Yesterday, on 18 June, the Estonian Embassy in London opened a business hub in its premises, aimed at supporting Estonian companies. Estonia has similar hubs in Seoul, Singapore, Paris, Riga, and Washington.
“The Embassy in the United Kingdom has been helping Estonian business for a long time, and now we have taken our technological capabilities to a new level,” Viljar Lubi, Estonian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, said at the opening event, which brought together more than 25 Estonian companies.
According to the ambassador, Estonia’s brand on foreign markets is new technologies and innovation, and the business hub, alongside companies, can help to amplify that. Business hubs also provide a trustworthy and formal environment where companies can organise business meetings or events in cooperation with the Embassy.
“Last year, we hosted nearly 100 business diplomacy events. Together with the embassy team, including the export and foreign investment advisers of Enterprise Estonia, we are helping companies build new business connections,” Lubi explained, encouraging companies to seek advice and support from embassies.
The opening event was also attended by Shroomwell, a company based in Tõrva, South Estonia, which produces health products and grows functional mushrooms. “The notion that food isn’t just about calories but should be smart and support our mental health is growing fast. The United Kingdom is the fastest-growing market in our sector in Europe, so having a presence here is very important for us,” Eva Maran, Shroomwell’s Export Manager, said.
According to her, state support in foreign markets is vital for entrepreneurs. “The ability to organise meetings and events, and to bring our clients to meet the ambassador or another member of the embassy team – it shows our partners that we are a serious business,” Maran noted.
She added that their experience with the London Embassy and with other embassies has been excellent. “Everyone is very helpful and proactive in thinking about who to connect with and which events to attend. At the same time, it is important that companies themselves are proactive and know what they want. That way, the embassy can provide even more support,” Shroomwell’s representative said.
Also attending the opening event was Nortal, which has already established a foothold in the UK market. Last year, Nortal acquired 3DOT Solutions Limited, a well-known UK cybersecurity consultancy that is a certified partner of the UK Armed Forces and intelligence services.
“Opening a business hub in London is extremely important for Estonian companies wishing to expand into the UK and do business here. When entering a new market, the support and services provided by the Embassy are crucial – both in opening doors and in building trust with business contacts,” Andres Raieste, Head of Public Sector at Nortal, said.
According to him, Nortal now has a strong local team and customer base, primarily in defence and cybersecurity, but the company is actively looking for expansion opportunities, partners and clients in both the public and private sectors.
The Estonian Business Hub in London was financed with funds from the NextGenerationEU of the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. There are plans to open business hubs in Berlin and Copenhagen next.
Companies interested in the UK market are advised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start by familiarising themselves with the market strategy: https://vm.ee/en/export-uk