The endowment fund is open to everyone: companies, alumni, private individuals, and organizations can all contribute. In addition to the core capital, which focuses on critical fields such as the defense industry, energy, or artificial intelligence applications, targeted sub-funds can also be established. Sub-funds are designed for those who wish to support the advancement of a specific field.

According to Ants Vill, member of the university and endowment fund board, attracting private capital is essential to remain competitive globally. “Now is exactly the right time to invest in engineering education, because a technological platform shift is already underway, and delaying decisions means falling behind,” Vill emphasized.

Why is the endowment fund needed?

“Engineering is the backbone of Estonia’s economic development and the only way to create technological inevitability at the national level—through the development and market introduction of specific, globally impactful, and hard-to-replicate products and solutions. If we want Estonia to be a trendsetter at the next technological turning points, we need long-term investment in the next generation of engineers and in research capacity that responds immediately to market changes,” said Hendrik Voll, Vice Rector for Endowment Fund and Student Development at Tallinn University of Technology.

Heiti Hääl, Chairman of the Board of Tallinn University of Technology, emphasized that the initiative is a strategic step for the entire country. “The next growth leap of Estonia’s economy will be born where knowledge turns into industry and technology into exports. TalTech Engineering Endowment Fund is an investment in that capability—so that Estonia can continue to create, build, and implement major changes itself in the decades to come,” said Hääl.

According to the Chairman, the importance of the fund is underscored by the university leadership’s decision to contribute directly to it: “That is precisely why the members of the Tallinn University of Technology board have decided to contribute to launching the endowment fund. It is a shared responsibility and a shared choice for the future—engineering development is not just a university issue, but a matter for the entire Estonian economy and society.”

How does the capital work?

TalTech Engineering Endowment Fund is a long-term fund modeled after leading global universities, such as Finland’s Aalto University. Support is not distributed from the principal capital but from its investment returns. This ensures the preservation and growth of assets for future generations, providing the university with independent strategic financial capacity alongside state funding.

Ants Vill noted that this is not just another campaign fund. “Its uniqueness lies in three aspects: first, it is the first endowment fund in Estonia focused on engineering as the execution capability of the economy—the so-called last mile, where the synthesis of cutting-edge technologies and market needs takes place and ideas become truly functional solutions. Second, the fund creates long-term and independent capital, enabling the university to develop professorships and competencies immediately when the need arises, not years later. And third, it closely connects the university and entrepreneurship—companies invest in the skills they will genuinely need tomorrow,” Vill explained.

Vill added that the goal of the endowment fund is to help Estonia achieve its ambitious target of 20 billion euros in economic growth. “This requires talented engineers, capital, speed of decision-making, and focus - the established endowment fund fills previously missing capability gaps. It ensures that we consistently have more engineers and scientists capable of applying artificial intelligence and subsequent new technologies in complex physical and regulated systems—energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, and defense. This in turn means more companies that do not remain at the prototype level but reach production and export. TalTech will develop into a strong regional engineering center, whose impact is directly visible in Estonia’s economic resilience and competitiveness, making Estonia an indispensable country,” he said.

Contribution opportunities and future outlook

In the near future, the first board of the endowment fund will convene, including representatives from science, business, and society. Preparations have already begun for the first funding directions and for raising additional capital, with the aim of increasing the fund’s volume to 50 million euros over the next 5–7 years.