PRESS RELEASE
TALLINN, ESTONIA – Latitude59, the flagship startup and tech event of the world’s first digital nation, Estonia, is seeking the boldest early-stage startups from Europe and around the world to compete for a funding opportunity. In 2023 and 2024, winners secured investments totalling over €2 million.
Latitude59 CEO Liisi Org described the event as the most impactful and diverse startup and technology conference in the New Nordics, bringing together founders, investors, and the global startup community. “One of the main goals of Latitude59 is to showcase the strength of the startup community, and our traditional pitch competition plays a key role in that. For years, it has highlighted an exceptional level of participating startups, so we’re excited to see what this year’s startups will bring,” said Org.
In 2023 and 2024, companies like AskToSell, Flowstep, and ÄIO secured investments totalling over €2 million, backed by pitch competition partners EstBAN, SpecialistVC, and Tera Ventures.
According to Triin Ilves, the manager of startup relations at Latitude59, early-stage startups from all over the world are invited to apply. “Last year, we received a record-breaking 526 applications from 53 countries—nearly 100 more than the previous year. The level of competition was incredibly high, with many applicants already securing customers, clients, and initial investments. We can’t wait to see the next wave of contenders,” Ilves added.
This year Latitude59 is looking for founding teams with a clear mission, a scalable business model, and a functional product with proven traction or strong market feedback. “But most importantly, we want teams who are making an impact and disrupt the industry with their solution,” Ilves emphasized.
The application deadline for Latitude59 Pitch Competition is April 5, 2025. From among all the applying startups, a selection will be made, and the 30 strongest teams will be selected to pass to the semifinals for professional pitch training and mentoring. These teams will compete for funding and various partners’ prizes.
The competition unfolds in several stages throughout May, culminating in the finals on May 23, 2025, where the Top 5 startups will pitch on Latitude59’s main stage. Apply now to get a chance to pitch in the finals, or secure an event pass to cheer for the top 1% of L59 Pitch Competition 2025, live!
Important dates:
- April 5, 2025 – application deadline
- April 25 – TOP30 startups announced
- April 29-30 – Pre-finals
- May 23 – the finals, on the main stage of the Latitude59 2025
About Latitude59
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.
The 12th edition of Latitude59, held in Tallinn in 2024, attracted over 3,500 attendees, including more than 900 startup representatives and over 700 investors. The event featured 195 speakers, 40% of whom were women. In total, participants came from 65 countries worldwide.
About Estonia
Estonia has the highest concentration of unicorns in Europe, with 865 startups per million people. A global leader in digital innovation, Estonia continues to set the standard for thriving tech ecosystems.
