Update April 2000: Estonia

During the period from January to March 2000 (included) several changes in important organisations and contacts in the context of information society have taken place. Details on contacts of the persons and organisations can be found in the ESIS Knowledge Base.

1. Changes in Private Sector

The Estonian investment banks and venture capital funds have started with aggressive investments in information technology projects from the beginning of 2000. Lõhmus, Haavel & Viisemann (operates through New Economy Ventures Ltd.) and Trigon Capital are the two main investment banks on the market.

MicroLink (Estonia) and Fortech (Latvia), the leading information technology companies in the Baltic countries announced their merger that resulted in the biggest IT corporation of the Baltic region with a yearly turnover of almost a billion Estonian kroons. Fortech will become 100 per cent subsidiary of MicroLink; the shareholders of Fortech will acquire MicroLink’s shares.

Delfi - the leading Internet company in the Baltic countries involved the Scandinavian IT company Cygate AB as a strategic partner for establishing a network equipment sales company in Lithuania. The company will be developed from the Lithuanian company Taide UAB. The majority share in the future company will be owned by Cygate AB.

Olav Aarna, the previous rector of the Tallinn Technical University entered the position of the rector of the Estonian Business School (EBS). Madis Habakuk continues as the president of the university managing the strategy, subsidiaries and major developmental projects.

The previous news editor Mart Luik started in March as the managing director of TV3 that belongs to the Scandinavian media group MTG (Modern Times Group). Andres Jõesaar, the former managing director of TV3 started as the head of the Estonian portal everyday.com owned by TELE2.

Data Telecom Ltd., one of the biggest Internet companies in Estonia changed its trademark EUnet into KPNQwest Estonia resulting from the merger of EUNET and KPNQwest.

American IT company fusionOne bought the software development company Datalane by exchange of shares.

The personnel search company Mercuri Urval and the famous local Internet firm CV-Online announced their co-operation.

2. Changes in Public and Non-Profit Sector

Ruth Martin, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport and Communication was fired in January due to discredit.

Margus Leivo - former Secretary General of the Ministry of Economic Affairs became the new Secretary General of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.

Marika Priske was appointed to become the new Secretary General of the Ministry of Economics.

In March the Government of the Republic made a decision to establish the Estonian Information Technology Foundation.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Employers and Industry founded a non-profit organisation named Estonian Standardisation Centre.

The Union of Estonian Information Technology and Telecommunication Companies was established in March, uniting 40 companies in the field of information technology and telecommunication. Until that time Estonian market lacked this type of influential umbrella organisation.

Privador Ltd. was founded from the state enterprise Küberneetika Ltd. The company offers digital signature systems; Privador Ltd. will be used for introducing the products to the European market and improving developmental activities.

Professor Andres Keevallik was elected the rector of the Tallinn Technical University; he began to fulfill his duties in the middle of March.

The present survey has been compiled based on the materials of news agencies BNS and ETA as well as the business newspaper "Äripäev" and the opinions expressed by various experts.