From AI traffic monitoring to drone detection, Tallinn gives startups a real city to test in, a digital infrastructure like no other, and a direct path from pilot to permanent city service.
TALLINN AS A REAL-WORLD TESTING GROUND
What if a city could offer startups something no lab can: a real, functioning urban environment to test new technologies? That is exactly what ‘Think Global, Test in Tallinn’ does. Created by the City of Tallinn, the programme gives companies a structured one-stop shop to pilot innovative solutions across the city's infrastructure, public services, and communities. Testing cycles run up to 12 months with regular reviews, and participants receive project management support, access to open data, and direct connections with municipal departments. Since launch, 28 projects have tested technologies ranging from AI-powered traffic monitoring and drone detection to waste digitalisation and urban planning tools.
TURNING CITIES INTO INNOVATION PARTNERS
Most cities adopt technology once it is already mature. Tallinn does the opposite: it actively seeks out and co-develops emerging solutions with businesses. The programme brings together municipal departments, public companies, and key infrastructure partners including the port (AS Tallinna Sadam) and the airport (AS Tallinna Lennujaam), creating a city-wide testing ecosystem. Estonia's advanced digital infrastructure, including e-residency and fully digital governance, gives companies a uniquely capable and agile environment to validate solutions and explore international markets, with Tallinn's small, connected scale working as an advantage rather than a limitation.
FROM URBAN LAB TO URBAN LIFE
The programme delivers measurable results across the board. Participating companies achieve revenue growth, job creation, and market validation for global scaling. Citizens benefit from early access to innovative solutions in mobility, safety, and sustainability. And the best ideas don't stop at the pilot stage: a clear testing-to-procurement pathway means proven solutions can become a permanent part of how the city operates. In this way, Tallinn doesn't just host innovation, it absorbs it, grows from it, and offers a model that other cities are beginning to take notice of.
