Light IT Global’s team started 2026 by heading to Tartu to join sTARTUp Day — one of the largest startup-focused European conferences.
3 amazing days at Estonian National Museum were full of dynamic discussions, insightful panels, and exciting startup pitches we’re glad we didn’t miss. Over 3000 participants from around the world, including speakers from Ukraine, which is especially heartwarming. We’ve gathered all of the most important upshots from this event in one article so you could keep up with what’s important for the European startup scene without leaving your house. So, if that’s something you’re interested in, dive in!
Creating meaning and intention as the backbone of a modern startup
One of the center topics of sTATUp Day 2026 wasn’t even directly related to technology, which is refreshing and inspirational. Keynotes during the “Good Life” section were dedicated to actionable advice that can help startuppers build companies and products responsibly, sustainably, and with greater purpose.
Probably the most anticipated speech of the day was delivered by Sultan Akif, Startups Executive at Microsoft, who shared his “Powered by Purpose” framework. The essence of this approach is building high-growth and high-human-impact ventures in a sustainable way by following the “6 pillar” structure:
- Aligning purpose with action
- Taking care of one’s physical and mental health
- Building a solid revenue model
- Forming a strong community
- Having creative freedom
- Having fun
“You cannot truly achieve your purpose if responsibility and ethics aren’t part of your company’s DNA. These values shouldn’t be an afterthought or a checkbox — they should be front and center in how you build.”
"Creating a Good Life" panel held by Rainer Olbri, Dmitri Sarle, and Egija Gailuma focused on how modern success is reshaped, no longer including solely financial benefits, or workplace status, but more so a balanced lifestyle, healthy everyday choices, and leaning on good values.
A similar topic was explored during a discussion, “When do you know that enough is enough?“. Marek Kesküll (Scorestars), Aleks Koha (Matagi), and Elise Sass shared their insights on how skills like flexibility, the ability to think outside the box, and persistence can help startuppers choose the right strategy in moments of uncertainty.
Each of the founders on this panel has a unique story in terms of tough decision-making. Each made a different choice: whether to pivot, exit, or close their company altogether, yet those choices have proven to be correct and beneficial as they have unlocked new opportunities and ways to grow.
The discussion was a great reminder that even things we may consider worst-case scenarios can turn out to be just another step toward success, and sometimes it’s better to stop beating a dead horse, no matter how hard and painful this can be in the moment.
DefenceTech: Innovation With Immediate Stakes
At a time when geopolitical dynamics are shifting rapidly, sTARTUp Day 2026 brought defenceTech — long a niche corner of the ecosystem — into the spotlight with fresh relevance.
Sessions featuring founders from Ukraine were among the most emotionally compelling moments of the event. These founders shared first-hand accounts of building under pressure, solving hard problems that went straight to the frontline realities of defence and security. Behind their stories were technologies and processes that extended far beyond theory — demonstrating how entrepreneurial innovation can directly influence operational resilience and national capability in tumultuous environments.
The launch of initiatives like the Defence Business Lab adds further ballast to this emerging vertical. Designed to help startups scale internationally within the security and defence domain, it underscores a broader strategic shift: startups are no longer just building tools for convenience — they are contributing to systems that matter at the level of national infrastructure and societal safety. The conversations around this track were not abstract; they were grounded in lived experience and future readiness.
AI at sTARTUp Day: From Hype to Helpfulness
AI was everywhere, but not in the way many expected. Instead of being treated as a buzzword, AI at sTARTUp Day was treated as a tool whose value is judged not by complexity, but by impact.
Across seminars and informal discussions, a consistent thread emerged: the true value of AI lies in whether it meaningfully improves a workflow or outcome. This approach pushed the conversation beyond model architecture or cutting-edge algorithms, toward questions of usefulness, user experience, and measurable impact. In other words, AI wasn’t evaluated based on what it could do, but what it should do — especially when embedded into real products and real user contexts.
This practical lens also reflected broader industry learnings. Too many projects fall into the trap of adding AI for its own sake, without answering the fundamental question: Does it help users, or does it distract them? At sTARTUp Day, founders and thought leaders alike emphasized the importance of grounding AI development in real business value, and of measuring its contribution through the lens of users and outcomes.
DeepTech: From Discovery to Scale
DeepTech may be hard to define, but its presence at sTARTUp Day was unmistakable. In Estonia, deep tech entrepreneurship is gradually transitioning from academic curiosity into a driving force with real economic and societal potential. The Deep Tech Lounge — a dedicated space at the event — provided both context and community, mapping out what it really takes to turn scientific discovery into scalable technology businesses.
Estonia’s deep tech ecosystem is still maturing, with much of the initial activity originating within academic institutions. But there’s momentum: revenues are rising, investor interest is real, and companies rooted in research are beginning to show sustainable growth trajectories. DeepTech sector leaders emphasised that this isn’t entrepreneurship that follows the typical startup script. Instead of rapid, feature-led iterations, deep tech requires patience, rigorous validation, and support frameworks that bridge research and commercialization.
The ecosystem’s progress is visible not only in dialogue, but in investment outcomes too. Deep tech companies have taken home significant support and recognition at pitching competitions, reinforcing the message that scientific foundations and commercial scalability are converging in Estonia faster than many anticipated.
This shift matters not just for Estonia, but for any community seeking to elevate its startup ecosystem — deep tech demonstrates that high-impact innovation is not always about speed, but about depth, resilience, and strategic support.
Why sTARTUp Day 2026 Mattered?
What brought these threads together was sTARTUp Day’s blend of festival energy and substantive dialogue. Across stages and conversation corners, innovation wasn’t a slogan — it was a practice rooted in solving real, meaningful problems.
With over 300 startups, diverse investor presence, and practical seminars alongside deep discussions, the event illustrated the state of entrepreneurship in 2026: curious, purposeful, and increasingly grounded in real-world impact. From matchmaking sessions to expert Q&As, from demo hall discoveries to executive breakfasts, the ecosystem on display was both vibrant and pragmatic.
For anyone tracking the frontier of European innovation, sTARTUp Day reaffirmed a clear truth: the most exciting technologies are those that don’t just push boundaries, but also address measurable needs with discipline, clarity, and resilience. Whether in defence, AI, or deep tech, the startups and conversations at the event are shaping an entrepreneurial future that is as thoughtful as it is ambitious.
