Latitude59 turns Tallinn into the Capital of the New Nordics

The startup and technology event Latitude59, taking place in Tallinn this month, will transform the city into the Capital of the New Nordics, creating a platform to connect the Baltic and Nordic countries with startup ecosystems across Europe, Canada, Africa and Asia.

Latitude59 Head of Programme Kai Isand said this year’s event will create a strong platform for cross-border cooperation. “Latitude59 is bringing international startup communities to Tallinn and creating a practical environment where real problems are solved and tangible outcomes are achieved. Ideas and solutions will not only be presented on stage but participants themselves will be active co-creators. Our aim is to bring different experiences and ways of thinking together, sparking meaningful collisions,” Isand explained.

This year, Latitude59 will focus on topics that call for collective thinking and collaborative solutions, including climate and defence technologies, whose importance has become critical across the world. The programme will also feature sessions dedicated to more specialised fields, alongside interactive formats designed to encourage practical exchange.

For the first time, Latitude59 will host the two-day Builders Lab, where software builders from Estonia and abroad will take the stage. Ten selected teams and individuals will have a unique opportunity to present their solutions to companies such as Google, Project Europe and Bilt, receiving feedback from industry experts. The audience will also be part of the experience, gaining ideas and practical tips on how to move forward with their own projects.

Finland’s Aalto University will bring deep tech into focus at Latitude59, with a dedicated stage discussion preceded by several workshops for Estonian and Finnish startups and investors. These practical conversations will continue throughout the event, helping to build bridges between New Nordic ecosystems. The New Nordics concept will also be showcased in a New Nordics area, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

As this year’s Latitude59 focuses on the balance between humanity and technology, global technology companies including Google Cloud, Meta, Mastercard and Amazon Web Services will also gather in Tallinn. Google Cloud will organise a workshop on building AI agents for the first time in the Baltics, and will bring to the stage Axel Toybetman, a former rapper with a fascinating personal story, who will speak about his journey from music and graffiti to working at Google.

Several international delegations will also arrive in Tallinn, with the largest coming from Italy, Valencia, Austria, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, South Korea and Canada.

As is tradition, audiences can look forward to podcast and pitch stages, where the next generation of entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to stand out. Bliq will also bring a glimpse of the future to Tallinn by showcasing a new generation of self-driving cars.

Latitude59 2026 will take place on 20–22 May in Tallinn at Kultuurikatel. This year, Latitude59 has chosen The Global Village Experiment as its main theme, testing the hypothesis that the most valuable connections happen when ecosystems collide. In 2026, the ambition is to bring founders and ecosystem builders from around the world to Estonia, positioning Tallinn as a gateway to the New Nordics. Organisers expect participants from more than 70 countries.

About Latitude59

This year marks the 14th edition of Latitude59 in Tallinn. Over the past decade, Latitude59 has grown into the most international and influential technology event in the Baltics and the New Nordics, extending its reach to Asia and Africa. Last year, alongside the flagship event in Tallinn, Latitude59 hosted a two-day conference in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. Side events were also held in Singapore, and for the first time, two events took place in South Africa. Latitude59 returns to Tallinn this May with a new ambition to build bridges between the New Nordics and startup ecosystems in Africa and Asia, while putting the balance between humanity and technology centre stage.

About Estonia

Estonia has the highest concentration of unicorns in Europe, with 865 startups per million people. A global leader in digital innovation, Estonia continues to set the standard for thriving tech ecosystems.