Estonia launches bold AI initiative to double productivity
Estonia is no stranger to being the first in official digital adoption — already succeeding in making all governmental services online, using blockchain and e-voting. Now it’s time to take this approach into the AI era. The Estonian government unveiled Eesti.ai on Tuesday, an ambitious national program that aims to systematically implement artificial intelligence across all sectors, with the goal of doubling the value of Estonian work by 2035.
Prime Minister Kristen Michal launched the initiative alongside Bolt founder Markus Villig, who will chair the international advisory council driving the program. The council brings together Estonian tech leaders, including IT visionary Linnar Viik and entrepreneurs Sten Tamkivi (Skaala), Kaspar Korjus (Pactum), and Taavi Madiberk (Skeleton), working alongside international experts and sector representatives.
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Originally published on 27 Jan
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As the volume of court rulings and legal information continues to grow rapidly, not only legal professionals but also public institutions and businesses increasingly require smart solutions to efficiently process large amounts of data and make decisions based not only on statutory law, but also on case law and legal precedents.
To address this need, Latvian law firm iLaw, in collaboration with technology partners, has developed an AI-enabled intelligent database ECLI.ai, significantly improving access to court decisions and legal information analysis. It is anticipated that fast and systematic analysis of rulings will help reduce the risk of contradictory judgments and inconsistencies in legal interpretation, support the development of more coherent case law, and strengthen trust in the judicial system and public administration overall.
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Originally published on 25 Mar
Latvian airline airBaltic is expanding its network for 2026/2027 winter season, running from late October 2026 to the end of March 2027, with the addition of 12 new routes from Riga (Latvia), Gran Canaria and Tenerife (both in Spain), and Kuusamo (Finland). As part of the expanded schedule, the airline will further strengthen its existing Gran Canaria seasonal base, establish a seasonal base in Tenerife, and operate weekend services from Kuusamo.
Mantas Vrubliauskas, VP Network Management at airBaltic: “Winter remains an important time for our customers to travel for leisure, and decisions around new routes must be made well in advance to secure the best opportunities for them. As the current winter season comes to a close, we are already looking ahead to the next one, starting in late October 2026. With additional routes to sunny destinations such as Gran Canaria and Tenerife, alongside new connections to Kuusamo for winter sports and Nordic experiences, we continue to diversify our network and adapt to evolving travel demand.”
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Originally published on 24 Mar
Helsinki’s international cruise season starts early in 2026, with the first cruise call in March, and continues until the end of December. The season begins on Wednesday, 25 March, with the arrival of the first cruise ship, AIDAprima. More than 110 cruise calls are expected during the season.
The upcoming season is going to be lively. Cruise lines bring many international passengers to Helsinki, and the growth in turnaround calls means more travelers are staying in the city.
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Originally published on 24 Mar
Nucu has been named by the expert editorial team to Fitt Insider’s first-ever Scouting Report, which is a field guide to the future of human health. Knowing that this selection is non-pay-to-play and based purely on editorial conviction makes this milestone even more meaningful.
Fitt Insider’s report maps the future across six interconnected layers of a “Fluid Well-being Loop”. Nucu was selected as a leader in the Awareness Layer, which focuses on biological signals and health knowledge. As the report highlights, the industry is moving toward “Exposome Awareness,” in which the environment and infrastructure do the heavy lifting. Nucu has pioneered this path with a proprietary “nearable” platform, providing clinical-grade visibility into the sleep health of kids and teens without the friction of wearables or the privacy concerns of cameras.
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Originally published on 23 Mar
Cybernetica has been engaged to develop and deliver a critical modernisation project within STAR (Social Services and Benefits Data Register) – the core electronic work environment used by social workers across Estonia for case management, benefit administration, adoption and guardianship procedures, and social welfare reporting.
The project is commissioned by TEHIK (Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre) and the Social Insurance Board (Sotsiaalkindlustusamet) under a framework agreement. The specific subsistence benefit project runs until April 2027.
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Originally published on 23 Mar
Great news for our international partners. Estonia will increase the Film Estonia cash rebate from 30% to 40%, strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the international film production market. “It’s official. Minister Heidy Purga has confirmed the final step of a long process: Film Estonia moves forward with a 40% cash rebate for film and TV production.
Regulations still need to be updated — and then, let’s roll!” stated Edith Sepp, head of the Estonian Film Institute.
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Originally published on 23 Mar
Marine Alutech’s order book is growing strongly. At the same time, we ensure and prepare for future project requirements.
The current projects employ more than 200 people at the main location in Teijo, in addition to our staff in Hanko, Turku and Germany. New hall spaces are now under construction, and more employees will come in 2026.
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Originally published on 23 Mar
The Latvian national airline airBaltic is starting its new direct route connecting Riga with Oulu, starting March 29. The new service will operate five times per week, further strengthening connectivity between Latvia and Finland, and giving Oulu a new contact point to international connections.
airBaltic will fly the new route from Oulu to Riga on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, departing from Oulu at 5:00 a.m. and arriving in Riga at 6:30 a.m. Flights from Riga to Oulu will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 11:20 p.m., arriving in Oulu at 1:30 a.m.
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Originally published on 20 Mar
South Korean defence industry company Hanwha Aerospace, which cooperates with several Estonian defence industry companies, officially joined the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industry Association this week.
Hanwha Aerospace is one of the leading defence and aerospace manufacturers, with a broad portfolio spanning artillery systems, aircraft engines, armoured vehicles, and space technology. Their growing presence in the European defence market makes them a valuable addition to our network.
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Originally published on 19 Mar
Tilde has been selected to develop the project “AI Assistant for Data Discovery on the EO Baltic Platform.” The activity is financed by the European Space Agency and will be implemented by Tilde as the Prime Contractor in close cooperation with Baltic Satellite Service (BSS) as the subcontractor.
Tilde brings proven experience in building AI assistants for the space and Earth Observation sector. This new project builds on that experience and further strengthens the company’s role in applying language AI to complex scientific and geospatial systems.
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Originally published on 18 Mar