BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 15. An Estonian IT-sector business delegation visited Switzerland on November 12–13, taking part in a series of business events and marking the 100th anniversary of Estonian-Swiss trade relations. The delegation was led by Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, Trend reports via the MFA Estonia.
According to Priit Kallakas, Director of the Economic Diplomacy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Switzerland is a key player in the economic game for Estonia, owing to its robust purchasing power.
“Two-thirds of Estonia’s exports to Switzerland are service exports, with a major share coming from the ICT sector. The main goal of this visit is to introduce Swiss market opportunities to Estonian ICT companies and to help both experienced and new market entrants find partners and local contacts,” Kallakas said.
Helmes representative Ian Nelis pointed out that their aim in Switzerland is to set up new business connections, pass on Estonia’s digital expertise, and pick up lessons from Swiss success stories.
“We primarily develop custom-built critical information systems for clients. Our cooperation with Swiss companies has been highly professional and productive so far, which is why we are looking for new opportunities here,” Nelis explained.
It was noted that Helmes currently has about ten clients in Switzerland across various sectors, including healthcare, logistics, banking, and even the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Nelis added that Switzerland’s recent e-ID referendum demonstrated a growing interest in digital government solutions, creating opportunities for Estonia to share its long-standing experience. He emphasized that while state-led delegations are invaluable for entering new markets, each company must ultimately carry out its own preparation.
Also participating in the visit was Feelingstream, a company specializing in customer service automation. Their goal was to expand their client base in Switzerland.
“One of our major clients is a large technology company with headquarters in Switzerland, and we already work with them in Norway. We met with their Swiss representatives to discuss ways to expand our services across the DACH region—Switzerland, Germany, and Austria,” said Terje Ennomäe, Feelingstream’s co-founder and CEO.
Feelingstream, an organization focused on customer service automation, was also a part of the visit with the goal to increase the customer base in Switzerland.
“The market is rapidly moving toward broader AI adoption, and there is no reason to fear it. What matters is using it selectively in processes where it creates real value. That is exactly what we are focused on,” Ennomäe added.
She mentioned that visits and events of this sort are the bread and butter for breaking into new markets.
“Support from the Foreign Ministry’s economic diplomat in Switzerland, Mirjam Loertscher, has been extremely valuable. Insights into local business culture have also been important. For example, calling a Swiss business contact at midday is not appropriate, but lunchtime is excellent for arranging a business meeting. It is also useful to follow the results of recent referendums. I was pleased that the Swiss voted in favor of digital identity in September,” Ennomäe said.
The Estonian delegation also showed up as a guest country at the Swiss Digital Economy Award 2025.
Members of the Estonian business delegation included Aristotle, BitTech, ClearVote, Cybernetica, DefSecIntel, Gridio, MindTitan, Net Group, NEVERHACK, Progmatic, Helmes, Feelingstream, and nets360. The visit was organized by the Foreign Ministry in cooperation with the Estonian Association of Information Technology, Swiss ICT, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce in Switzerland, DigitalSwitzerland, the Zurich Cantonal Employment Office, and the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs.
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