{"id":638398,"date":"2024-09-15T10:00:25","date_gmt":"2024-09-15T07:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/"},"modified":"2024-09-15T10:00:25","modified_gmt":"2024-09-15T07:00:25","slug":"science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/","title":{"rendered":"#Science is breeding a new generation of booming deeptech startups in Estonia"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4133801190e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a4133801190e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/#Towards_a_deeptech_hub\" >Towards a deeptech hub<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/#Cosmic_rays_for_3D_scanning\" >Cosmic rays for 3D scanning<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/#Green_carbon_nanomaterials_and_graphite\" >Green carbon nanomaterials and graphite<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/science-is-breeding-a-new-generation-of-booming-deeptech-startups-in-estonia\/#Harnessing_nanotech_for_wound_dressing\" >Harnessing nanotech for wound dressing<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div id=\"article-main-content\">\n                            <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back in the early 2000s, Estonia was rapidly modernising, shaking off the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">remnants<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Soviet influence. It was <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ambitiously<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> transforming itself into a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">digital<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> society with innovations such as <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">e-government<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and online voting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And, of course, it gave birth to Skype, the company that would launch the small Baltic nation\u2019s journey towards becoming a startup powerhouse and a \u201c<\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/investinestonia.com\/estonia-leads-europe-in-startups-unicorns-and-investments-per-capita\/#:~:text=Estonia%20has%20the%20most%20unicorns%20per%20capita%20in%20Europe&amp;text=So%20far%2C%20Estonia%20has%20been,7.7%20unicorns%20per%20million%20capita.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">unicorn country<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Since then, Estonia has established itself as a leader in breeding high-profile software companies, such as Bolt and Wise. Now, it\u2019s aiming to become a deeptech hub, accelerating the development of research- and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>-based entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n<p>Deeptech in Estonia is still relatively young. As many as <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/startupestonia.ee\/overview-of-the-estonian-deeptech-ecosystem-2023\/\">70%<\/a> of the companies have emerged over the last five years.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, the sector is growing quickly. In 2023, deeptech startups reached a record <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/investinestonia.com\/estonias-deeptech-ecosystem-set-new-records-in-2023\/\">\u20ac227.2mn<\/a>in turnover \u2014 a 14% increase from the year before. They also raised \u20ac394mn, rising from \u20ac254mn the previous year.<\/p>\n<div class=\"inarticle-wrapper channel-cta\">\n<div class=\"ica-text\">\n<p class=\"ica-text__title\">TNW Conference 2025 &#8211; Back to NDSM on June 19-20, 2025 &#8211; Save the date!<\/p>\n<p>As we wr<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ed up our incredible 2024 edition, we&#8217;re pleased to announce our return to Amsterdam NDSM in 2025. Registration now!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Towards_a_deeptech_hub\"><\/span>Towards a deeptech hub<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The Estonian government\u2019s vision is for deeptech companies to account for about 30% of the country\u2019s total startup volume by 2030. This translates into 500 deeptech startups \u2014 up from 132 in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>One key component of Estonia\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/investinestonia.com\/estonia-lays-down-an-action-plan-to-reach-500-deeptech-startups-by-2030\/\">action plan<\/a> is to facilitate further access to funding, mainly in the form of grants and angel investment, especially for early-stage businesses.<\/p>\n<p>Another is boosting entrepreneurship within academia with dedicated courses for students. Equally important is ensuring a smooth spinout process.<\/p>\n<p>According to Sten Tamkivi, early executive at Skype and partner at VC firm Plural, the Tallinn University of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"4\" title=\"Technology\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a> (TalTech) and the University of Tartu have both taken active steps in the past years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have created their own venture arms and they have made sure that the spinout IP and equity process is easier,\u201d Tamkivi tells TNW.<\/p>\n<p>A third component are the their startups themselves \u2014 and their ability to turn scientific advancements into commercial products.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cosmic_rays_for_3D_scanning\"><\/span>Cosmic rays for 3D scanning<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tallinn-based GSCAN is using muon tomography for 3D scanning and chemical composition analysis.