Global competition is rapidly changing, requiring swift adaptation while simultaneously testing and implementing new solutions and smart cooperation models.
To maintain and grow competitiveness in both European and global markets, we need a radical shift in mindset and the integration of innovation into everyday industrial operations. Innovation can no longer be an exceptional project or luxury, but must become a normal part of industry and a strategic foundation.
The experience of the AIRE Centre (AI and Robotics Estonia) shows that companies are ready to test new technologies, but they need clear structure and support to do so. Our most popular service – demo projects – allows companies to test AI and robotics solutions before making larger investments. A practical and risk-aware approach helps avoid costly mistakes. Implementing widely-reaching projects requires close cooperation between the private sector, public sector, and research institutions.
A good example is the “triple helix” funding model that has proven successful in Europe, where two euros from the public sector are added to every euro from the private sector. Such demand-driven cooperation has been launched in Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Sweden. Estonia doesn’t have this yet, although the need is evident. Our partners from the EDIH network (European Digital Innovation Hubs) use the same models, and for example, Ireland is planning a 100-million-euro program to support local industry. Our base funding exists, but we need a mindset change – not more money, but smarter cooperation.
AIRE is actively involved with the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) network, which connects over 150 centres across 27 countries. This international cooperation network enables Estonian companies to access top-level technologies, funding opportunities, and knowledge that transcend national borders. AIRE works closely with other EDIH centres, for example in Finland, Germany, and Ireland, sharing best practices and organizing joint training sessions and demo projects. Such cross-border partnership strengthens Estonia’s industrial innovation capacity and helps implement AI and robotics solutions more quickly and efficiently in both domestic and export markets.
Estonian industrial companies must find new business models to compete in the European market. We are no longer a cheap procurement country – in some segments, production in Estonia is more expensive than in Finland. The global economy is moving toward an increasingly protectionist direction, where European countries are bringing production back and promoting the establishment of new factories. Estonia must actively participate in this competition, not just watch from the sidelines. Such participation is crucial for securing our industry’s future and economic growth.
Energy costs, labour prices, and limited access to renewable energy are our bottlenecks. Solutions won’t come only from politics, but also from cooperation with research institutions. We need AI engineers, project-based learning, master’s students in teams – and companies that dare to experiment. AIRE is not merely a project, but a platform that helps Estonian industry produce smarter, cooperate smarter, and survive smarter. For this, we need a mindset that supports innovation, not just maintaining the status quo.
