Accelerate Estonia is Estonia’s governmental innovation lab, set up to help new products and services reach the market when existing rules stand in the way. Operating at the intersection of public policy and entrepreneurship, it prepares policy recommendations for the Estonian government and works with ministries, companies and sector partners to identify and remove regulatory barriers. Its stated mission is bluntly framed on its own site as “making illegal things legal,” a reference to the legal changes often needed before an innovation can be launched.
The organisation is based in Tallinn, Estonia, and is run from within the country’s public innovation ecosystem. It was launched by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications and is powered by Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol. The lab’s work is national in scope, but its ambitions extend beyond Estonia: it aims to create market opportunities that can scale internationally once the regulatory framework has been adapted.
Accelerate Estonia’s method is structured in stages. It first validates whether a regulatory change is needed, then defines which law must change and how, followed by proof through pilots or experiments, and finally the proposal and aftercare phase, where an amendment is advanced with the responsible ministry. The lab works with entrepreneurs, public-sector officials, incubators, accelerators and universities.
Its portfolio includes projects in areas such as unmanned aviation, health, circular construction, community energy, sustainable finance and food systems. Recent examples listed on its site include Aerolane, which explores cargo transport via gliders; Bolt and Wolt, in an over-the-counter drug delivery courier service; and Grab2Go, aimed at enabling 24/7 automated pharmacies. These projects show a focus on practical regulatory change, not abstract policy design.