The quickest way to increase a company's technological level and competitiveness is to bring in new knowledge, skills and technologies from outside, for example through development collaboration between companies or direct acquisition. The Enterprise Estonia technology transfer tools and services help companies to accelerate the adoption of these techniques in Estonian enterprises.
We help companies find the best technologies and development partners around the world and advise on development cooperation negotiations. For more information
We support companies' cooperation projects with Estonian and international experts and development service providers, such as research institutes, universities and certification and testing laboratories. For more information
We make international tools, best practices and networking opportunities available to businesses. For more information
Development cooperation experts help companies find and connect with the R&D, testing and certification institutions, researchers and experts around the world that they need to develop or bring to market their product or service.
You need information to make choices. To make strategic technology decisions, relevant emerging and developing technologies need to be identified as early as possible and their capabilities and potential assessed.
The technology intelligence service provides companies with insights into developments that are often still taking place behind the scenes and allows them to make important technology choices.
For companies wishing to use the support of the applied research programme to develop innovative technologies, processes, products or services, we offer additional advice from experts in the field.
To improve the R&D and innovation awareness and capacity of Estonian companies, we have established a network of development advisers within Estonian trade associations.
The advisers advise the members of the associations, but also mediate open innovation and development cooperation requests, cooperation with research institutions, etc.
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) is the world’s largest business network, providing support for SMEs in internationalisation and innovation. EEN can help you find international business partners, access new markets and get advice and information on IO, funding opportunities and legislation.
The network promotes open innovation by providing opportunities for R&D collaboration and access to technology and research partnerships.
In Estonia, the EEN is represented by the EEN Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
For moreADAPTER is a network of Estonian universities and research and development institutions. The network currently includes 20 Estonian universities and research institutions.
Through the ADAPTER website, companies can quickly find an expert from over 3,500 researchers, find a partner to develop a product or service, request price quotes from all the network’s institutions at once, and access measurement, analysis and consultancy services available for outsourcing.
Submit your question to Estonian researchersOpen Innovation Platforms (OIPs) are online communities where either networked or individual large companies seek solutions to their development problems or offer their technologies, materials, etc. for use.
There are many such platforms (including the EEN above), so here we have highlighted some of the larger ones:
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) manages, among other things, eight Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs), each addressing a specific global and/or societal challenge. The Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) bring together consortia of businesses, universities and research institutes to develop innovations in specific areas and foster collaboration between the higher education, research and business sectors.
There are currently eight Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in the following areas:
Most of the KICs also have a presence in Estonia, inviting companies to join, collaborate, offer funding to implement innovative plans and more.
More about EIT
Enterprise Estonia grants cover the R&D and product development cycle of companies, from feasibility studies to product development. Depending on the size of the grant needed and the innovativeness of the project, companies can use one or more of the following measures.
With the innovation voucher, we support companies’ initial collaborative experiments with development service providers, research organisations, test laboratories and certification bodies in the RDIE focus areas, to test new materials, gather knowledge on technological feasibility, conduct research, etc.
Maximum grant 7500 €
Self-financing 20%
A development grant is an earmarked contribution for the purchase of services and/or the hiring of staff for development activities. Support will be given to projects aimed at the development of an innovative solution and targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
Maximum grant 35000 €
Self-financing 30%
Through the Applied Research programme, we support companies to develop innovative products that can increase their revenues by developing new or significantly modified technologies, processes, products or services. The programme consists of pre consultations and a grant
Project must be targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
Maximum grant 2 000 000 €
Self-financing 20% – 75%
For companies wishing to hire top specialists from R&D institutions or universities or a doctoral candidate for knowledge transfer to their company on a part-time or full-time basis, the Estonian Research Council offers a support for intersectoral mobility (SekMo).
The aim of the measure is to promote sharing the know-how, or knowledge transfer, by facilitating staff mobility and cooperation between Estonian research and development institutions, higher education institutions and public, private and third sector organisations, with support for salary costs.
Grant amount:
The share of the eligible costs of the project will be up to 45% for small enterprises, 35% for medium-sized enterprises and 25% for large enterprises.
Project must be targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
With the innovation voucher, we support companies’ initial collaborative experiments with development service providers, research organisations, test laboratories and certification bodies in the RDIE focus areas, to test new materials, gather knowledge on technological feasibility, conduct research, etc.
Maximum grant 7500 €
Self-financing 20%
A development grant is an earmarked contribution for the purchase of services and/or the hiring of staff for development activities. Support will be given to projects aimed at the development of an innovative solution and targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
Maximum grant 35000 €
Self-financing 30%
Through the Applied Research programme, we support companies to develop innovative products that can increase their revenues by developing new or significantly modified technologies, processes, products or services. The programme consists of pre consultations and a grant
Project must be targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
Maximum grant 2 000 000 €
Self-financing 20% – 75%
For companies wishing to hire top specialists from R&D institutions or universities or a doctoral candidate for knowledge transfer to their company on a part-time or full-time basis, the Estonian Research Council offers a support for intersectoral mobility (SekMo).
The aim of the measure is to promote sharing the know-how, or knowledge transfer, by facilitating staff mobility and cooperation between Estonian research and development institutions, higher education institutions and public, private and third sector organisations, with support for salary costs.
Grant amount:
The share of the eligible costs of the project will be up to 45% for small enterprises, 35% for medium-sized enterprises and 25% for large enterprises.
Project must be targeting at least one of the RDIE focus areas.
