Most Innovative City in the World

Tallinn, the capital of the young nation of Estonia, is believed to be one of the oldest capital cities in Northern Europe and its old town is a ‘UNESCO World Heritage Site’ blossoming with striking medieval buildings. Yet behind this classical exterior lies one of the most innovative and tech savvy cities in the world.

The birthplace of Skype, Tallinn is often referred to as the ‘Silicon Valley of Europe’ and indeed it is a sister town to the American Silicon Valley town of Los Gatos, California. The Estonian government has declared internet access to be a human right and the country is littered with free wifi hotspots. Estonians even sometimes refer to their nation as ‘E-stonia’ to represent their position at the forefront of E-society. Furthermore, NATO has established a ‘Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence’ in Tallinn in recognition of its contributions to information technology.

Clearly, Tallinn has great business pedigree, and today it has the highest number of startups per person in Europe. Tallinn is also the centre of Estonian culture and hosts the Estonian Song Festival each year,  providing a chance for thousands of Estonians to express their national identity through the powerful medium of song.

One particularly innovative – yet so simple – scheme in Tallinn is the city’s provision of free public transport throughout the city to all of its residents. As a result of the arrangement, Tallinn has seen a significant increase in people using public transport and also hopes to significantly cut congestion and emissions in the city. Although free public transport has been tested in Europe before, the operations in Tallinn are somewhat unique due to the size and status of the city as capital of Estonia. Surely this system should be replicated across the world – after all, a population which is mobilised is also a productive one.

So, there you go: Tallinn – a city of rich history with a rich future.