Foreign Founders Meetup: What are investors looking for in 2026?

Wednesday 28. January at 17:30 - 21:00

Elutuba Lava Taga, Tartu

Foreign Founders Meetup vol. 4 is happening in Tartu- as an official sTARTUp Day side event! Join us on 28 January 2026 at Elutuba Lava Taga (Kastani 50) for an evening focused on a question every founder faces: how to build a startup investors actually want to fund.

This meetup helps international founders (and yes, locals will find it just as valuable) understand Estonia’s investor landscape- from angel investors to venture funds- and explore the funding opportunities available for startups. We’ll also unpack what makes a company “investor-ready” and how to position yourself strategically when seeking capital.

As a side event of sTARTUp Day, the meetup brings together the full energy and reach of the region’s largest startup festival.

What to expect

📘 Training: “How to Build an Investable Startup in Estonia”
A practical session on the foundations of a successful funding round:
• what investors look for at the early stage,
• how to position yourself attractively,
• the most common mistakes founders should avoid.

🎤 Panel Discussion
Insights from the ecosystem: a Tehnopol representative (accelerator/incubator), an Estonian angel investor, and a grants/public funding expert will share real-world experiences on fundraising, decision-making, and what truly moves the needle for early-stage companies.

🤝 Networking
Meet founders, ecosystem partners and investors gathering in Tartu for sTARTUp Day. A great opportunity to exchange experiences, ask questions, and build meaningful connections.

Agenda
17:30–18:00 – Gathering
18:00–18:50 – Training / workshop by Lauri Antalainen
18:50–19:00 – Break
19:00–19:30 – Panel discussion: Lauri Antalainen and Nemailla Bonturi, moderated by Rannar Park
19:30–21:00 – Networking

🗣️Meet the speakers
Lauri Antalainen is the President and Board Member of the Estonian Business Angels Association (EstBAN) and serves on the Advisory Board of Latitude59, Estonia’s leading startup conference. He has invested in over 50 startups and achieved several successful exits. Lauri is also the founder of Digiwise, a consulting firm helping companies drive growth through digitalization. With extensive experience in business development and angel investing, he actively supports founders and the startup ecosystem in the Baltics and beyond.

Nemailla Bonturi is the Co-Founder and CEO of ÄIO, a biotechnology company developing sustainable, fermentation-based solutions for the future of food and cosmetics. With a background spanning academic research and deep-tech entrepreneurship, she leads ÄIO’s strategic growth at the intersection of science, sustainability, and commercial impact. Prior to founding ÄIO, Nemailla was a senior researcher at TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology and the University of Tartu.

Rannar Park leads business management at the e-Estonia Briefing Centre, helping founders and state partners connect, collaborate, and spark cross-border innovation. He’s passionate about digitalisation and showcasing Estonia’s startup-friendly ecosystem to the world.

📅 Date: January 28, 2026
📍 Location: Elutuba Lava Taga, Kastani 50, 50410 Tartu
Event language: English

💡 Register now to secure your spot — it’s FREE, but registration required.

🔗 Check out what the Foreign Founders Meetup series is all about here.

Foreign Founders Meetup is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Selection

Regular ticket

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Free

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Elutuba Lava Taga • Kastani tänav 50, 50410 Tartu, Tartu maakond, Estonia

Google Map of Kastani tänav 50, 50410 Tartu, Tartu maakond, Estonia

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