Companies in Estonia can receive support for hiring science and research and development (R&D) employees to accelerate innovation and boost international competitiveness. The support is available to companies across different fields and helps free up resources for development activities.

The support for science and R&D employees is provided by the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS) together with the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications. All companies registered in Estonia that have at least one science and R&D employee on their payroll are eligible. In the most recent round, more than 200 companies were supported with nearly 2.2 million euros, benefiting 1,400 experts. Minister Erkki Keldo emphasized: “Our goal is to increase the share of technology-intensive companies in the economy and encourage the employment of science and R&D workers in the private sector.” The support is based on expenses incurred during the previous year, calculated using data from the Tax and Customs Board, without a complicated application process.

EIS board member Sigrid Harjo stated that the support gives companies the confidence to carry out innovation projects more boldly. She added: “Science and R&D employees share their expertise with other staff, making the entire organization more innovative.” According to Harjo, cooperation between companies and universities has also strengthened, helping to bring scientific solutions into practice more effectively.

The next round of applications will open in August 2025, and support will be available for salaries paid to science and R&D employees during the first half of 2025. The process is designed to be quick and simple, typically taking less than 30 minutes and requiring no reporting.