Become a Mentor in the Pilot Pips Programme!
Do you have an entrepreneurial background in technology? We are looking for experienced practitioners to mentor the next generation of founders.
About the programme
The Pilot Pips programme supports young entrepreneurs under the age of 25 who have business ideas that require vibe coding skills. Through a combination of trainings, events, and individual mentoring, the programme guides participants from an early idea through validation, value proposition, pricing, branding, and marketing to their first customers and ultimately towards a viable business.
The programme is financed by the Interreg Central Baltic Programme 2021–2027 and co-funded by the European Union.
The mentor’s role
Mentoring gives each participant individual, practical guidance from an experienced practitioner, complementing the trainings and events offered within the programme. Each mentor will be matched with five (5) entrepreneurs for a four-month period and will meet each participant online once a month – four (4) meetings per participant in total. During these sessions, the mentor provides feedback, advice, and support as the participant develops their business.
Who we are looking for
To qualify as a mentor, the person named in the tender must have work experience in technology business, preferably as a founder. Previous experience as a mentor or coach and experience working with early-stage founders or young entrepreneurs are an advantage and will be taken into account in the evaluation.
How to apply
This is a public procurement. Tenders are submitted by a legal entity (e.g. the mentor’s company) and must include:
the mentor’s CV, the offered hourly fee, the tenderer’s legal details and contact person, The full terms, requirements, and evaluation criteria are set out in the Invitation to Tender, which is the binding document for this procurement: HERE
The deadline for submitting tenders is 7th of August 2026 at 12:00. Tenders and any questions should be sent to Nele Plutus, nele@inkubaator.ee
Everything is designed – therefore everything can be redesigned
As part of the Creative Circular Cities (CCC) project incubation programme organized by the Tallinn Business Incubators, several international seminar series took place in spring 2026. These focused on applying sustainable and circular thinking to product and service design. The trainings How to Design a Sustainable Product? and How to Design a Sustainable Service? brought together professionals from the creative and cultural sectors, entrepreneurs, designers, and other interested participants to discuss how to create solutions that are user-centered, economically viable, and environmentally responsible.
At the core of both seminar series was the understanding that sustainability is no longer merely an ethical choice, but an important strategic direction. For both products and services, this means re-evaluating existing ways of working and seeking solutions that reduce environmental impact, keep resources in use longer, and create long-term value.
Sustainable product design begins with a shift in mindset
The four-part seminar series How to Design a Sustainable Product? focused on the principles of circular product development throughout the entire product lifecycle. Participants explored how to move from a linear “produce–use–dispose” model to more circular solutions, where materials remain in use as long as possible and products are designed with durability, repairability, modularity, and reuse in mind.
The seminar emphasized that sustainable product design is not only about introducing new materials, but primarily about a change in perspective. A product should not be seen as a standalone object, but as part of a larger system that includes usage patterns, future use cycles, repair possibilities, and end-of-life considerations. It was also highlighted that materials should not be treated merely as inputs in production, but as valuable resources whose quality and usability should be preserved for as long as possible.
Practical examples brought circular design closer to participants
The seminar was not purely theoretical; through participants’ own examples, it demonstrated how circular economy principles can be applied across a wide range of products and services. For instance, discussions addressed how to ensure that environmentally friendly packaging is also understandable for users. It was concluded that sustainable materials alone are not enough without clear information about who produced the item, how it can be reused, and where it should go at the end of its life. Suggested solutions included better labeling, QR codes, reuse instructions, and return or collection systems.
Another example involved the possibilities of recycled porcelain. It was noted that beyond material recycling, sustainable value can also be created through repair services, rental models, and refreshing or reglazing items. This highlighted that circular design does not always mean creating entirely new products, but often involves improving existing solutions, extending their use, and preserving their value.
Services also shape environmental impact
The two-part seminar series How to Design a Sustainable Service? expanded the sustainability discussion from products to services, digital solutions, and organizational processes. The training demonstrated that environmental impact arises not only from the production of physical goods, but also from service structures, digital workflows, data usage, infrastructure, and everyday operations.
