The day was opened by Janne Andresoo, Director General of the Estonian Patent Office, who spoke about the current state of intellectual property (IP) protection in Estonia and how the Office aims to support entrepreneurs and creators more as a partner, not merely as a registry.
Next, presentations were given by Salome Virkus (EIS) and Marit Saul (UniTartu Ventures). In addition, Anu Varblane from the research company Kantar Emor presented the Patent Office’s new study on the commercialization of intellectual property, which sparked many ideas on how to turn one’s intellectual property into real economic value.
Afterwards, participants were divided into three practical workshops to discuss how to strengthen Estonia’s intellectual property ecosystem together.
In the workshop “Pieces into a Whole: Roles and Synergy in the Estonian Intellectual Property Ecosystem”, led by Kai Härmand (Harju County Court), participants explored where entrepreneurs most often encounter obstacles on their journey and how the Patent Office, patent attorneys, EIS, and universities could work together to provide more effective support.
The workshop “Destination Inventors’ Village: What Should Young People Know About Intellectual Property and How to Bring This Knowledge to Them?”, led by Liia Tammes, head of the Robokaru Robotics School, brought together young innovators, student inventors, and student company mentors to brainstorm how to enhance young people’s awareness of IP and entrepreneurship.
In the workshop “Dream Protection for Intellectual Property: Where Is the World Heading and How Can We Support Entrepreneurs on Their IP Protection Journey?”, led by Anna Kosar from the law firm Cobalt, entrepreneurs themselves shared their firsthand experiences — what works, what needs to change, and what solutions are needed to encourage more active IP protection.
Entrepreneur Arno Kütt (Rollo Robotics OÜ), who participated in the workshop, noted that Estonian entrepreneurs are highly creative and technically skilled, yet often fail to protect the value they create in the long term or to benefit economically from it.
“The root of the problem lies in our higher education system, where too little attention is paid to intellectual property and its practical protection aspects. Raising awareness is not enough — entrepreneurs also need precise knowledge and skills: what types of intellectual property can be protected, how to do it, and what advantages legal protection provides,” Kütt emphasized.
Several key messages and proposals emerged from the discussions:
📢 Awareness of intellectual property should start already in school.
📢 Entrepreneurs need modern, user-friendly services — and artificial intelligence and new technologies can play a major role here.
📢 Intellectual property protection is not just a niche interest; it is a matter of national importance.
The Estonian Patent Office thanks everyone who took the time to participate and share their valuable thoughts and experiences! The next step is to summarize the results and set action plans.