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Uku Tomikas from Messente on the future of SMS, combating user authentication fraud and effective leadership principles

Uku Tomikas is the CEO of Messente Communications, the Tartu-based business messaging platform servicing companies worldwide. He is also a father, a high-school teacher, and a yoga instructor with a military background. We sat down with him to discuss secure...
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sTARTUp Day winner Paul-Tech equips farmers with a smart digital assistant

It’s time to get to know the heroes of this year’s sTARTUp Pitching competition! First up is Paul-Tech – an Estonian agritech startup...
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The winners of sTARTUp Pitching 2023 have been announced!

Altogether 271 teams started this year’s sTARTUp Pitching competition. After a fierce competition, the winners of sTARTUp Pitching 2023 have been announced....
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The TOP 5 startups of sTARTUp Pitching 2023 are…!

Today, sTARTUp Day attendees could meet the most promising early-stage startups in the region as the semifinalists of sTARTUp Pitching 2023 showcased...
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Your must-read guide to sTARTUp Day 2023 or how to have the time of your life

The most startup-minded business festival is happening already this week. We are excited to welcome you and other startup-minded people to Tartu...
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How does Brella help you connect with the right people at the sTARTUp Day festival?

We all know how important networking is at events like sTARTUp Day. Brella app will help you connect with your future business...
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Convertible debt as a temporary alternative to equity?

In current market environment raising equity capital for a startup has become significantly harder compared to just a few years ago. However,...
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Semaphore signals that investors use for navigation in 2023

Which growth opportunities are hidden in megatrends signaled by public policies and priorities, regulatory frameworks and public spending? Find out from the...
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The University of Tartu spin-off company RedoxNRG captures CO2 and revolutionizes the chemical industry

According to Nadezda Kongi, founder and CEO of RedoxNRG, captured CO2 can be used to manufacture synthetic fuels. This can help ensure energy...
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Mari-Liis Lind from VIVITA: "Kids must be given the opportunity to bring their awesome ideas to life."

Mari-Liis Lind is an innovator and community builder who has been involved in running several tech initiatives and conferences in Estonia. Today,...
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Ringo shows the way to the future without single-use packaging

For the second year, we use only Ringo reusable cups and dishes at the sTARTUp Day festival. The company was also one...
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Fast-track your way to corporate innovation at this year's Executive Day

For many companies, sTARTUp Day is the place to tap into innovation and meet the up-and-coming startups, planting seeds for future cooperation....
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From good to great: 4 strategies how founders and leaders amplify their impact and wellbeing

In this essay for leaders, Ansis Lipenitis, CEO of .Cocoon, explores strategies for making choices that benefit yourself and those around you. .Cocoon is a self-development...
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Jay Johnson on behavioral change and creating an organizational culture where people thrive

Jay Johnson works with people and organizations to empower teams, grow profits, and transform leaders using applied behavioral science. He is the...
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Tiina-Mall Vannastu on How to F*ck Up Your (Employer) Brand: Make Your Brand the Hero

Employer branding is a topic that has been capturing the attention of many startups, especially those in the growth phase, as they...
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Let's Talk About Sex Tech, Baby

It’s been our mission at sTARTUp Day to explore fresh topics. For instance, in 2023, we’ll discuss digital fashion and Sex Tech....
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Announcing the TOP 40 of sTARTUp Pitching 2023!

It’s time to unveil the crème de la crème of the 7th edition of sTARTUp Pitching! Altogether 271 startups entered the race....
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Kirke Leinatamm from Scopus Studio on 3D design, digital fashion, and reducing the fashion industry‘s footprint

A fashion item with a 97% smaller carbon footprint than a regular garment? Yes, it’s possible – in 3D. We explored the...
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Pitch coach David Beckett on how to craft and deliver a winning pitch

This year, the Top 40 teams of sTARTUp Pitching can polish their pitches in a coaching session with the seasoned pitch trainer...
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Let’s meet Mait Sooaru – EstBAN lead investor at sTARTUp Pitching

Mait Sooaru is an entrepreneur, angel investor, and Board Member of the Estonian Business Angels Network. As EstBAN will be awarding a...
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Triin Kask from Soulie: "Social media giants must rethink their business models or face the fate of Nokia.”

