Press Trip: Estonia's HealthTech Ecosystem

Whether working with children, start-up founders or governmental representatives, Rannar Park has always focused on bringing communities closer together and facilitating relationships to ensure no opportunity ever goes unexplored or unused. Thanks to his background in education and organisational management he is a strong proponent of the digitalisation of services for the sake of upskilling the population and un-cluttering people’s lives.

As e-Estonia Briefing Centre’s Head of Business Management, Rannar aims to connect entrepreneurs and state entities to foster cross-borders innovation, international business relations and make sure the gospel of e-Estonia is heard in every corner of the world.

Roman Kostrõkin is the Head of the Health Information System (TIS) domain at the Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK), where he has been leading the development of the next-generation health information system since November 2023. His mission is to make the use of health data more secure, efficient, and user-friendly.

With nearly 20 years of experience in managing teams and complex development projects, Roman has held leadership roles in international companies such as Telia – where he was responsible for customer data management and privacy – and Consolis, where he led digital transformation and engineering teams across the Nordics.

Roman holds two master’s degrees: an MBA from the Estonian Business School and an MEng in Digital Transformation in Business from TalTech, as well as a bachelor’s degree in engineering from TTK University of Applied Sciences. He is known for his ability to structure complex challenges into actionable plans and his strong belief in the power of teamwork.

Patrick Pihelgas began his career in healthcare studying medicine at the University of Tartu, graduating as a doctor in 2020. During his studies, he worked as a caregiver, nurse assistant, and junior doctor, gaining hands-on experience across the healthcare system. Although he once considered careers in orthopaedics, gynaecology, occupational health, or family medicine, he ultimately chose not to pursue residency in order to focus on improving the healthcare system as a whole.

After several years of practising as a general practitioner in a family health centre, he joined the Estonian Health Insurance Fund at the end of 2021. He now serves as Product Lead for the Healthcare Specialist Portal, a platform that provides healthcare professionals with unified access to e-health services such as e-prescriptions, e-referrals, and e-consultations. In this role, he helps shape how digital tools support everyday clinical practice and inform policy decisions, with a growing focus on how data can enable value-based care.

Beyond his work at the Health Insurance Fund, Patrick has served for three years on the board of the Estonian Junior Doctors’ Association, advocating for Estonia to remain one of the best places for young doctors to train and practise. For two years, he has been the Medical Workforce Committee Chairperson for the European Junior Doctors Association. He also works as a coach, supporting aspiring people in navigating professional and personal challenges.

Outside of work, Patrick is a devoted husband, cat owner, and aspiring novelist.

Helen Staak is the Head of HealthTech at Tehnopol, where she leads efforts to strengthen Estonia’s healthtech ecosystem. She has a background in digital health and interaction design. Previously, Helen managed different development and innovation projects at one of the largest hospitals in Estonia.

She has also helped to coordinate the Estonian Connected Health Cluster – a nationwide partnership that brought together healthcare stakeholders across Estonia. Additionally, she has contributed to the organisation of innovation programmes focusing on COPD, HIV, and migraine.

Dr Anna-Liisa Kubo, PhD is the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Nanordica Medical OÜ. She has over 20 years of experience in basic and applied research. She has been involved in the activities of research-intensive enterprises and is currently leading product innovation for Nanordica Medical. The company has gained several recognised grants from the European Union and from Enterprise Estonia, and the innovation from Nanordica Medical has received many international prizes.

Madis Päev has a background in regulated industries, such as insurance and finance, and currently leads business operations at 7Sense. He focuses on advancing accessibility by bringing high-tech solutions to the visually impaired, enabling greater participation in the workforce and society while representing the interests of end-users.

Dedicated to revolutionising women’s health through smart device innovation. Combines technical project leadership in bringing ideas to pilot production with a foundation in quality.

Meelis Lang, Chief Innovation Officer at Helmes, unites people, technology and business. He has created a unique Agile team model (the Helmes Way) that is based on talents and values. It defines how Helmes builds valuable partnerships with both employees and customers.

Meelis has over 25 years of software industry experience, developing complex innovative solutions, leading teams, and managing businesses. He has been responsible for transforming the whole Helmes organisation on how to be Agile, not just do Agile. He is leading the innovation of a high-performance software delivery organisation and coaching technology leaders. For 15 years, he delivered large-scale, complex, business-critical solutions for both startups and corporations in the IT, logistics, finance and healthcare industries.

