While the tour little resembled our initial expectations, it proved to be a useful introduction to Tallinn beyond the medieval architecture and pub crawls. We had heard the success stories of Skype and TransferWise, so we hoped to get to interact with people in Tallinn’s creative e-commerce sector, to learn more about the business conditions and ideas that make the city so forward-looking compared to neighboring eastern capitals. Unfortunately, we visited during the summer holiday season, which meant many of the people whom we may have encountered in shared working spaces simply weren’t there. Instead, we passed through several offices that looked cool enough but didn’t really help put the pieces together. Similarly, our venture to Telliskivi gave a rough outline of what the neighborhood was and how it has been revitalized now, with a few examples of up-and-coming firms - but never really analyzed why. But once we hopped in a Bolt and drove out to the TalTech campus, the tour came to life. We saw where the real people live, and the ice had thawed enough to start answering and asking questions ranging from Estonia’s innovative block-chain based e-government solutions to new inventions to the educational and political situation framing it all. Seeing many ideas in development in front of our eyes, and hearing some of the pitch scenarios helped us understand more - which led in turn to more questions and really got a good conversation going by the end. We would have been grateful for an overview of the tour’s agenda at the start, outlining the stops and estimated times in each spot. Our guide was quite personable, earnest and eager to answer questions. This eventually led to valuable insights but at first seemed a little random or even unprepared. Overall, our visit to Estonia was rendered more interesting and enjoyable by participating in this tour. Given a little more structure, it could be even better. Come prepared with your own questions and enjoy where the time takes you.

Saw a couple of incubators. Got a good presentation on one successful startup.

Guide was knowledgeable and well-spoken.

Big downer, though, was that it was on a Saturday and no one was working. My expectation was that we would see people in action. (Saturday and no one working???)