International Reputation of Estonia: Built on startups, Sustained by foreign talent

Estonia has proudly worn the badge of “most startups per capita” for years, and there is little to suggest that this position will change anytime soon. Unicorns per capita seems like the one metric we are truly committed to growing, even if it comes at the expense of lower capita/population.

From Skype to Wise and Bolt, what we have accomplished in 30 years far exceed what our population size might suggest. But when it comes to the experience of individual expats — the people helping to build these startups — the talent we attract often fails to build a life here.

Our reputation may attract people to our shores, but what makes them stay?

There is a widespread assumption that once someone secures a tech job or a startup visa, everything else falls into place. When it comes to Estonia, that is the easy part. There’s also no doubt that Estonia offers incredible opportunities for focus and self-improvement, with few distractions. But the same solitude that fuels productivity might eventually turn into isolation.

That’s a problem, because international reputations aren’t built only on innovation or efficiency. They’re built on how a country feels to live in. 

Tourists who visit Tallinn for the weekend are impressed by how far we’ve come in just 30 years. They leave with stories of personal safety, and digital ease — all true, and admirable. But this doesn't give people enough reason to stay. 

Live somewhere long enough, people expect to have some connection to the place. Stories to tell their friends and family back home. Learn things that can’t be found in travel guides. Moments that make it worth experiencing Estonia first-hand, rather than work at one of the startups but do so remotely.

If we want skilled people to relocate and then stay, we better leave an emotional impression that goes deeper than our "e-edge". Rather than become complacent, we have to establish the next frontier of our international brand. The export version of Estonia, as it is often called. In order to do so, we have to ask the uncomfortable question: beyond our e-services, what do we really offer? Culturally, emotionally, socially?

We like to compare ourselves to our Nordic neighbours. But if they’re catching up in digital infrastructure, what’s our edge? What’s our next value proposition? We pride ourselves on being adaptable and light on our feet — so why not apply that same mindset to how people living here stay connected, not just to the government but to each other? 

Just as Estonia once had no legacy systems when building e-services, we also have none when it comes to bringing people together. That was our advantage then, and it can be again. All it takes is for the public sector to join forces with startups (like ours) and create social platforms together, so internationals would always find their people who make them want to stay. Even if social integration is not a priority for the government, at this moment, locals can still make a difference in how it feels to live here for internationals.

30 years might seem like a long time but, even now, our identity is still being defined. Ask an average European and they might describe Estonians as quiet, reserved, somewhere between East and West. Is that the reputation we want? Or could we become known as the most welcoming nation of all our neighbours — one that appreciates difference, not just tolerates it.

This doesn’t require government programmes or policy shifts. It starts with how we treat the people who have come here and are giving Estonia a chance, hoping to call it “home”. For people from vastly different backgrounds to feel at home, we must learn to offer more than efficiency in bureaucracy.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 
That's right. Tell them, Maya Angelou!