He holds a degree in engineering from TalTech University, Estonia, an Executive MBA degree from Aalto University, Finland, has extensively studied practical psychology, and is a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths coach.

Kertti is an e-health expert with a comprehensive background in digital health service design and policy-making. In her prior roles, she was steering e-health governance and driving developments in health data interoperability and patient-centred e-services within the national e-health system at the Ministry of Social Affairs. Kertti co-led the creation of the new National Health Portal and the Strategic Vision for Estonian e-Health 2030.

Currently serving as VP of Healthcare at Nortal Estonia, Kertti is directing the development of Estonia’s leading hospital information system. Kertti holds an academic foundation from the University of Tartu, specialising in information and knowledge management, as well as business analysis with a keen emphasis on information literacy.

Piret Hirv is a healthcare technology expert with a strong background in digital transformation, data management, and AI-driven innovation. She leads the Data Management Competence Centre at eGA and has advanced Estonia’s digital healthcare as an Advisor at the Ministry of Social Affairs and as Manager of the Connected Health Cluster. With a master’s in healthcare technology, she bridges clinical knowledge and digital innovation to modernise health systems.

Dr Kristel Amjärv is the CEO of Pealinna Perearstid and Mainor Ülemiste Health Centres, as well as a general practitioner. Their work focuses on developing innovative healthcare solutions and creating a healthier living and working environment for the 18,000 people who work, study, and live in Ülemiste City.

Since 2018, she has played a key role in shaping Ülemiste City’s health ecosystem. This includes leading the development of two modern health centres (with a third underway), bringing together family doctors, specialists, university clinics, diagnostics, occupational health, and surgical services under one urban health cluster. In partnership with Health Founders and other innovators, they have introduced digital health solutions into everyday clinical practice — from digital headache diaries to Dermtest and personalised e-family doctor programmes.

At the intersection of medicine, technology, and urban development, she is dedicated to building a sustainable, forward-looking health economy that improves well-being and quality of life across the community.

Andrus Altrov, Co-Founder and CEO of Industry62, has led many pioneering eHealth projects, including Estonia’s National Electronic Health Record and cross-border ePrescriptions. Outside of work, he actively supports youth sailing education.

Dr Andres Lasn is a family doctor and the CEO of Certific OÜ, with extensive hands-on experience in envisioning, implementing, and scaling digital health technology solutions. He has served for six years as a board member of the Estonian Society of Family Doctors and, alongside his GP practice, founded and ran a private boutique weight management clinic.

Priit Kruus the CEO and Co-founder of Dermtest. Under his leadership, Dermtest has established itself with a powerful B2B SaaS platform that enables advanced visual data management in healthcare. This platform is utilized by over 100 paying hospitals and clinics in Estonia and Germany. Dermtest’s suite of digital tools is designed to prevent, detect, treat, and monitor diseases across 15 different visually-heavy specialties. For example, the platform is critical in managing body-surface conditions such as facilitating the early detection of skin cancer, monitoring psoriasis, and improving chronic wound treatment. Dermtest operates across all care levels, from general practitioners (GPs) to large hospitals, and from home care to nursing homes.

His expertise is built on 15 years of previous experience encompassing healthcare analytics, health policy research, and digital health consulting and team management across the public, non-governmental, and private sectors. His extensive background includes health tech consulting and market access experience in eight countries. He remains actively involved in shaping the ecosystem as a member of the advisory board at the Estonian Connected Health cluster and a lecturer at the digital health technologies MSc study program at TalTech. He hosts the podcast Taltech Digital Health and is doing a PhD in digital dermatology.

Dr. Peeter Padrik is a medical oncologist, researcher, and healthcare entrepreneur with more than 30 years of clinical and leadership experience. He previously served as Head of Hematology & Oncology and Director of the Cancer Center at Tartu University Hospital, and as Associate Professor of Oncology at the University of Tartu.

A pioneer in applying genetic information to cancer prevention, Dr. Padrik founded Antegenes to make polygenic risk score technology part of everyday healthcare. His vision is to reduce cancer deaths by enabling personalised screening and prevention, ensuring individuals and clinicians can act on genetic risk long before disease develops.

