across the Ecosystem Can Accelerate Innovation?

At the second panel discussion, Siim Saare from Health Founders Estonia, Sven Parkel from Tartu Biotechnology Park, and Helen Staak from Tehnopol, led by moderator Kristiina Sepp from Enterprise Estonia, discussed how co-creation across the ecosystem can speed up innovation and took a look at the current state and future of Estonia’s healthtech ecosystem.

Key takeaways:

  • A new generation of founders is emerging, with a record level of interest in Health Founders Estonia accelerators.
  • Estonia must dare to take a leadership role and build its own model – learning from the best, but carving its own path.
  • Global ambitions are natural, but local reference clients are critical for building credibility before scaling abroad.
  • Aligning the entire ecosystem around the innovation journey will ensure that validated solutions reach not only international markets but also improve Estonia’s own healthcare system.

 

The HFE program is funded by the EU through Enterprise Estonia, in collaboration with Startup Estonia, to build a strong, globally competitive health tech ecosystem in Estonia.