Estonia

Why Estonia

• A company you can run onlineRegistration, tax filings and signatures are digital, and e-Residency lets founders handle them from abroad.
• Tax only on distributed profitProfit kept in the company is not taxed, so cash can go back into growth before any corporate tax is due.
• A small, reachable test marketWith about 1.36 million people, decision makers in government and business are easy to reach for a first EU reference client.

Source: Brand Estonia, Estonia in numbers · EMTA, income and social taxes

Priority sectors

Source: Invest in Estonia

How companies enter

1. Step 1Soft landingA first visit to Tallinn with booked meetings to test interest and meet partners and public buyers.
2. Step 2PilotA paid pilot with a local client or partner, often still billed from home.
3. Step 3Local companyAn Estonian OÜ (private limited company), registered online in the e-Business Register, with a local contact person if the board sits abroad.

Founders from outside the EU can apply for the Startup Visa once the Startup Committee confirms the company qualifies, then move to a temporary residence permit for entrepreneurship of up to five years, while e-Residency is a digital identity that gives no right to live in Estonia.

Source: Startup Estonia · Work in Estonia, Startup Visa FAQ

Costs to plan for

• Company registration in the e-Business Register and a digital ID (e-Residency card or Estonian ID card)
• Legal address and a licensed contact person in Estonia if the management board is abroad
• Accounting, annual report and tax filings, with 22/78 corporate tax on any profit paid out
• Salaries with 33% social tax on top, plus office or coworking space in Tallinn or Tartu

Source: EMTA, tax rates 2026 · e-Residency, legal duties of company owners

Who can help