- Estonia is recognized as one of the world’s pioneers in digitalization. <\/li>
- The country rebuilt its state apparatus from scratch since the 1991 independence, leveraging technology. <\/li>
- Therefore, the Baltic Republic became a fertile ground for innovation. <\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Estonia has made a reputation for itself thanks to its level of digitalization. Estonians can access nearly all public services online. Not ironically, the only reasons to physically show up at a public office are to get married or divorce. Every Estonian citizen gets a digital identity right after birth and a chance to e-vote for the elections \u2013 51 percent of voters opted for digital voting at the last Parliament election earlier this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As one of the main results of such an approach, the Baltic Republic became a fertile ground for innovation. With the highest number of start-ups per capita in Europe, it also trailblazes the rest of the continent in terms of unicorns <\/a>\u2013 ten, including Skype, Wise, and Zego \u2013 and investments per capita \u2013 $1056 against a European average of $140. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What stood out <\/h2>
This was my first visit to Tallinn. I found a vibrant city, full of passion-driven people. Part of that drive is undoubtedly Estonians’ strong bond with their country. By visiting different parts of the city and talking with entrepreneurs, the willingness to innovate and evolve is evident. The flourishing of new technology – in whatever domain – is not seen as another burden citizens or governments must deal with, but rather, as an opportunity to study, take, and enjoy. <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe needed to reinvent ourselves\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
One of the main arguments for such a high level of digitalization is the 1991 independence due to the collapse of the Soviet Union. \u201cDuring the first years after becoming independent again, we had a chance to rebuild our services from scratch. Being a small nation, we needed to reinvent ourselves, cleverly building our governmental apparatus,\u201d explains Ursel Velve. She is the chief innovation officer of \u00dclemiste City, a former industrial plant now a tech park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00dclemiste City is a living example of how Estonia rebuilt itself after the reindependence. There, red brick warehouses sit next to modern dwellings in what became the biggest technology park of the Baltics, a community of 500 companies and 16,000 people. Located between the air terminal and the last kilometers of the future Rail Baltica tracks \u2013 a high-speed rail link between Tallinn and Warsaw \u2013 \u00dclemiste is a tech hotspot and a testing ground with private roads to experiment with autonomous vehicles, for instance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clevon<\/a>, a manufacturer of autonomous vehicles for delivery, has one of its offices here. The small delivery vans of the Estonian company can be seen driving in the streets of Tallinn, as well as in other European countries and the US. In fact, the company was the first to obtain a license to operate its unmanned robot carriers on European public roads and started operations in Texas. Clevon embraced a step-by-step approach toward autonomous driving, developing a teleoperation functionality to always have a fallback at its disposal. Once more traffic data and experience are gained, the autonomy level increases and the number of vehicles a remote operator can manage simultaneously grows accordingly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231115_132645-1004x753.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/preview_8064314349558593371.jpg\")
<\/figure>\nNew and old buildings in \u00dclemiste City. – \u00a9 Innovation Origins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n So digital, yet so close to nature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Forests cover around half of the country\u2019s total land area. Estonians cherish their relationship with nature; they love to immerse in the woods for hikes or to find mushrooms. With around ninety percent of the country\u2019s households reached by broadband coverage, it is no surprise that many can decide to work in close contact with nature. Tallinn has an urban forest, two lakes, and many areas where citizens can find greenery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, Estonia\u2019s main city was the European Green Capital of 2023<\/a>, a title awarded to cities at the forefront of change. Tallinn adopted a development strategy (Tallinn 2035<\/a>) aiming at climate neutrality and human-centric development, as the city population is expected to grow in the following years from the current 454,000. To boost biodiversity, a pollinator highway is in the making, a cutting-edge system tackles wastewater management, and city architects are redesigning the city to be more nature and people-friendly.
Raido Roop, Tallinn’s city strategy director, sees this title as a \u201cbig deal\u201d for the city. The idea for the European Green Capital title originated from former Prime Minister Jyri Ratas during his time as Tallinn\u2019s mayor fifteen years ago. Winning the competition again was an occasion to restructure the city organization and a time to point out Tallinn\u2019s main problems while raising citizens’ awareness. <\/p>\n\n\n\nOne of the initiatives was the creation of a citizen-based mini parliament, where fifty Tallinners from different backgrounds were chosen to come up with ideas to improve their city. \u201cThe focus area was street space and urban greenery, and they made 39 proposals to the city council about how to connect the different city parks into a closed network, how to get rid of cars and bring more greenery on the street level,\u201d Roop highlights. The city council is now analyzing the ideas and will seek to make them applicable. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/div><\/div>E-stonia: a digital pioneer leading the world<\/div>Estonia frequently celebrated for its prowess in e-governance, stands at the forefront of global digital transformation. The country (often called E-stonia) began its digital odyssey in the 1990s, not long after its independence.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\nHurdles for the transition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Refurbishing the building stock is one of the main challenges the city needs to tackle. The municipality estimated that half of its emissions come from buildings and energy production. \u201cMost of the apartments in the city were built in the Soviet era, and they need full renovation, for a total cost between five and ten billion euros. EU and local grants exist, but we are lacking funds,\u201d says Roop. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Given the long winters, dwellings need to be warmed up for up to eight months a year. With renewable power picking up<\/a> \u2013 especially with the use of controversial wood chips \u2013 coal and oil shale are still the primary energy sources. Next year, the city will start a pilot project to renovate an apartment district by installing wooden panels, given the material\u2019s local availability. Other projects will follow, such as the expansion of the tram lines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Redefining mobility <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The modern and refurbished red and white trams share the city tracks. When onboarding, passengers don\u2019t worry about paying for a ticket. Since 2013, Tallinn has offered its residents free public transport<\/a>. The local public transport network consists of buses and trams. Many choose to cycle in the warmest periods of the year, as a bike lane network is developing across the city. Scooters are also a chosen option, with a fleet of the Estonian sharing mobility company Bolt \u2013 another of the ten unicorns \u2013 at users\u2019 disposal. All these options are redefining mobility in the city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tram network is indeed expanding. Close to the harbor\u2019s area in particular. The works didn\u2019t impede setting up the pavilions for the Greentech Week events, one of the main events organized by the city as part of its Green Capital events. Every day, a new conference \u2013 including the Smart Cities Convention, the Cleantech Forum Europe<\/a>, and the Green Governance Conference \u2013 touched upon different topics concerning green tech. During the whole week, visitors could walk around the alleys of NEXPO<\/a>, a green tech exhibition with companies from Estonia and abroad showcasing their innovations. Over the tracks, a passage connected the main pavilion with the Kultuurikatel (Culture Hub), once the main city\u2019s power plant and nowadays a venue for cultural events. <\/p>\n\n\n
