Entrepreneurship Award 2009
At the national entrepreneurship competition “Entrepreneurship Award 2009” with the longest history the companies who are most worthy of recognition from the viewpoint of the state and exemplary will be traditionally chosen. This year the best were chosen in five categories: Year Developer 2009, Tourism Innovator 2009, Exporter 2009, Foreign Investor 2009 and Innovator 2009.
Compared to the earlier years there were considerably more candidates in the category of innovator which indicates that during hard times the companies struggle even more in developing new technologies and applications than in the years of economic prosperity.
Each award category has its own criteria in choosing the best, at the same time several nationally important aspects cross the years as red line: export capability, high productivity, innovativeness. This year the real achievements, not so much enthusiastic future visions, were assessed.
The methodology of the competition has been developed by the specialists of Enterprise Estonia, the years-long experience and the opinions of several independent experts have been taken into account.
In order to apply as the candidate the company had to fill in the online questionnaire by answering the questions regarding the different economic indicators, products, services and several other figures. The questionnaires were prepared and the first information processing was carried out by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research.
The obtained information was analysed by the divisions of Enterprise Estonia, by involving the professional experts from outside. As a result of the analysis three best were specified in all categories, the nomination of which was submitted to the jury of the competition for making the final choice. At the end of August the gathered jury chose the winner of each category out of the three submitted nominees at the meeting and the winner of the main prize from among the winners of the categories.
“Entrepreneurship Award” has traditionally been a competition, in case of which the subjective assessment of the state’s representatives in addition to the real economic results is considered. The decision was adopted by the jury based on the valuation criteria of each specific category and the achievements and perspective of the companies applying for as candidates. The jury included the Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications Juhan Parts, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, Rector of Tallinn University of Technology Peep Sürje, President of the Bank of Estonia Andres Lipstok, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Enterprise Estonia Mart Einasto, Chairman of the Management Board of ABB AS Bo Henriksson.
ENTRERENEURSHIP AWARD 2009
Exporter 2009
VKG Oil AS
Year of foundation: 1999
Chairman of the Board: Nikolai Petrovitš
Field of activity: shale oil processing
Interview with Nikolai Petrovitš
Nominees for the Exporter 2009
Aeroc AS
Demidov Industries AS
Tourismi Innovator 2009
Narva Muuseum SA
Year of foundation: 1865
Chairman of the Board: Andres Toode
Field of activity: organisation of museum work, servicing the tourists
Interview with Andres Toode
Nominees for the Tourism Innovator 2009
Eesti Konverentsibüroo MTÜ (ECB - Estonian Convention Bureau)
Tori Kuradid (Tori Devils)
Innovator 2009
Modesat Communications OÜ
Year of foundation: 2005
Chairman of the Board: Tarmo Pihl, Peep Põldsamm
Field of activity: development of telecommunication technology
Interview with Tarmo Pihl
Nominees for the Innovator 2009
EMT AS
NOW! Innovations OÜ
Developer of the year 2009
Flow Service OÜ
Year of foundation: 2005
Chairman of the Board: Ants Hauvmann, Liis Laanet
Field of activity: designing, installation and maintenance of industrial equipment
Interview with Liisi Laanet
Nominees for the Developer of the Year 2009
GSM Valve OÜ
Kuusk OÜ
Foreign investor 2009
ABB AS
Year of foundation: 1991
Chairman of the Board: Bo Roger Vilhelm Henriksson
Field of activity: production and installation of automation and electrotechnics systems
Interview with Bo Henriksson
Nominees for the Foreign Investor 2009
Wendre AS
JELD-WEN Eesti AS