A City in Motion

Tartu has adequate experience and knowledge for development of innovative technologies. The city holds a strong position in the establishment of high-tech enterprises, in the fields of biotechnology, material science and information technology.

It is a city in motion, empowered by the radical changes taking place over the last decade which influenced citizens' welfare and business growth. The city's infrastructure has been extensively updated. Large shopping malls, glass tower high-rise offices and apartments, hotels, sports centres and extensive water park are all around the city. Tartu as a pilot area of the EU initiative, eEurope is intensifying the virtual infrastructure. Tartu was one of the first cities to introduce parking fees by a cellular phone. Bus-tickets are provided in the form of SMS and since autumn this year, ID cards will be made applicable in the public transport, which will be the first real application of national ID-card in Estonia. Also as one of the first local governments, the city offered e-services for citizens. So digitally signed documents are reality in Tartu.

Additionally, Tartu is orientated towards the knowledge-based economy. The main precondition for that is strong universities and scientific base. We are striving at intensifying co-operation between the private sector and universities. For these purposes the Institute of Technology at the University of Tartu was created, with the aim of promoting start-up high-technology companies arising from the University.

The technological leap in Tartu is widely visible, especially in the area of bio- and gene technology. The number of specialists in the field of biotechnology is expected to rise threefold in a couple of years. For example, the Estonian Genome Project, and many other undertakings in this field have been started here in Tartu. The Estonian Genome Foundation is creating a gene databank of Estonian population for the national health-care and international research.

Tartu has developed into a significant centre of expertise also in medical research, health care and health care technology. The technical and quality standards of medical care are exceptionally high.