County development centres, which offer free advisory services, assist you in finding financial support for your projects. Development centres can provide information on EU assistance and other possible sources of support as well as private sector consultants and their services.

Tallinn entrepreneurship centre offers free advisory services to start-up companies, including on preparing a business plan and financial forecasts.

Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) offers grants and advisory services as well as practical training and workshops conducted by experts of the field to start-up companies.

The Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund’s business start-up subsidy can be applied for by unemployed persons or persons of retirement age who are not working and are registered as jobseekers and who:

• are at least 18 years old and
• have completed at least 56 hours of entrepreneurship training or
• have vocational or higher education in economics, or at least one year of business experience.

The subsidy is up to EUR 6 000.

The business start-up subsidy is provided for starting economic activities as a newly established company or self-employed person.

Read more about the business start-up subsidy

It is possible to apply for assistance from the European Structural and Investment Funds under specific support measures and via open calls for proposals organised by implementing entities.

More detailed advice on how to plan and carry out your project can be found on the website of the State Shared Service Centre.

The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) supports start-ups and existing businesses by providing financial support, consultations, cooperation opportunities, and trainings. EIS focuses on promoting the development of export-oriented companies creating higher added value. The Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) also offers loan and surety facilities, supporting investments by businesses to help them develop and expand into foreign markets. In addition, EIS provides access to risk capital, credit insurance, and state-guaranteed collateral to increase the confidence and competitiveness of businesses.

The Rural Development Foundation aims to boost rural entrepreneurship by providing loan guarantees and loans mainly to micro, small, and medium sized bio-economy and rural entrepreneurs.

The Agricultural Registers and Information Board (ARIB) organises the provision of state aid and European Union grants targeted at agriculture, market organisation, fisheries and rural development.

The European Union has a wide range of funding programmes, some of which are direct funding programmes (grants are distributed directly by the European Commission), while others are implemented via agencies designated by Member States.

The Environmental Investment Centre (KIK) finances various environmental projects. Environmental loans for specific purposes can also be applied for at KIK to implement projects.

Companies can apply for support from the European Structural and Investment Funds under specific support measures through open calls for proposals.

Applications for grants are handled by implementing entities that also communicate with the beneficiaries.

Grants can be applied for via the online environment for structural assistance.

More detailed advice on how to apply for support and plan and carry out a project can be found on the website of the State Shared Service Centre.

Information on support opportunities is available free of charge to companies from county development centres.

Information on the opportunities of funding companies in the creative industry is available on the websites of Creative Estonia and Creative Europe.

For information on business grants in Tallinn, please visit the website of Tallinn.

A private placement of shares means that you sell a holding in your enterprise to a definite partner in return for the investment you need for developing your business. Often investor(s) are private venture capital funds that operate as financial investors. To find a strategic investor, you must have a strong and distinctive enterprise or business idea with international commercial potential.

Capital can also be raised through an IPO, which generally requires that the company’s securities will eventually be listed on a stock exchange. Throughout the world, securities are broadly classified in three major categories.

• Listed securities are traded on a securities market - this is the most reliable option for investors, but imposes the greatest number of obligations on a company.
• The open market is above all for rapid-growth and higher-risk companies, the rules for being listed on the open market are somewhat less stringent.
• The third category of securities market is the alternative market (the so-called unregulated market; not very many requirements are imposed on enterprises and the requirements are also fewer with regard to disclosure of information.

You can use all three opportunities on the Tallinn stock exchange.

Conditions for being listed on the Tallinn Stock Exchange