Together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications we have launched a call for proposals to support mental health and green turn projects. 4 million euros will be invested in the development of new solutions in the coming years.
“Complex social problems such as environmental protection and mental health are an opportunity for Estonian companies to develop new products and services that create value for both Estonia and the international community, thus bringing the solutions developed and tested in Estonia to the global market,” said Viljar Lubi, one of the initiators of Accelerate Estonia program.
The two focus themes of 2021, mental health and the green turn, are the areas that have the greatest impact on society. “The mental health crisis has come with the pandemic, but it is less visible on a daily basis. Unfortunately, health care spending on mental health has risen every year and will continue to do so, so it is important to find solutions to emerge from this crisis as winners. We believe that this challenge can become Estonia’s new competitive advantage, ”explained Mikk Vainik, head of Accelerate Estonia. The World Health Organization estimates that the global economy loses about 1 trillion dollars every year due to mental health problems.
Vainik added that words alone are no longer enough to save the environment, but in order to achieve the green turn, it is necessary to take bolder steps in an economy that takes the environment into account. “Green thinking is becoming more and more popular, but we need much stronger experiments to manage developments faster and more effectively.”
Accelerate Estonia is looking for ideas from all individuals, companies and non-profit organizations. Ideas can be submitted all year round, and various digital solutions as well as other product and service development projects are welcome. “The state will invest 4 million euros in testing new solutions in the coming years and is ready to test very unexpected proposals,” Lubi emphasized.
High-flying ideas are tested in collaboration with private and public actors. “Estonia is an ideal place to test and validate ideas that completely change today’s perceptions. We have a strong background for this, with the support of knowledge, skills and the public sector. As a small digital country, there is also a strong digital infrastructure, ” says Viljar Lubi.
More information about participating in the program and this year’s focus topics can be found here: www.accelerateestonia.ee/en/missions/