<\/p>\n<p>Muons are subatomic particles that make up half the cosmic radiation reaching the Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>GSCAN collects muons with its proprietary detector technology, which combines the use of AI to measure the flux of muons when penetrating an object, to create 3D visualisations, and analyse the materials.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410283 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"Muon tomography 3D scanner \" width=\"796\" height=\"446\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-13-at-15.08.39-796x446.png\"\/><figcaption>GSCAN\u2019s system is modular and can see through every material up to 20 metres in thickness. Source: GSCAN<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410283 size-featured_img\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/Screenshot-2024-09-13-at-15.08.39-796x446.png\" alt=\"Muon tomography 3D scanner \" width=\"796\" height=\"446\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cThis is a platform technology that you can use everywhere, much like X-ray tomography,\u201d Andi Hektor, co-founder and chief strategy officer at the startup and former researcher at CERN, tells TNW.<\/p>\n<p>According to Hektor, muon tomography offers significant advantages over X-rays. Firstly, it has the ability to penetrate very large objects and provide information about the chemical composition of materials. It\u2019s also safer for humans and the environment, as muons are a result of natural radiation.<\/p>\n<p>One of GSCAN\u2019s focus areas is non-destructive testing (NDT) for the built environment. NDT helps evaluate the properties of a material or structure for potential defects without causing damage.<\/p>\n<p>Hektor provides an example.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe world is full of old bridges, buildings, and tunnels made of reinforced concrete. Reinforced concrete has a finite lifetime and inside these structures there are metals subject to corrosion.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUnderstanding what\u2019s happening inside these structures is vital both for safety and economic reasons,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>GSCAN counts multiple projects so far, including the scanning of two old nuclear reactors for their safe decommissioning process.<\/p>\n<p>Alongside the built environment, the startup is also using its technology for customs and security applications.<\/p>\n<p>In March, GSCAN raised a \u20ac3mn seed round from investors including Bolt\u2019s founder Markus Vilig. This brought the total amount raised since its founding in 2019 to \u20ac5.1mn.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Green_carbon_nanomaterials_and_graphite\"><\/span>Green carbon nanomaterials and graphite<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A spinout from the University of Tartu, Up Catalyst transforms CO2 emissions into green carbon nanomaterials and graphite.<\/p>\n<p>The startup\u2019s technology extracts CO2 from waste biomass and flue gases from heavy industry emitters. It then converts it into green carbon with a process called <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/engineering\/molten-salt-electrolysis#:~:text=The%20molten%20salt%20electrolysis%20method,also%20remove%20other%20difficult%20impurities.\">molten salt electrolysis<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re essentially electro-transforming carbon dioxide gases into carbon nanomaterials,\u201d Apostolos Segkos, head of development at Up Catalyst, tells TNW.<\/p>\n<p>The startup\u2019s first goal is to achieve price parity with traditional carbon sources. Its second is to reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based carbon, while minimising the environmental impact of raw material production.<\/p>\n<p>According to Segkos, Up Catalyst\u2019s mission aligns with the EU\u2019s objectives for the energy transition and the need for securing a reliable (and ideally domestic) supply chain of critical raw materials.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGraphite, among other key carbon products, is considered a critical material by the EU, especially as we import about 99% of it, which mostly comes from China.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Graphite is a key component of EV batteries, which typically contain between 50kg and 100kg of the material.<\/p>\n<p>For their part, carbon nanomaterials are valuable additives in energy generation and storage devices, including batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410276 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"Two scientists inside the lab of Up Catalyst, which transforms CO2 emissions into green carbon products \" width=\"796\" height=\"531\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/2M6A1244-796x531.jpg\"\/><figcaption>Inside Up Catalyst\u2019s lab. On the left: Apostolos Segkos. Source: Up Catalyst<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410276 size-featured_img\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/2M6A1244-796x531.jpg\" alt=\"Two scientists inside the lab of Up Catalyst, which transforms CO2 emissions into green carbon products \" width=\"796\" height=\"531\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>In July, Up Catalyst received a \u20ac2.36mn funding boost to accelerate the development of a pilot industrial reactor.<\/p>\n<p>According to the startup, the reactor will be able to produce 100 tonnes of CO2 per year, which can deliver 27 tonnes of green carbon materials.