Entrepreneurship Award 2008

Entrepreneurship Award is the entrepreneurship competition with the longest history in Estonia which dates back to the year 1996. Just in this year the competition was organised under the leadership of the President Lennart Meri for the issue of the title “Foreign Investor 1995”. The competition has changed and expanded with time and since 2000 Enterprise Estonia organises the choosing and recognition of the best companies under the name of “Entrepreneurship Award”.

The primary objective of the competition is to recognise the successful and perspective Estonian companies and set them as the examples for others. The wider aim is to contribute to the promotion of entrepreneurship, growth of the international competitiveness of the Estonian companies and therewith to the faster economic development.

Each year the number and name of categories are slightly updated to guarantee the valuation of the companies in the more important sectors from the viewpoint of the state economy. This year the categories were the Developer, Innovator, Exporter, Foreign Investor, Industrial Enterprise and Tourism Innovator of the Year.

The basis of choice is the questionnaires sent by the companies. In cooperation with the Estonian Institute of Economic Research the ranking of each category is specified, of which the advisory committees of Enterprise Estonia choose the three nominees and the winner company per each category. The main winner of the Entrepreneurship Award is chosen among the category winners by the representative jury, the members of which are the representatives of the universities, key ministries and circles of entrepreneurship

The participation in the competition has increased from year to year, good companies worthy of recognition exist in all categories and therefore the making of choices is complicated. In several cases the discussions lasted for hours, but finally the results were also achieved.

The competition “Enterprise Award 2008” culminates with the festive gala night in the concert hall of Estonia, where the winners will be announced and the deserved awards will be given to the best.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD 2008
Foreign Investor 2007
ABB AS
Year of foundation: 1991
Chairman of the Board: Bo Henriksson, Heiki Kalve
Field of activity: energy and control engineering technology
Interview with Mr Bo Henriksson

Tourism Innovator 2008
Emajõe Lodjaselts MTÜ
Year of foundation: 2004
Chairman of the Board: Priit Jagomägi, Ilmar Tamm
Field of activity: organisation of barge trips, training
Interview with Priit Jagomägi

Innovator 2008
VKG Oil AS
Year of foundation: 1999
Chairman of the Board: Nikolai Petrovitš
Field of activity: thermal treatment of oil shale
Interview with Jaanus Purga

Exporter 2008
Ecometal AS
Year of foundation: 1999
Chairman of the Board: Marja Kiristaja
Field of activity: recycling of lead-plate batteries
Interview with Tõnis Kaasik

Manufacturing Enterprise 2008
Favor AS
Year of foundation: 1990
Chairman of the Board: Aivar Kärmas
Field of activity: manufacture of leaf metal products
Interview with Aivar Kärmas

Developer of the Year 2008
Tiptiptap OÜ
Year of foundation: 2004
Chairman of the Board: Kadri Klaassen, Rasmus Varunov
Field of activity: design, manufacture, installation of children’s playgrounds
Interview with Rasmus Varunov