Before stepping into government, Taavi had already made his mark in the tech sector. He co-founded and led the software company Webmedia (later Nortal), growing it into one of the region’s largest IT firms. His background as a developer and entrepreneur gave him a rare mix of technical skill and strategic vision – a combination that would define his public service years.
Appointed CIO in 2013, Taavi became one of the main architects of e-Residency, the world’s first government-issued digital identity for non-residents. The program allows people anywhere in the world to establish and manage a trusted EU-based company entirely online, opening Estonia’s digital services to a global audience.
Under his leadership, Estonia also pushed forward cross-border data exchange, strengthened the X-Road infrastructure, and explored policies that made the country a testing ground for emerging technologies. His work didn’t just modernize services for Estonians – from e-Residency to the pioneering Data Embassy initiative – it also inspired governments worldwide to rethink how they deliver public services in the digital age.
After leaving government in 2017, Taavi returned to entrepreneurship. He co-founded Proud Engineers, advising governments and organisations on digital transformation, and Koos.io, a platform enabling community-driven ownership and engagement. He has also been active in investment and mentorship, supporting startups that share his vision for scalable, human-focused tech solutions.
He has also co-founded Unicorn Squad, a nationwide girls’ tech education initiative that introduces school-age girls to robotics and engineering through hands-on learning. Since its launch, the program has grown rapidly, now involving more than 5,000 girls across Estonia – making it one of the country’s largest movements to inspire future female engineers.
Today, Taavi is a sought-after voice on digital governance, AI policy, and the future of public services, speaking at international forums and continuing to shape digital strategies far beyond Estonia. For him, building the digital future is not just about cutting-edge technology – it’s about trust, transparency, and designing systems that work for people first.
From his early coding days to reshaping how nations think about governance, Taavi Kotka’s journey reflects the same principles that underpin Estonia’s own digital story: bold ideas, practical execution, and a belief that the future is something you can build.
Rooted in Estonia concept
Taavi Kotka sits where the Baltic Sea meets the sky — feet in the waves, eyes on the horizon. It’s a fitting image for the man who helped Estonia look beyond its borders and imagine a nation no longer limited by geography. With the launch of e-Residency, Kotka didn’t just digitise government — he redrew the map.
Here, the waves roll in like lines of code: constant, borderless, full of potential.
The coastline of a small country becomes a digital archipelago of over 100,000 global citizens. Through his vision, Estonia became not just a place on the map, but a platform — open-source, ambitious, and astonishingly real.
Kotka reminds us that visionary thinking isn’t always about chasing the next wave. Sometimes it’s about building something sturdy enough to stand when the tide turns — a nation that invites the world to log in, not just look in.
