The Latitude59 Pitch Competition has established itself as a springboard for startups looking to scale their businesses. For many founders, winning the competition has been a defining milestone, opening doors to new investors, partners, and markets. Even reaching the finals has proven to be a game-changer, helping startups gain visibility and connections to accelerate their growth.

Latitude59 CEO Liisi Org highlighted the consistent quality of startup talent the competition attracts year after year. “Latitude59 not only connects but also empowers local initiatives to scale globally,” said Org. “I’m incredibly proud of our winners. Watching them grow into global players is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.”

David Clark, Platform Partner at Tera Ventures, spoke about the consistent quality of the companies that apply and secure funding through the pitch competition: “Every year, Latitude59 gathers a lineup of founders who would stand out on any stage. The depth of expertise, execution, and sheer ambition convinced us to invest in two of the final teams. Just as telling, a few months later, we led an even larger initial round for one of the finalists who didn’t take home the prize that day. The quality across the board was simply that high,” said Clark.

Over the years, standout startups such as AskToSell, Fractory, Atom Mobility, Ender Turing, Adact, and Vocal Image have secured investments from the Estonian Business Angel Network (EstBAN). More recently, through partnerships with VC funds including SpecialistVC and Tera Ventures, winners have gone on to raise over €20 million in follow-on funding.

DeepTech startup ÄIO has raised €5.6 million since the Latitude59 Pitch Competition in 2023 to advance its mission of replacing animal and palm oils with sustainable alternatives. Founder Nemailla Bonturi described Latitude59 as a game-changer for the team: “The visibility we gained, especially among investors, not only propelled us onto the global stage — including events like SWITCH in Singapore — but also gave us the confidence and credibility to dream even bigger.”

Kaido Saar, CEO of Mifundo, shared that being a finalist at Latitude59 was a door-opener for their early-stage startup. “Though we didn’t win the €1 million prize, we secured that amount from the same investor just six months later — and it scaled to €10 million within a year,” he said.

Another great example is Tartu-based GaltTec, a DeepTech startup developing micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells for portable and off-grid energy solutions. After winning the Latitude59 Pitch Competition in 2024, the company successfully closed a €1 million pre-seed funding round.

The competition’s international reach has played a key role in boosting the visibility of emerging startups far beyond the region. One example is Flowstep, a UX copilot that helps teams design better products up to 10x faster, and one of the three winners of the Latitude59 2023 Pitch Competition. Matt Clannachan, British-born and now an Estonian resident, CEO and Co-Founder of Flowstep, shared that winning at Latitude59 transformed a single pitch into years of funding and publicity. “More importantly, it gave us the credibility to attract top-tier talent committed to building Estonia’s next decacorn. The community’s ongoing support has been incredible,” he said.

Tallinn-based fintech startup Cino, founded by e-residents, secured a €3.5 million seed round after participating in the Latitude59 Pitch Competition. Founder Elena Churilova shared that the experience continues to open doors. “We still meet people around the world who remember our pitch. Pitching on such a big stage, with such a supportive audience, was a powerful experience — it still feels unreal.”

AI-powered coaching app Vocal Image raised €660,000 following its Latitude59 victory. “The win paved the way for further recognition, including our TechChill victory the same year,” said founder Nick Lahoika.

This year, a total of 391 startups from 47 countries applied to take part in the Latitude59 Pitch Competition 2025. A jury made up of investors and the Latitude59 team first selected the top 30, who were invited to pitch in the pre-finals. From there, the top five teams advanced to the finals, which will take place on May 23 at the main event. For the first time, investors from across the Baltics — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — are joining forces to select and crown this year’s top startups.

Latitude59 2025 will take place on 21–23 May in Tallinn, Estonia. As the most international and impactful startup and technology event in the Baltic States and New Nordics, Latitude59 brings together startups, investors, and ecosystem builders from around the world.