Triin Kask is an entrepreneur with over 13 years of experience and a familiar face to the sTARTUp Day audience, particularly from...
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Let’s meet Aleksander Tõnnisson – .Cocoon Ventures lead investor at sTARTUp Pitching

Aleksander Tõnnisson is an investor and lead partner at .Cocoon Ventures, which is awarding a €100k syndicate to one team at sTARTUp...
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A Unicorn, a Founder and an Unexpected Guest at sTARTUp Day – a Miniplay by ChatGPT

Our end-of-the-year blog is brought to you by this year’s celebrity Chat GPT. We hope this miniplay, featuring a founder, a unicorn...
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We must learn to take care of our mental health before times get tough

Kadri Haljas is a mental health innovator and the founder and CEO of Triumf Health, which was recently awarded the World Summit...
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Ilia Gogichaishvili on “The Road to NASDAQ New York”

Ilia Gogichaishvili is Vice President of Investment Banking at BTIG covering Emerging Technologies globally. Ahead of his talk at sTARTUp Day, we spoke...
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Combat Ready – the training company that makes your team unstoppable

Combat Ready is a training company whose practical leadership training courses are based on methods used in the special forces units of...
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Let's have a sneak peek into sTARTUp Day 2023 program!

Are you eager to know who will be headlining and which hot trends will be discussed at the next sTARTUp Day festival?...
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sTARTUp Day recognized at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards

sTARTUp Day was shortlisted in the category of supporting the internationalization of business at the European Enterprise Promotion Awards. Our team attended...
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sTARTUp Pitching 2023 is coming again with a prize pool of over €350k!

We are calling all startups to apply for the sTARTUp Pitching competition. Apply before 5 February 2023 to compete for prizes worth...
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How to use gamification in your demo area booth?

How to stand out and get more leads at a business festival? Adact platform allows you to create unique gamified experiences to engage...
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10 places to visit in Tartu

Although the best time to visit Tartu is during the sTARTUp Day festival, a trip to the smart city of Tartu is...
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How to build a healthy cap table?

How to build and maintain a cap table that would not hurt the founders’ motivation or your startup’s fundraising ability in the...
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Tickets from €109

Tickets

Find your perfect ticket type! All ticket types grant access to all three festival days. 

Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Visitor

129 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Startup

109 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Investor

169 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.

Executive

169 €
BUY NOW
Venue access
Ϟ Day 0: Side Events on January 29
Ϟ Day 1 on January 30
Ϟ Day 2 on January 31
Matchmaking
This is where the magic happens. Through our matchmaking app, you can schedule 20-minute meetings with participants and meet them at our matchmaking area. General access to the matchmaking app will be available at the beginning of the festival week.
Stage program
There will be three stages at sTARTUp Day 2025 – Starlight Stage, Insight Stage, and Pitching Stage – with speakers and presenters who cover a variety of topics for every taste.
Demo Area access
This is the Mecca of Entrepreneurship! Explore the latest innovations and discover new products, services, friends, opportunities and perhaps, your new career challenge.
sTARTUp Night
The legendary sTARTUp Night wraps up the first conference day on January 30. The afterparty is bringing together the coolest festival visitors, good music, and lots of surprises!
Seminars
Practical seminars to sharpen & level up your skills.
Side events
Vibrant side events take place all over Tartu before and during the official festival.
Early access to matchmaking app
With early access, you’ll gain access to our matchmaking app two weeks earlier than most people. Use the opportunity to get a head start and request meetings with the hottest participants before all their slots are full.
VIP Reception
Celebrate the beginning of sTARTUp Day in style! The VIP Reception brings together speakers, investors & executives for an unforgettable night.
VIP Lounge access
Escape to your lounge where you can kick back and relax, get some work done, or prep for the next meeting.
Investor Day
Investor Day on January 29 is an exclusive investors' meetup to share experiences, learn from each other, and create meaningful contacts. Structured in a way you'd feel both elevated by and busy with new ideas while leaving enough room for networking.
Executive Day
Executive Day on January 29 is about taking the time to listen, talk, and network with other leaders. This is the place to bounce your thoughts and learn about challenges and solutions across different industries.
List of attending investors
Startups will see the participating investors' list (investor's name + investment fund's name) which enables them to request meetings with the right investors through our matchmaking app.
List of attending startups
There are over 300 unique startups at sTARTUp Day, which can be quite overwhelming at times. We'll send you a database of all of the participating startups so you can browse through them all and select the ones you want to meet beforehand.
Personalised startup matches
With the help of our good friends from Dealum, we will find the most relevant startup matches based on each investor’s profile. This means that investors will get a list of hand-selected startups that meet their requirements, making it even easier to meet the right startup.
Visibility at sTARTUp Day website
All validated startups and the biggest VC funds will be featured on the sTARTUp Day website.