15 Estonian companies have started their research-intensive development projects with the support of the EIS, with an impact ranging from energy to the pharmaceutical industry. The goal of the program is to accelerate the market introduction of smart products and technologies.

In the eighth round of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Foundation (EIS) applied research program, 15 companies received support, whose projects cover a wide range of fields. The total amount of support amounted to 16.1 million euros, and the companies themselves contributed an additional 9.9 million euros. The research work is planned for three years and is expected to result in new products and technologies that can compete in international markets.

Several projects concern the energy sector, the pharmaceutical industry, digital technology and machine learning. For example, GaltTec OÜ plans to bring to the market a novel fuel cell solution that allows for the production of electricity in small volumes but with extremely high efficiency. The company's CEO Glen Kelp said that thanks to the support, the team can grow and the project will reach the implementation phase faster. According to him, this is a deep technology, the likes of which have not been seen on the market in Estonia or the world.

In the field of healthcare and chemistry, support has been received, for example, by TBD Pharmatech, which is developing a platform for combining antibodies and drug molecules. Their goal is to raise the level of Estonian pharmaceutical production to an international level and enter the market with drugs for which there is a rapidly growing demand in the world. According to the company's CEO Andrus Tasa, the program allows them to accelerate work that has so far moved slowly and in small steps.

Among others, Baltic Workboats AS, Auve Tech OÜ, ELIKO Kompetentsikeskus, Fractory OÜ, LabToWellness OÜ and several others have also received support. The projects vary from mobile robots to artificial intelligence-based analysis software, and new solutions are developed in both education and industry. The common denominator is a strong scientific basis and the potential to grow into global products.

According to Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Erkki Keldo, the Applied Research Programme is one of the most effective ways to increase the productivity of Estonian companies. Analysis has shown that industrial companies that have joined the programme have reached 120 percent of the European Union average in terms of productivity. At the same time, the average productivity of the entire Estonian manufacturing industry is below 60 percent. This means that the impact of the programme is noticeable and real.

Sigrid Harjo, member of the EIS board, confirmed that interest in the programme is very high and that entrepreneurs see it as an opportunity to bring their development ideas to the market faster. Harjo also encouraged applicants in the next round, as the funding opportunities are broad-based and open to companies of all sizes.

The Applied Research Programme has been operating since 2020, and to date, over 200 projects with a total volume of 150 million euros have been implemented with its support. The next, ninth round of applications will open on 28 July 2025, and the pre-evaluation deadline is 15 September. The support is intended for all Estonian companies that want to develop new science-based products, services or processes.

Through such support, Estonian entrepreneurship is moving firmly in a direction where science and product development are no longer separate fields, but are closely integrated. This is precisely what creates the prerequisites for the emergence of strong, sustainable and internationally competitive companies.