<\/a><\/div><\/div>This Estonian scientist turns biggest culprit of the climate crisis (CO2) into renewable resource<\/div>“The concentration of CO2 in our atmosphere is higher than ever and still growing. The energy transition through decarbonization is happening, but heavy industry and transportation in particular will continue to rely on carbon for some time to come. Fermentation is one way to replace fossil carbon with recycled carbon,” says Kaspar Valgepea, assistant professor at the University of Tartu.<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\nAutonomous bus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Right outside the white tent hosting the NEXPO, there\u2019s a bus stop where visitors can hop on an autonomous bus operated by Auve Tech<\/a>. The bus can have up to eight people onboard. Although autonomous, current legislation requires an operator to be onboard. The journey starts after a signal to the command center, and the bus moves seamlessly through the predetermined route despite the snowy weather. Screens show the speed and the nearby obstacles detected by the multiple sensors embedded in the vehicle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Estonian company is developing first and last-mile transportation. Simply put, these buses connect tram or bus stops to the doorstep of residential or business areas. This application can make a difference in the lives of people with limited mobility or of the elderly, as even a few hundred meters can represent a long distance to cover. As part of the many pilots conducted by the company throughout these years, one was in a Tallinn neighborhood. \u201cWhen the pilot stopped, the municipality got many angry calls from the residents. Initially, people were scared, but once they got familiar with it, they loved it,\u201d Deivis Sepp, operations lead at Auve Tech. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
No other country would have allowed Auve Tech to grow since its founding in 2018. Sepp believes Estonia was the \u201cbest testing ground possible,\u201d both for the harsh climate \u2013 which put the robustness of the technology under a tough test \u2013 and institutions\u2019 openness to enable innovation. The company launched its second generation of autonomous buses, which from Estonia, have already conquered Japan since many of them will be driving in the Nipponic country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/preview_5208924540913614944.jpg\")
Auve Tech autonomous bus – \u00a9 Innovation Origins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Enhancing participation through technology <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The general willingness to embrace new technologies is also testified by the new participatory hub that the municipality of Tallinn will soon launch. There, through 3D glasses and a smart controller, citizens can immerse themselves in a digital twin of the city. This tool aims to help locals discuss city issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The easiest example to mention is the development of a new real estate project in a neighborhood. Residents of that city area can better understand how the new construction would impact the area. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely easier to understand than by showing them a building floorplan,\u201d says Andres Marem\u00e4e, project manager of Tallinn\u2019s digital twin initiative. The digital twin project aims to empower citizens, allowing them to get a more informed opinion \u2013 and thus a more conscious say \u2013 over city matters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s much more that can be done using a digital twin. To Marem\u00e4e, defining it as a digital copy of a space is a limiting definition. \u201cMuch more non-physical elements can be included into it, such as air pollution,\u201d he says. Tracking trees’ health and road surface condition are all possibilities offered by having a constant influx of data collected through garbage trucks and buses. Captured information is processed via edge computing, meaning no data is stored. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/preview_6713969338585983541.jpg\")
Andres Marem\u00e4e shows the functioning of the digital twin. – \u00a9 Innovation Origins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Ahead of the game<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
After getting the title of European Green Capital, Tallinn is not resting on its laurels. Construction works can be seen everywhere by visiting different parts of the city \u2013 not only the ones to expand the tram network. \u00dclemiste City is looking for new companies to join its innovation ecosystem, and the city government will keep its citizens onboard in the transition, with technology as an enabler. Since its independence, Estonia and its capital entered a new era, breaking ties with the past and with what is often referred to by locals as \u201cthe unfriendly neighbor\u201d. Being ahead of the technological game offers a precious advantage. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The double identity of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is revealed already when landing at the Lennart Meri airport. Modern steel and glass constructions stand in stark contrast with the square concrete blocks of buildings from the Soviet times. Meri \u2013 leader of the independence movement and former president of the country \u2013 was one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2084,"featured_media":493217,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8553],"tags":[34208,7056,7082],"location":[71290],"article_type":[],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-464492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital","tag-digitalization","tag-estland","tag-estonia","location-estonia"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Estonia is an undisputed European leader in innovation and digitalization. We recently visited its capital, Tallinn, to get a closer look during the Greentech Week. ","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Mauro Mereu","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/mauro-mereu\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231116_141046.jpg","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["Digital<\/a>"],"unlinked":["Digital<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["digitalization<\/a>","Estland<\/a>","Estonia<\/a>"],"unlinked":["digitalization<\/span>","Estland<\/span>","Estonia<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 years ago","modified":"Updated 2 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on November 27, 2023","modified":"Updated on November 27, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on November 27, 2023 6:30 am","modified":"Updated on November 27, 2023 6:30 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464492","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2084"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=464492"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/464492\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/493217"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=464492"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=464492"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=464492"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}