In the autumn, more than one hundred young people took part in the IGNITER program, aiming to turn their ideas into real-world solutions. Over three months, a wide range of stories emerged - from teams entering the pre-accelerator with a clear vision and established partners to participants starting from a blank slate, without an idea or a team. The program culminated in December with Pitching Day, where 22 teams presented their business ideas to a jury.
The range of solutions presented on stage was broad, with a particularly strong presence of artificial intelligence–based ideas. The teams showcased health and well-being solutions ranging from at-home neonatal jaundice monitoring and technology supporting the care pathway of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to an AI assistant designed for older adults and a product focused on extending pet longevity. In addition, the pitches included financial solutions, various AI-powered service platforms, and products aimed at simplifying everyday life and promoting sustainable consumption.
Good idea alone is not enough
For many participants, the pre-accelerator was the first place where their ideas were truly put to the test. A good idea alone is not enough - the real question is whether someone is willing to pay for it and whether the solution works outside presentation slides.
According to Andrei, who took part in the pre-accelerator, the program offered a very concrete lesson in how to test ideas in real terms. “You can build a good product and assume everyone will want it, but until investors and mentors explain how things work in the real world, you don’t actually know whether your idea works,” he said.
Participants were forced to answer questions they could no longer avoid: who the solution is for, what problem it genuinely solves, and why a customer would pay for it. According to the program’s organizers, the goal is not to push ideas forward at any cost, but to teach young people to ask the right questions before investing significant time and resources into development.
Mentorship as a catalyst for change
Mentorship proved to be the key factor that helped many teams move their ideas forward. Kaur, a member of the Sponspot team, said that the opportunity to discuss their ideas from different perspectives was one of the program’s greatest strengths. “We received a lot of different feedback. One mentor said our idea might not be the best approach, while another suggested a completely different direction. It was great to be able to genuinely discuss our ideas with top specialists in the field,” he said.
The same team also experienced that an initial plan does not always have to be the one taken all the way to the end. “We had a direction in mind, but during the first session we realised it wasn’t quite the right approach. We adjusted the idea and moved forward with a different focus,” the Sponspot representative explained.
For several participants, mentors also helped recalibrate the pace - not to slow ideas down, but to make their development more deliberate. Ottomar admitted that his natural instinct is to move quickly with an idea, but the pre-accelerator helped him see the bigger picture. “It made me realise that you first need to talk to potential customers, draft business plans, and think through how things actually work. My working methods also became much more efficient - both in my own project and in everyday work,” he said.
From a blank slate to awards
IGNITER was not only about refining ideas, but also a place where new thinking, teams, and collaborations emerged. Joonas entered the program without a concrete idea or a team, but along the way found both teammates and a clear direction. “I gained a strong community, many new connections, and even co-founders for my company. On top of that, there was valuable material from the mentorship and the platforms provided by IGNITER,” he said.
In December, the journey led to an unexpected outcome at Pitching Day - Joonas’s team, Vivia, received a total of two awards, demonstrating that even starting a pre-accelerator without an initial idea or a team can lead to tangible results.
What’s next for the teams?
In addition to feedback, Pitching Day also brought several awards and development opportunities to help teams move forward with their ideas:
- The €2,500 Swedbank grand prize for further idea development was awarded to LaunchLab, a tool that helps quickly assess whether a business idea has real market potential before significant time and money are invested.
- sTARTUp Day tickets were awarded to Sumae and Zuumi. Sumae is developing a beach towel that folds into a bag, while Zuumi is creating a science-based everyday product that supports pet longevity.
- Access to the Prototron Top 40 program was granted to Biluminate, an at-home neonatal jaundice monitoring solution seen as having strong potential in the healthcare sector.
- Three teams - SmartFlutter, Vivia, and Svara - received access to the TalTech Student Ventures program, where their ideas will continue to develop within TalTech’s entrepreneurship ecosystem. SmartFlutter is developing a solution to support the care pathway of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Vivia is building an AI assistant for older adults, and Svara is creating a multilingual AI voice agent for hotels and restaurants.
- The legal consultation award from Tegos was given to Nargklab, which helps companies demonstrate regulatory compliance without revealing trade secrets or sensitive data.
- In addition, Vivia received access to the Tehnopol Startup Incubator, supporting the team’s next steps in product and business model development.
The teams were supported by coaches throughout the entire journey: Astrid Maldre, Basel Hammoda, Andri Sokka, Jan Harima, Mikk Orglaan, Mart Repnau, Anne-Liisa Elbrecht, Loora Salurand, Marek Kesküll, Kristina Halla, Tiia Plamus, Piret Mellik, and Vivian Lepparu.
Pitching Day jury members: Olga Luštšik, Vaido Mikheim, Carmen Tiffany Tuisk, Oona Suominen, and Jörgen Martin.
Spring applications are open
IGNITER is Estonia’s leading pre-accelerator program for young people and is once again welcoming new participants. The spring program is now open and invites young people to apply - whether they already have an idea or are looking to discover one along the way.
IGNITER is organized by TalTech Startup Centre, Startup Garage, and Swedbank. Their goal is to provide young people with the opportunity to test ideas, develop them, and learn - all within a professional yet supportive environment.