The sTARTUp Day program is extensive, which makes choosing what to attend a challenge in itself. At LIFT99, we look for sessions that go beyond surface-level inspiration and offer substance that founders can actually take with them - whether that means sharper thinking, better decision-making, or a broader perspective on what building a company really entails.
This year’s program includes several talks and panels that stand out for their depth, honesty, and relevance to founders building ambitious companies in complex realities. Below are the sessions we believe are especially worth your time.
Kaspar Tiri
How We Raised $72M+ and Sold to Netflix
Startup stories often skip the uncomfortable middle. In this talk, Kaspar Tiri shares what a decade of building Ready Player Me actually looked like — from starting out as a 19-year-old in Pärnu with no startup background to raising over $72M from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Plural, and ultimately selling the company to Netflix.
This is a grounded account of failure, patience, and long timelines — and why the things worth building usually take far longer than expected. Especially valuable for early-stage founders who want an honest view of what the road really looks like beyond the headlines.
Sultan Akif
Powered by Purpose: How to Build a High-Growth Startup That Changes the World
Sultan Akif works with founders worldwide through his Powered by Purpose framework and is a Startups Executive at Microsoft. His talk focuses on how purpose can guide both business growth and personal direction. Founders can expect practical takeaways on building meaningful companies while navigating scale, pressure, and long-term decisions.
Matīss Kaža
From Latvia to the Oscars
From the co-writer and producer of the Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning animated film Flow comes a behind-the-scenes look at how a small independent Latvian studio reached the world’s biggest cinema stages. The talk highlights what it takes to build global impact from a small market, through focused execution, collaboration, and smart distribution, offering clear parallels for founders scaling internationally.
Axel Bouchon
Happiness Matters
In Happiness Matters, Dr. Axel Bouchon presents groundbreaking fMRI research identifying the first biomarker for happiness in the human brain. He also introduces the concept of Joyalties, a neuroscience-based tokens of appreciation, and explores how they could redefine how we value and reward what truly matters.
This session stands out for bringing scientific clarity to a topic often treated vaguely in startup culture. It offers founders and leaders a data-driven lens on motivation, fulfilment, and performance, making it particularly relevant for those seriously considering sustainability - both personal and organisational.
Kyrylo Martyniuk
From Crimea to Tartu: Building a Defence Tech Company at 18 Years Old
Kyrylo Martyniuk shares his journey from Crimea to Estonia, founding a defence tech startup at 18 and applying Ukrainian ingenuity within the European manufacturing system. His talk also reflects on how drone technology has evolved over the past 12 years.
Set against the backdrop of real geopolitical change, this keynote provides insight into resilience, responsibility, and the realities of building defence technology in today’s Europe. It is particularly relevant for founders working in deep tech, hardware, or industries with global sensitivity.
Kaja Aulik
(Seminar) Why Nobody Cares About Your Brand on Social (and How to Fix It)
If you’re building a company and relying on social media to get noticed, this session is a reality check you'll want to hear early. In a crowded feed where AI has made content easier to produce but harder to differentiate, most brand posts disappear without impact.
Kaja Aulik, Senior Creative Strategist at Bolt, breaks down why this happens and what actually works instead. Drawing from hands-on experience at Bolt and zero-budget experiments, she shows what makes people stop scrolling, engage, and share, and how early-stage founders can apply the same thinking without big teams or budgets.
Taavet Hinrikus & Olavi Lepp
From Ideas to Impact: What Drives Tomorrow’s Companies?
This session draws on Taavet Hinrikus’ personal journey and hands-on experience in building startups and witnessing their growth up close. Taavet Hinrikus shares practical insights, real lessons learned, and clear patterns that help companies move from idea to sustainable growth.
The discussion also looks ahead at future trends and the skills founders need to stay resilient and make smart decisions in an increasingly uncertain world. Olavi Lepp, CEO of Swedbank, brings an additional perspective from large-scale leadership, finance, and technology. For early-stage founders, this session offers a grounded view on how ideas turn into lasting impact and what to pay attention to as growth accelerates.
Eva Lennuk
(Seminar) Pick the Fundraising Model That Suits You!
Fundraising is not just about getting capital. The model you choose shapes your future investor relationships and profit-sharing dynamics. In this concise but practical session, Eva Lennuk breaks down the main fundraising models startups use and explains how to choose the one that actually fits your company’s needs and stage.
This seminar is especially useful for early-stage founders who want clarity before committing to decisions that are hard to reverse later.
Creating a Good Life
Insight panel
We’ve talked a lot about burnout in recent years — exhaustion, overload, and constant pressure. This panel takes a step earlier and asks a more fundamental question: what kind of life are we actually trying to build, and what does a good life look like before burnout enters the picture?
Moderated by Dmitri Sarle, the discussion with Rainer Olbri and Egija Gailuma explores how entrepreneurs define success beyond exits and salaries, and how values like family, meaning, and autonomy shape the choices they make.
The State of Fundraising in 2026
Insight panel
The State of Fundraising in 2026 examines early-stage fundraising in the context of the AI boom, regional market slowdowns, and the widening gap between founders and builders. Moderated by Tim Vaino, the panel brings together Gerri Kodres and Ann Runnel to unpack how fundraising dynamics are shifting in practice.
Rather than focusing on hype, the discussion looks at where ambition meets reality — what actually holds up under scrutiny, how execution is evaluated, and how early-stage teams adapt as the cycle changes. The panel offers a grounded view on what investors are really responding to in 2026 and how founders can adjust their approach accordingly.
Founders Cross-Examination: Who Will Become a Unicorn?
Insight panel
Three founders claim they will build the next unicorn. Two seasoned advocates put them through a high-pressure cross-examination, testing founders’ assumptions and their ability to defend their ground under scrutiny.
This is not a pitch session. Expect sharp questions, fast thinking, and real-time pattern-spotting. The panel offers an unfiltered look at what holds up under pressure — and what does not — making it one of the most revealing sessions for anyone serious about building a venture with substance behind the story.
Of course, this is only a small slice of what sTARTUp Day has to offer. Make time to visit the Pitching Stage, explore what companies are building in the demo area, and take part in the city-wide side events and don’t forget to use Brella. Come with an open mind and genuine curiosity, the real value of sTARTUp Day often lies in what you discover between sessions.