Brussels & Tallinn, 7 October 2026 – As Europe debates how to build and keep the technical talent behind its digital sovereignty ambitions, a concrete path on how to get there becomes visible in a single place this autumn. 

From 8 to 10 October, 245 master's students representing 40 nationalities gather at Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) in Tallinn for the Kick-Off of the 2026 28DIGITAL Master School, one of Europe's flagship deep-tech programs, spanning AI, cybersecurity, embedded and autonomous systems, fintech and high-performance computing. A majority come from across the EU and EEA, complemented by students from beyond Europe, reflecting the continent's growing pull for global technical talent. Each student earns a double degree from two different European universities, studying in two countries over two years, together with a minor in innovation and entrepreneurship. 

The Business Challenges 

The centrepiece of the three-day event in Tallinn is a 48-hour Business Challenge. Companies and public institutions each bring a real, unsolved problem from their own operations. Over two intensive days, supported by mentors from industry and the universities, each team works from problem definition to a worked solution and a business case, before pitching the result to a panel of partner representatives and faculty at the close of the event. 

This year’s challenge-setters reflect the breadth of the ecosystem the program supports. Estonian mobility company Bolt, AI accounting platform BuukAI and adaptive computing platform GreenPow will present challenges drawn from their operations. Tallinn-based EU-LISA will explore how to harness AI productivity gains while complying with the EU AI Act and strict security classifications. Steel manufacturer Maru Metall seeks an AI-powered cost-estimation tool. Meanwhile, booking platform Wayyo will tackle how to attract independent tour operators who rely on free tools such as Google Forms, Instagram and WhatsApp, identifying the right market, acquisition channel and pricing model. 

The line-up underscores Estonia's pull as a hub for deep-tech talent and institutions: from a home-grown mobility champion to an EU agency to established industry, all setting real problems for an international cohort on Estonian soil. TalTech, which is hosting the kick-off as venue and co-organiser, is Estonia's flagship and largest technological university, educating roughly two in three of the country's IT specialists. 

The bigger picture: building the talent that stays 

Europe currently lacks roughly half of the 20 million ICT specialists it aims to have by 2030, and the European Commission has made bridging this gap a priority. 28DIGITAL contributes to this effort through its education programs and international partnerships that create pathways for engineering and computer-science students to pursue advanced digital degrees and train future tech leaders.  The alumni of the 28DIGITAL Master School are the ones launching the next top tech solutions, advancing corporates in innovation or strengthening scaleups already dominating European markets. 

The school’s outcomes are also aligned with the Commission’s Choose Europe initiative, which aims to position the continent as a destination for global talent, researchers and entrepreneurs. 

More than 70% of non-EU students who graduated from 28DIGITAL's Master School chose to remain in Europe, as did 91% of EU students, confirming the Continent's attractiveness.

 “Europe’s digital sovereignty will ultimately depend on people turning advanced technology into practical solutions. We always say there is no innovation without education; we double down on this and embed entrepreneurial thinking into the programme, combined with technical depth expertise, and international collaboration. This is what Europe needs to compete—and to give exceptional talent a reason to build its future here,” says Federico Menna, CEO of 28DIGITAL.

“Europe’s technological strength depends on people who can take advanced technologies and make them useful in the real world. Universities play an important role in bringing together education, research, companies and the public sector. Having students from across Europe and beyond here in Tallinn, working on real challenges, is exactly the kind of experience we want to create,” says Gert Jervan, Dean of the School of Information Technologies at TalTech. 

He adds that the school has been a member of 28DIGITAL for several years, participating in one of its master’s programmes, and is exploring opportunities to join additional programmes to broaden IT students’ future career prospects.

About 28DIGITAL

28DIGITAL is Europe’s digital innovation engine, a multi-stakeholder platform, rooted in European values and open to the world, we turn knowledge into innovation, scale startups into global ventures, and build the next generation of digital talent to shape a fair, competitive, and human-centric digital future. We work at the intersection of science, business, and society, transforming breakthroughs in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and advanced computing into solutions that strengthen Europe’s sovereignty, accelerate the green transition, and improve lives.

We are 28DIGITAL, and we are here to make sure Europe leads the digital future.

28DIGITAL was founded upon the initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union. 28DIGITAL received €1.1B funding and strategic guidance from the EIT over 15 years as an EIT Knowledge and
Innovation Community (KIC). Following the successful signature of a Memorandum of Cooperation, the EIT and 28DIGITAL collaborate to further boost innovation in digital transformation across Europe and beyond.