<\/p>\n<p>Up Catalyst spun out from the University of Tartu in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe had a good success case because we managed to fully transfer the IP from the university to the company,\u201d Teele Niidas, the startup\u2019s CMO, tells TNW.<\/p>\n<p>Despite some \u201cdifficult bits\u201d of negotiation, the spinout process was \u201cfairly easy,\u201d Niidas says.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think everyone [in the Estonian ecosystem] realises that science-based startups have a big future if they are indeed supported by academia.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Harnessing_nanotech_for_wound_dressing\"><\/span>Harnessing nanotech for wound dressing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another startup in the field of nanotech is Nanordica Medical, which has developed an antibacterial wound dressing.<\/p>\n<p>A spinout from Estonia\u2019s National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics (NICPB), the startup sought to create a more effective solution for bacterial wound infections. These affect approximately 100 million people worldwide, including those suffering from diabetes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMainstream wound dressings use silver,\u201d Olesja Bondarenko, Nanordica\u2019s CEO tells TNW.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSilver has good antibacterial properties. But the problem is that it also has side effects and can lead to impaired wound healing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Following research, the team discovered that the key lied in combining silver with copper nanoparticles.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe found that they amplify each other, while reducing adverse effects,\u201d Bondarenko says.<\/p>\n<p>Nanordica\u2019s dressing works by attracting the bacteria and inactivating their effect, which enables tissue regeneration and wound healing. The Tallinn-based startup says the solution offers 8x better treatment compared to standard care products.<\/p>\n<p>The company has already run a small clinical trial in Estonia with 30 diabetic patients suffering from food ulcer. Results were promising, with the wound dressing showing twice as fast healing compared to a commonly used silver alternative.<\/p>\n<p>Nanordica plans to confirm these findings with an upcoming larger trial and expects to get approval by the EU\u2019s health regulator this year.<\/p>\n<p>Following the intended commercialisation of its wound dressing by 2025, the company will aim to expand its range of antibacterial products.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"post-image post-mediaBleed aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410280 size-featured_img js-lazy\" alt=\"Antibacterial wound dressings in various sizes by Nanordika Medical \" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/Untitled-design-796x448.png\"\/><figcaption>Nanordica Medical\u2019s wund dressings in various sizes. Image provided by Olesja Bondarenko.<\/figcaption><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-1410280 size-featured_img\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2024\/09\/Untitled-design-796x448.png\" alt=\"Antibacterial wound dressings in various sizes by Nanordika Medical \" width=\"796\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>Nanordica recently raised \u20ac1.75mn from VC investors. In the first years after its founding in 2019, it relied on funding from the founders and grants from EIC, Enterprise Estonia, and the NICPB \u2014 from which it bought the IP.<\/p>\n<p>According to Bondarenko, software has historically dominated investor interest.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut now, I think there is a real transformation,\u201d says Bondarenko.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is more and more understanding that science-based deeptech is very important. And the same investors that were focusing on software are now considering different possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe chances are very high that we will soon see unicorns in healthtech, and deeptech in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>.\u201d\n                        <\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/science-breeding-booming-deeptech-startups-estonia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Back in the early 2000s, Estonia was rapidly modernising, shaking off the remnants of Soviet influence. It was ambitiously transforming itself into a digital society with innovations such as e-government and online voting.\u00a0 And, of course, it gave birth to Skype, the company that would launch the small Baltic nation\u2019s journey towards becoming a startup&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":638399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/img-cdn.tnwcdn.com\/image\/tnw-blurple?filter_last=1&fit=1280%2C640&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.tnwcdn.com%2Fwp-content%2Fblogs.dir%2F1%2Ffiles%2F2024%2F09%2FUntitled-design-37.jpg&signature=2f0da7f0132c5f8627bb550e2e76f3d5","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-638398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=638398"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/638398\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/638399"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=638398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=638398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=638398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}