Participants were given tools to assess the footprint of their services, map key impact sources, and identify ways to reduce them. The focus included optimizing services and digital systems, reducing digital waste, prioritizing renewable energy-based solutions, and integrating sustainable choices into organizational decision-making.
Discussions also highlighted that more sustainable service design often begins at the preparatory stage. For example, better collaboration before the development process can reduce unnecessary meetings, rework, and resource use. Early involvement of end users was also emphasized to ensure that services meet real needs and avoid unnecessary steps or burdens.
Why are these topics important for the creative and cultural sector?
For the creative and cultural sector, circular economy and sustainable design are becoming increasingly important, as they open new opportunities for innovation, international development, and responsible entrepreneurship. For both products and services, the issue is not only about reducing environmental impact, but also about creating solutions that are more durable over time, meaningful for users, and economically sustainable.
The seminar series showed that sustainability can manifest in many ways: better material choices, well-thought-out user instructions, enabling repair and reuse, more efficient service processes, or more conscious communication with clients and users. This holistic perspective helps make circular economy principles practical and applicable in everyday creative work and business.
Trainer Maximilian Mauracher combined strategy with practical experience
Both seminar series were led by internationally recognized designer, strategist, and creative director Maximilian Mauracher, whose work focuses on circular economy, sustainability, and design-driven transformation.
He studied at the University of Applied Arts Vienna and has worked for more than ten years with companies, cities, and organizations, including FREITAG, Decathlon, WWF, and the city of Berlin. As co-founder and CEO of NEW STANDARD.STUDIO, he helps international teams translate complex sustainability challenges into clear strategies, products, services, and narratives.
One of the central messages of the seminars was captured in the idea: “Everything is designed – therefore everything can be redesigned.” This reflects both the content of the seminars and the broader goal of the CCC project – to help creative and cultural sector professionals see change as an opportunity and discover new ways to create more responsible and impactful solutions.
The CCC project supports the transition to a circular economy
The seminar series took place as part of the the Creative Circular Cities project, co-funded by the European Union’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme 2021–2027. The aim of the project is to support the transition to a circular economy at the local level by actively involving the cultural and creative sectors and providing practical knowledge, tools, and international collaboration.
Tallinn Business Incubator Opens Exhibition Showcasing Circular Economy Opportunities as Part of the CCC Project
Tallinn Business Incubator has opened a circular economy-themed exhibition as the first display in the exhibition hall of its new building. Created within the framework of the international Creative Circular Cities (CCC) project, the exhibition invites both businesses and city residents to explore the principles of the circular economy and discover new opportunities in the field. The exhibition was produced by the Tallinn Business Incubator and Heya Visual.
The development of consumer society has led to increasing use of natural resources, bringing with it environmental, social, and economic challenges. Growing waste generation, pollution, and the depletion of natural resources make it increasingly important to introduce and promote circular economy principles. At the same time, the circular economy is not only an environmental issue – it is a systemic change that affects production, consumption, and values. It is based on sharing, borrowing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This helps create a balanced future in which the economy and the environment work together rather than at each other’s expense.
The new exhibition helps visitors understand these topics in a practical and interactive way, offering opportunities to test their knowledge, experiment with new ideas, and gain inspiration for making more conscious choices.
“We are pleased that, in cooperation with Heya Visual and circular economy experts, we have created a comprehensive educational exhibition introducing the circular economy through numerous examples and displays. Developing the exhibition required working through a large amount of background information, but the goal was to bring visitors the most important topics, practical information, and clear guidance. Real-life examples from companies that are already successfully implementing circular economy principles were also a key priority. These are presented through videos, texts, and products. The exhibition offers significant added value for visitors to the incubator and enables us to introduce the foundations of the circular economy to companies participating in our programmes and trainings, as well as guests attending other events, conferences, and seminars,” said Kristel Mõistus, Project Manager at the Tallinn Business Incubator.