Professor of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at the University of Tartu, and Member of the Executive Board, Head of Research and Development, Tartu University Hospital

Joel Starkopf has broad scientific experience ranging from animal experiments to multicentre clinical trials and systematic reviews. His research has focused on abdominal problems in intensive care patients; ischaemia-reperfusion of the heart and myocardial preconditioning; and the pharmacokinetics of antibacterial drugs in severe sepsis and septic shock. He has supervised 10 PhD students, published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and has more than 4,000 citations. He has broad clinical practice as an intensivist, who supervises the department of the University Hospital responsible for the highest level of anaesthesiology, intensive care and emergency medicine in Estonia.

Dr Jana Lass is an accomplished clinical pharmacist and academic. She serves as an Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Tartu’s Institute of Pharmacy and practises at the Tartu University Hospital. Her work bridges patient care, research, and innovation, with a particular focus on paediatric medicines and intensive care.

She earned her Master’s in Clinical Pharmacy from Queen’s University Belfast and completed her PhD at the University of Tartu, working within the Medical Faculty’s Institute of Microbiology.

Her scholarly interests include the pharmacoepidemiology of paediatric medicine use (especially off-label and unlicensed prescriptions) and infection control. She is also recognised for her expertise in 3D printing of medicines, particularly in developing personalised formulations tailored to paediatric needs.

Dr Lass is actively involved in projects and collaborations both nationally and internationally, contributing to the evidence base around safe and effective medication use in vulnerable populations.

Dr Kaspar Tootsi is a distinguished orthopaedic surgeon specialising in hip, knee, and shoulder arthroplasty, while also serving as the leading tumour surgeon at Tartu University Hospital. As head of the orthopaedic research team, his scientific pursuits encompass the systemic impacts of osteoarthritis, innovative treatments and prophylaxis for periprosthetic joint infections (e.g. bacteriophage therapy), clinical trials in fracture management, and advancements in cartilage regeneration. He holds board positions in the Estonian Orthopaedic Society and the Estonian Arthroplasty Society and is an internationally renowned scholar and lecturer, actively engaged in teaching across all university levels. Dr Tootsi is committed to advancing orthopaedic care through clinical excellence, research innovation and global collaboration.

Tuuli Metsvaht has over 30 years of clinical experience in paediatric and neonatal intensive care, for 20 of which she was the head of the PNICU at Tartu University Hospital. Her research interests have stemmed from her clinical practice. She has participated in several national and international projects dealing with the PKPD and efficacy of antibiotics, cardiovascular and sedative drugs in neonates and children. Her current research interests focus increasingly on colonisation studies in the NICU and related opportunities to improve outcomes.

Finished medical school at Tartu University in 2015, thereafter completed anaesthesiology and intensive care residency in 2019. After residency, working as a paediatric anaesthesiologist in Tartu University Hospital’s Department of Paediatric Intensive Care. Since 2024, head of the department. Currently a collaborator in the BabyHound project. Special interest in simulation-based medical education and improving family-centred care in the intensive care unit.

Dr Reim is an interventional radiologist at Tartu University Hospital and also the co-founder of an AI-focused start-up company, Better Medicine. His past roles have been tightly connected to the Estonian Society of Radiology (past president), the European Society of Radiology, the IAEA and sub-speciality working groups at the UEMS.

At Tartu University Hospital, Dr Reim has been focusing on advancing interventional oncology treatment possibilities and research projects connected to the use of AI in radiology.

I studied molecular science because I wanted to understand how things work. I built a strong knowledge of molecular processes, but the turning point came when my mother was diagnosed with melanoma. I could explain the disease in detail, but I couldn’t change its course. That loss shifted my focus from curiosity alone to curiosity with consequence. I wanted research to make a difference for patients. This is why we created Icosagen. We built a company that can turn ideas into technologies, and technologies into medicines and tools that solve real problems. Estonia may be small, but our ambitions are not. We invested all our profits into building a very capable company to tackle any problems that occur in biologic drug development. And it has led to the creation of our own technology platforms for production and discovery, as there was nothing with such required capabilities in existence. Platforms speed up timelines, reduce risks, and help teams take on very difficult proteins. By creating comprehensive capabilities here at home, we avoid unnecessary handoffs, improve accountability, and learn faster.

