Month: January 2009

28 partners put their e-solutions on show in the Estonian ICT Demo Center, a joint effort to demonstrate to the world what the Estonian information and communication technologies sector is capable of.

The Demo Center brings together the Estonian ICT industry’s best creations such as the ID-card and Mobile-ID which are digital identity documents, the e-banking system which has revolutionised the Estonian banking service, and the e-Tax Office which took the local tax board online.

Demo Center, located in a highly innovative environment in the Ülemiste City together with many IT companies, also displays several consumer-oriented solutions such as digital TV, Skype and a cell phone operated newspaper vending machine.

The purpose of the Demo Center, however, is not to promote single solutions or products, says Enn Saar, the CEO of MicroLink Estonia – one of the center’s founding members. “The Center gives us a possibility to create synergy between different ICT companies and make their solutions communicate with each other. The outcome is that we have a realistic environment in which we can show visitors how Estonian e-solutions make life easier for citizens, enterprises and the government,” said Saar.

Urmas Kõlli, president of the Estonian Association of Information Technology and Telecommunications, emphasized that the Demo Center focuses on international visitors. “The Demo Center is a large step forward for our companies that have for a long time wanted to introduce our innovative solutions and products to consumers around the globe,” Kõlli commented.

International IT corporations will also participate in the Demo Center. Microsoft opened its Innovation Center, the purpose of which is to increase the Estonian companies’ chances to compete on the international market.
Rain Laane, the CEO of Microsoft Estonia, said that in the Innovation Center Estonian companies will get access to Microsoft’s newest products and be able to test these products in realistic conditions. „This gives our clients a vital advantage in their business,” said Laane.

Sun Microsystems joined the Demo Center with its Authorized Sun Solution Center. „Every year more than 3500 customers and 400 partners build and test working prototypes of business solutions at Sun Solution Centers around the world.  These engagements help partners do more business in less time by enabling them to demonstrate the capabilities of their products running on Sun infrastructure,” said Graham Stevens, the Senior Director Sun Solution Centers.

The founders of the Estonian ICT Demo Center are MicroLink Estonia, EMT, Elion, Microsoft, Santa Monica Networks, Datel and Ülemiste City.

 

Further information:

Rain Laane
Estonian ICT Demo Center
Member of the Board
rain.laane[A]demokeskus.ee
+372 5114621

Piret Frey
MicroLink Estonia
Manager of Public Relations
piret.frey[A]microlink.ee
+372 56154208

Estonia has been good in implementing the e-Government system. We have been the first in the world in starting to use some of the technical solutions in the public sector. Thus we already have the experience that many countries still lack.

The efficient functioning of the e-Government system requires an innovative reorganisation of the functioning of the government; it requires motivated leadership and also users with awareness and necessary technical possibilities and skills.

Besides these important moments, every e-service is still based on a specific information technology solution. There are many such solutions developed in Estonia, by many good Estonian ICT enterprises. Often good results have been achieved in co-operation between local and international ICT enterprises. One good example of this is the Skype program written in Tallinn.

Information and communication technology is the bloodstream for creating innovation in other industries. Taking information technology into use in economy brought about a revolution, but today a revolution lies in every service or product that is made in a new way by using IT and is made available to a wider consumer base – there is no point in inventing the bicycle several times. There is an indeterminable, but still clear difference – everyone can change the world of many people with a smart idea.

Estonia has an ambitious information society development plan prepared for the next five years, until the year 2013. The goals of Estonia tomorrow are to develop e-business environment, with one of the keywords being developing paperless accountancy system and implementing a wider electronic ID solution, and also to teach people, thus increasing the awareness of users and the security of the services.

Although the IT solutions of the public sector cannot always be put into numbers, it is always easier to prepare a new solution if you can lean on earlier creations and use the experience gathered.

The Demo Centre is implemented exactly for finding new ideas for next developments by looking at what has already been created, for finding new co-operation opportunities and, why not, also for implementing existing creations in new fields.