Interview: Viljar Lubi

Who are you, and what do you do?

My name is Viljar Lubi and I am undersecretary for economic development at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Estonia. My job is simple, how to make Estonia the best place to do business. My sole customer is business.

What will you be talking about at the conference in Canada?

Estonia is a trading nation, the only way we can prosper. We are tiny but we stand out because we know that use of technology and innovative approach can really make your size and location irrelevant.

Why do you think Estonia is such a leader in technology?

It is a combination of many things. It definitely takes some political leadership, especially when we started. Then the way of thinking, technology provides you shortcuts in development, it is not the aim itself. Also, our companies need to think global from day one, as our domestic market…well, it is not a real market. Estonia is a country and not a market.

What advice would you give to someone who is interested in getting into this field?

I will be thrilled to meet Canadian startups and entrepreneurs, those international connections make us stronger. We believe in Estonia that only those links provide us success.

What excites you about coming to Canada?

I am always been surprised how relatively big society as Canada has succeeding in pulling off several groundbreaking innovations in the public sector. Looking forward to learn first hand.