Estonia recently welcomed Dr. Sari Stenfors, a Finnish-American futurist and systems thinker known for her work on sustainable transformation, long-horizon thinking, and future-oriented strategy. “I don’t usually think in 25-year terms. I prefer 100-year horizons,” she says, mentioning that her favourite year to think about is 2092. That long view is typical of her work—Stenfors doesn’t talk about the future in quarterly timelines or digital trends. She speaks in visions. Her concept of “protopia”—not utopia, not dystopia, but the active construction of a hopeful future—requires both imagination and strategy.
She is optimistic that Estonia holds some of the most important answers in her vision for the future. “Estonia is one of the few places where transformation isn’t a disruption. It’s a way of life,” she said. “You rebuilt your society from the ground up. That memory is still in your collective backbone, and that’s powerful.” From the outside, Estonia might appear small. But to Stenfors, it’s precisely that scale—and the agility that comes with it—that gives Estonia its edge. A nation capable of rapid change, Estonia is already a testbed for future-ready models in governance, education, and digital society.
When hearing more about some of Estonia’s core principles—integrity, ambition, resourcefulness, and cooperation—she resonates with them deeply. These, she notes, aren’t merely brand slogans but embodied values. “You can feel them. They show up in how Estonians build, how you relate to technology, and how you respond to crises.” Asked how a country—or a person—can remain hopeful in uncertain times, her answer was both practical and poetic: “Hope isn’t a mood. It’s a structure in your mind. You need a meaningful vision, a path you believe in, and the sense you have—or can find—the resources to walk it.”
It’s a message that aligns closely with Estonia’s approach to future-building. Whether it’s launching AI in public schools, piloting proactive digital services, or offering e-Residency to entrepreneurs around the globe, Estonia doesn’t just imagine better systems—it builds them. Stenfors encouraged Estonians not to underestimate the global relevance of Estonia’s story. “The rest of the world is looking for ways to stay human in a digital age. Estonia is already showing what that might look like,” she said.
Dr. Sari Stenfors is a futurist, strategist, and systems thinker dedicated to shaping hopeful futures while tackling global challenges. She specializes in leadership, technology, and decision-making, focusing on what it truly means to be human—uncovering our core skills, senses, and ways of thriving in an era of rapid change. With a PhD in Business Technology, Sari has worked extensively in AI, blockchain and cybernetics, advising organizations on systemic transitions and strategy tools for complex decision-making. She has led research collaborations with Stanford University and other institutions, exploring the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability.
