Welcome to the first edition of Kood Letter! This month we’re covering the latest developments in the Estonian IT ecosystem, important cybersecurity updates, upcoming events, and exciting job opportunities.
News
Latvian IT Firm to Develop €3M Biometric API for e-Residency
The Estonian state has officially begun development on a new biometric API aimed at replacing physical smart cards with a mobile-first digital identity. The €3 million contract was awarded to the Latvian software provider X Infotech. This technical solution will allow for the remote collection of face and fingerprint data via smartphone cameras while maintaining strict compliance with EU eIDAS security regulations.
Cybernetica to Build “Crisis-Resistant” Collaboration Tool for Government
The Estonian Government Office (Riigikantselei) has commissioned Cybernetica, the architects behind X-Road, to develop a high-security, crisis-resistant digital workspace. This tool is designed to ensure that the state can continue to function and communicate securely during extreme emergencies, such as cyber warfare or total network disruptions, where standard commercial tools might fail.
Estonian Greentech Startup RAIKU Packaging Selected for L’Oréal’s €100M Sustainable Innovation Accelerator
Tallinn-based greentech startup RAIKU Packaging has been chosen as one of just 13 companies globally to join L’Oréal’s newly launched €100 million L’AcceleratOR sustainable innovation program. The accelerator, aimed at discovering breakthrough solutions that address environmental challenges, received nearly 1,000 applications from over 100 countries. RAIKU develops fully natural, compostable packaging materials designed to replace fossil-based plastics and reduce resource use.
Estonian Government Launches €12.6M DeepTech Start-up Network
At sTARTUp Day’s “Thinking in Billions” side event, Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo announced a €12.6 million programme to accelerate the development of deep tech companies. The DeepTech Start-up Network brings together Sparkup Tartu Science Park, Tehnopol, the University of Tartu, TalTech, and the Estonian University of Life Sciences. Over the next four years, the network aims to map 350 potential deep tech ideas, provide pre-incubation for 200 teams, offer over 10,000 hours of mentoring support, and launch 37 new operational deep tech companies. The programme is expected to help companies attract around €38 million in capital, including €29 million in private investment.
sTARTUp Pitching 2026 Winners: ImpactPCB and LifeGlue Secure Investments
The sTARTUp Pitching competition concluded with significant investments and awards. An EstBAN-led angel syndicate invested up to €150,000 in two startups: ImpactPCB, developing a chemical-free, deep-tech solution for electronic waste recycling, and LifeGlue, developing a scalable biomaterial platform for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. BSV also invested up to €200,000 in LifeGlue, recognizing the startup’s science-driven approach. Additional awards included €10,000 equity-free cash from Swedbank to BabAI Orbital for autonomous satellite collision avoidance technology, legal support from Sorainen and TRINITI, GDPR compliance tools from DataVie, and mentorship packages from Values360Ventures.
Cyber
RIA: Almost 1,000 Cyber Incidents Recorded in December
Estonia’s Information System Authority (RIA) logged 998 cybersecurity incidents in December 2025 across public and private infrastructure. Notable events included ransomware against a health provider, major outages tied to Cloudflare configuration changes, phishing-enabled attacks on a municipality server, and service disruptions to key national systems like UUSIS and X-tee services.
Pro-Russian Influence Identified in Wikipedia Edits
Journalists and Wikimedia Estonia volunteers reported a systematic pattern of politically-motivated edits on English-language Wikipedia that alter historical facts about Estonia—particularly changing the listed birthplaces of key Estonian figures to “Estonian SSR, USSR.” Critics argue these edits may be part of a larger information influence campaign aimed at rewriting historical context and shifting perceptions externally. Wikimedia Foundation states the changes were came through volunteer consensus, but concerns remain about vulnerability to coordinated ideological editing
Events
Recent past events
- Pärnu Häkk 23-25 January
- sTARTUp Day 28-30 January
Upcoming Events
Garage48 kood/Empower
Date: 17-20 February
Location: kood/Jõhvi
Description: 4-day coding bootcamp designed for beginners, offering a practical, supportive introduction to coding. Participants will experiment with creating small solutions and game-like prototypes, gaining hands-on experience, and get a first insight into what it means to work as a developer.kood/Empower bootcamp is part of the kood/Women program, supported by Swedbank.
More information: Click here
Baltic CyberSec Roadshow
Date: 03 March
Location: Apollo Kino Ülemiste, Tallinn, Estonia
Description: A focused cybersecurity event featuring workshops, panel discussions, and keynote talks covering the latest trends and threats in cyber defense. The Roadshow brings together industry experts and practitioners to share insights and best practices, making it relevant for both seasoned professionals and newcomers to the field.
More information: Click here
TechChill 2026
Date: 25-27 March
Location: Riga, Latvia
Description: Latvian technology conference marking its 15th anniversary with the largest prize fund in the event’s history. The Founders Battle pitch competition will distribute €1 million among the best startup teams, with an additional €10,000 unconditional cash prize awarded to one startup. TechChill brings together Baltic and international startups, investors, and tech professionals for one of the region’s premier startup events.
More information: Click here
Garage48 Empowering Women Hackathon
Date: 20-22 March
Location: kood/Jõhvi
Description: A 48-hour hackathon designed to support women founders and aspiring entrepreneurs. Participants form teams, validate ideas, and build prototypes with mentorship from industry experts in a collaborative environment.
More information: Click here
MarineHäkk
Date: 08 May
Location: TalTech
Description: MarineHäkk is a hackathon focusing on maritime, marine tech, and blue economy innovation through hackathons, workshops, and startup-focused meetups.
More information: Click here
Latitude59 2026
Date: 21-22 May
Location: Kultuurikatel, Tallinn
Description: Estonia’s flagship startup and tech conference bringing together founders, investors, and tech leaders from around the world. Latitude59 focuses on entrepreneurship, digital innovation, investment, and global networking, with talks, startup pitches, and side events.
More information: Click here
Job Offers in IT
Your company’s job offers could be here. Contact us to feature your open positions in our newsletter and reach talented IT professionals in Estonia.
See you next month!