People sometimes ask me about the “secret” to innovation. There is no secret. Innovation comes from persistence, not theatrics. It starts by asking “why.” Why is this problem important? Why does it need to be solved? When you know that, you have the motivation to keep going. I also hold onto an old Estonian saying: “Vähem möla, pikem samm!“ (“Less fuss, longer steps.”) To me, it means focusing your energy on the action that truly moves the work forward. Good ideas often appear after effort and reflection, when the mind connects things in new ways. Then we test, improve, and scale. And sometimes, ideas don’t hold up—but even then, we learn. We are building Estonia’s capabilities in drug development step by step. The long-term goal is not only to develop but also to manufacture new medicines created here in Estonia. This belief keeps us moving forward, with fewer words and longer steps—from Estonia, for the world.

Ulrike Scheffler is the Senior Director of Business Development at Icosagen CRDMO, specialising in advancing complex recombinant proteins from discovery to GMP readiness. With over 16 years of experience, Ulrike combines a strong technical background from her time as a scientist at Roche Glycart with extensive expertise in business development.

At Icosagen, she bridges R&D and CMC, leveraging her knowledge in VLP-mAb discovery and developability assessments to address development challenges. Skilled in CHO cell line development using the IcoCell® platform, DoE-driven process development, and strategic scale-up, Ulrike helps clients navigate the complexities of biologics development, ensuring clinic-ready manufacturing.

Her unique combination of technical expertise and business acumen ensures the success of end-to-end CRDMO programmes, delivering scalable solutions for biologics development.

Arvi Jõers has over 20 years of experience in molecular biology and leading different research projects, both in academia and in industry. He brings technical depth in bacterial strain improvement along with team management and company development.

Arvi is a co-founder and the Chief Executive Officer at Gearbox Biosciences. He has also worked as Chief Scientific Officer at Icosagen and as an Associate Professor at the University of Tartu. He earned his PhD in Cell Biology from the University of Tartu and was a postdoctoral fellow at Uppsala University in Sweden.

Dr Daniel Lombardo holds a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from Curtin University in Western Australia and a Diploma of Business (Governance).

Daniel’s career spans a broad range of experiences in the pharmaceutical sector. He began as a contract chemist, applying his scientific expertise in laboratory settings, and later transitioned into a pharmaceutical sales representative role, where he built strong relationships across the healthcare industry. He then advanced to Growth and Projects Manager, focusing on business strategy and operational development.

Today, Daniel is the Business Development Manager at TBD Pharmatech, where he combines his technical knowledge and commercial experience to foster partnerships and support the company’s growth.

Professor Priit Palta serves as Vice-Director of the Institute of Genomics and leads the Estonian Biobank Innovation Centre.

His scientific research is focused on translational genomics, the development of scalable computational methods for biobank-scale data, and the genetics and genomics of human complex diseases. Professor Palta’s research group integrates large-scale omics datasets with electronic health records to investigate the genetic and molecular foundations of disease susceptibility, onset, and progression. By applying high-throughput computational techniques and genetic epidemiology, his team identifies, validates, and functionally annotates genetic associations – with a particular focus on putative causal variants and their downstream molecular mechanisms. Their overarching aim is to transform genomic discoveries into mechanistic insights and actionable knowledge that can improve human health.

Lili Milani is Head of the Estonian Biobank and Professor of Pharmacogenetics at the University of Tartu. She is part of the core team behind the design and implementation of the national strategy for personalized medicine in Estonia in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. The expectations for personalized medicine are very high in Estonia, and several implementation projects focusing on genomics for disease prevention have been piloted based on 210,000 genotyped biobank participants (about 20% of adult population of Estonia) during the past decade. A major milestone of the biobank was the launch of the MyGenome portal in June 2024, which gave all biobank participants access to their genetic data, including pharmacogenomic reports, in an engaging and meaningful way. Currently, the Estonian Biobank is performing high-accuracy long-read whole-genome sequencing on 10,000 participants — an internationally unique initiative. The generated data is expected to benefit research on interindividual variability in drug response, detection of rare and common single-nucleotide and structural variants and contribute to improved personalized medicine.

Further reading: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-58465-3

Naimi Saartson manages various projects at Enterprise Estonia, specializing in event organization, team coordination, and ensuring seamless execution behind the scenes. With experience in the Estonia-Asia Trade Agency, she excels at bringing people together and managing impactful initiatives.