From Science to Business: Estonian Youth Building the Deep Tech Community

These days, being a scientist isn’t just about working in a lab — the world needs people who can take bold ideas and turn them into real impact. In Estonia, there’s a growing demand for deep tech: innovation born from science that has the potential to reshape our economy and society. Great ideas alone aren’t enough; you also need the skills to bring them to life. That’s where the MIMIR Fellows program comes in.

Launched by Tallinn University of Technology and the University of Tartu, MIMIR Fellows helps students learn how to bridge science and entrepreneurship through hands-on training. Experts provide coaching on venture capital and technology transfer, while participants discover how to turn cutting-edge research into world-changing companies with global impact.

Picture: Olavi Pilnik

Why Does This Matter for Estonia?

Estonia is known as a digital nation and a great place for startups, but the deep tech field is only beginning to grow. Deep tech ecosystems require longer timelines, more risk-tolerant investors, stronger ties with research institutions, and deeper expertise. The potential exists in Estonia, but science and business aren’t yet fully connected.

Many young researchers lack the knowledge or experience to bring their research into the entrepreneurial world. At the same time, investors are often cautious of science-based ideas — they can feel hard to grasp when scientists haven’t yet learned how to “translate” them into the language of business.

MIMIR is building a bridge between science and entrepreneurship. The program connects researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors, while teaching participants how to recognize the social and economic potential hidden within scientific discoveries. Graduates of the MIMIR Fellows program learn to ask: Who can benefit from this knowledge? How can it be brought to life? What kind of impact could it have? These are the kinds of people who create new companies and lasting change.

What Does the Program Look Like?

The first part of the program — independent prep work followed by a two-week intensive bootcamp in Tartu and Tallinn — has wrapped up. “Before, I saw science and entrepreneurship as two separate tracks. Now I realize they’re part of the same journey,” shares one participant.

Picture: Olavi Pilnik

The young participants have now entered the second phase of the program: internships in companies or research labs, where they can put their new knowledge into practice and gain real-world experience.

This fall, the Estonian MIMIR Fellows are planning a study trip to Barcelona, which will also mark the final part of the program. The goal of the trip is to visit leading innovation hubs, meet with local startups and research institutions, and take part in major international events like the Smart City World Expo and the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit. By exploring Barcelona’s ecosystem, they’ll gather new insights and bring that knowledge back to Estonia.