The MELT Innovation Forum, which was cancelled last spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, will take place virtually this year on the 12th of May. For the first time, the event will be free of charge for all participants. The forum can be followed online at www.melt.ee.

This year, the focus is on innovation in cities and the colours of the economy: the blue, green and silver economies. Sustainability and circular economy will also be discussed, as well as the impact of the corona on both businesses and consumption patterns.

According to Deputy Mayor Aivar Riisalu, Tallinn has the ambition to be an internationally acknowledged creative world city and the heart of a smart and green economy in the Northern Europe. "There are prerequisites for this, because we have an abundance of smart people, innovation and determination, i.e. all the essentials for creating companies with high added value," said Riisalu. "The goal of MELT is to bring the innovators together, to inspire each other, to encourage and find like-minded people to move forward."

Every year, MELT offers something surprising and fresh to its listeners; this year, the benefits of the blue economy are examined in more detail. It analyses the effects of the corona on both businesses and consumer behaviour, but also looks at innovation products and considers how to make business and the environment around us smarter.

This year's MELT takes place in cooperation with three organizations. The Tallinn Business Centre, the Tallinn Creative Incubator and the Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol will join forces and bring a versatile program to the virtual stage, where renowned experts from different fields of life, visionaries and product and service developers will perform.

The forum will be opened by a blue economy expert Gunter Paul, who will introduce the advantages, model and operation of the blue economy. The main presentation will be followed by a discussion in which the colours of the Estonian economy will be conferred - is Estonia's future a green, blue or silver economy?

In the thematic block of the pros and cons of the circular economy, companies discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the environmentally sustainable business. The discussion will reveal how easy is it to reuse materials or get to an entirely waste-free production.

The thematic block “New consumer behaviour: what happens after the corona” will feature companies that have found a new breath in the corona crisis and re-evaluated their current field of activity. It observes whether the changes caused by the pandemic have also had a lasting effect on consumer behaviour.

Discussion "Does it take to be big to change the world?" takes a closer look at large and small companies that have taken important environmental steps. Powerful leaps are needed to change the world, but can small steps have a large impact?

The thematic block "Old businesses in the new uniform" looks at well-known products and services that have been given a whole new look and content by product innovation.

For the first time, exciting ideas on how to bring smart solutions to cities will be introduced - the five winners of the competition "Tallinnovation" will present their smart city solutions. The flash presentations will be followed by a discussion on innovation and smarter urban space.

The day will end with a discussion that will take a closer look at start-ups and their opportunities for cooperation between corporations and the public sector, as this may be a good growth strategy for start-ups.

The MELT Innovation Forum is organized by the Tallinn Business Centre, the Tallinn Creative Incubator and the Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol. The forum will take place virtually on May 12 and can be viewed on the website www.melt.ee. Every year, MELT brings together fresh ideas and technologies for the future, enabling people to discover, learn and notice the opportunities for innovation around them.

Additional information:
Kärt Kanne
Tallinn Enterprise Department
[email protected]

Media inquiries:
Kristi Hürri
[email protected]
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