The exhibition created by Heya Visual is designed as a complete journey introducing the principles of the circular economy, business success stories, and best practices. It encourages visitors to think about how everyone can apply circular economy principles in their daily lives and business activities, and what impact our choices have on the future. The exhibition provides guidance and understanding that our shared future depends on everyone’s contribution. The circular economy is not only a topic for businesses or policymakers – it concerns us all.
The Heya Visual team included Kaia Lõun, Jüri Lõun, Raivo Randoja, and Sigrid Randoja. The exhibition was also created with the involvement of circular economy experts Margit Rüütelmann and Kaia Lõun, as well as the Estonian Circular Economy Companies Association, Katarina Papp and Liina Kanarbik from the Tallinn Strategic Management Office, Simo Ilomets from Tallinn University of Technology, Marianne Sepp from Zero Waste Estonia, Borg, Eesti Pakendiringlus, EKT Ecobio, Green Gravels, Killumeister, KIUD, Leemans Greencircle, Neular, Mulieres, RAIKU, Räpina Paper Mill, Tallinn Waste Recovery Centre, Weerec, Woola, and the CCC project partners.
The new exhibition at the Tallinn Business Incubator offers a valuable experience for everyone who wishes to better understand the opportunities of the circular economy and its role in shaping a resource-efficient future society.
The exhibition was created as part of the Creative Circular Cities (CCC) project, co-funded by the European Union’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. The project promotes the circular economy at the local level by involving the cultural and creative sectors and creative enterprises. In the pilot cities of Aarhus, Kiel, Gdynia, Riga, Tallinn, and Turku, partner organisations showcase how the creative sector can support the circular economy, foster responsible consumption, and help businesses implement circular practices. The Tallinn exhibition is one of the key outcomes of this international cooperation project.
Tallinn Business Incubator and EKA brought international biomaterial innovation to Tallinn
From March 23–25, the international event series From Lab to Market: Biomaterial Innovation took place in cooperation between Tallinn Business Incubator and the Estonian Academy of Arts. The series focused on the intersection of biomaterials, digital fabrication, and sustainable entrepreneurship in built environments. The seminars were held as part of the CiD Innovation Alliance project.
The three-day course brought together students, entrepreneurs, and field experts to explore how bio-based materials are transforming product development and what new business opportunities they create. The events offered participants practical workshops as well as forward-looking discussions.
On the opening day, March 23, the seminar was led by biomaterials researcher and designer Pilar Bolumburu from Materiom. Participants explored how artificial intelligence can support material research and accelerate innovation, what the global production landscape of bio-based materials looks like, and what the main directions are in applying circular economy principles. The session also covered the role of green chemistry in sustainable product development and discussed how the end-of-life phase of biomaterials can be approached in ways that go beyond simple biodegradability.
The second day focused on the integration of biomaterials and digital fabrication. Aleyna Gültekin and Tim Bruder introduced the methodologies of bio-based innovation and advanced manufacturing developed by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), as well as contemporary projects demonstrating the practical use of different materials, digital production, and innovative technologies. Participants also received an overview of how sustainable business models can be built around material and fabrication innovation, alongside selected IAAC startup case studies.
In the second part of the day, Martin Melioranski, Kaiko Kivi, and Lauri Kilusk presented local experimental projects focusing on robotic clay 3D printing, custom digital tools, spatial design development, and material research in the context of art and architecture. The day concluded with a live laboratory and technology demonstration.
The third day focused on entrepreneurship and business models related to biomaterials. The training was led by Mari-Ann Meigo Fonseca, founder of Gelatex Technologies and an experienced mentor and business expert. Participants gained practical insight into how to bring new materials to market, what the industry logic and risks are, and how to develop ideas into customer-validated and investment-ready solutions. Funding strategies were also discussed, along with the advantages and challenges of different revenue models, highlighting the importance of customer interaction.
The event series confirmed that biomaterials and related technologies are rapidly becoming an important direction in design, construction, and entrepreneurship.
The event series was organised by Tallinn Business Incubator and the Estonian Academy of Arts as part of the CiD Innovation Alliance project. The project is co-funded by the European Union through the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) under grant agreement no. 101111686.
