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EstoniAI Meetup Vol. 15 — AI for SMEs: Practical Tools, Real ROI

Yesterday, 150+ entrepreneurs and operators packed Radisson Collection to cut through AI hype and discover what actually works for small and mid‑sized businesses.

The shift was clear: from "Is AI for us?" to "Which tool do we implement first?"

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭:
• 𝐄𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐏𝐌: Artjom Shestajev (Clarifai) on testing assumptions, scoping risk, and shipping value—fast.

• 𝐀𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Astra Tikas (Aistra) on focusing on measurable outcomes, not tool-chasing.

• 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Kalle Kuusik (Tilde) on their OpenLLM and why language tech is a strategic lever for Estonia.

• 𝟑 𝐀𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫: Vattan PS (Founderly) on browser-using AI, AI coding tools, and local/offline LLMs—the stack SMEs can pilot this quarter.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Glen Madis (Fintactic), Kaidur Roht (Kaidur AI), and Martin Põhjakivi (SelectZero) showed how local startups are turning ideas into tools SMEs can use today.

𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 — "𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐯𝐬 𝐁𝐮𝐲: 𝐒𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐀𝐈 𝐀𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧"
Key consensus from Tarmo Virki, Krista Teearu, Joosep Kõljalg, Robert Roosalu, and Jaanus Põder: Start small, measure everything, scale what works. No vendor lock-in, no massive budgets, just pragmatic pilots.

Thank you to Tallinn Enterprise Centre and Entrepreneurship Day (Ettevõtluspäev) for the collaboration—and to everyone who brought candor, curiosity, and real examples.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐫? Apply to EstoniAI Circle (100 founding members for 2025)—a closer group for builders and leaders moving from talk to implementation. → estoniai.com/circle

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: What's the one AI move you'll pilot in the next 30 days—browser automation, local LLM, or AI coding tools? Drop it below 👇

Ever wonder what a fund looks like from the inside? How do VCs spend their days, or how are they structured?

We are delighted to announce that Ted Serbinski, General Partner, Midwest, The Fund will be delivering a masterclass on VC fundamentals at our The Venture Mindset program this Tuesday.

If you haven't registered for the program yet, there's still time!

Register here: https://founderly.com/programs/venture-mindset?ref=social-FB