FinEst Link and Prototron are waiting for your ideas


The FinEst Link project, the feasibility study of transport connections between Tallinn and Helsinki, is announcing a new technologies challenge in collaboration with Prototron. We are looking for new ideas and solutions for the optimization and improvement of transport connections, logistics and digitalised services between Tallinn and Helsinki. With this challenge, we want to promote open dialogue, collect great ideas and provide an open stage for developers of transport infrastructures, technologies and services developers. The most relevant proposals will become part of final results of FinEst Link to be presented to the political decision makers in Finland, Estonia and the EU.


Improving cross-gulf transport system


The FinEst Link project, in partnership with Prototron, is seeking ideas on how the present transport system and services based on fast ferries could be improved. All ideas that help to smooth the transport flows, improving passenger/freight transport service standards and creating additional services etc are welcome.

Applications should be submitted via prototron.ee by 29th of Oct and participate in Prototron regular procedure.


Entries and evaluation


FinEst Link project launch the call for proposals in October 2017. The participants are asked to provide their proposals and justifications to be based on common baseline general information provided by the organiser:

  • the Geological data from the survey on the structure of the seabed between Helsinki and Tallinn,
  • general cost estimations in tunnel construction,
  • transport statistics and future demand estimations,
  • technical concept of conventional rail tunnel,
  • information on planning requirements in Tallinn and in Helsinki.

The information content of entries should also enable to use common evaluation criteria and their indicators: facilitate travel time and ticket price, smooth travel chains, effective freight transport chains, improved sustainability and traffic management in Tallinn and Helsinki city-centres.

The proposals not in line with the common baseline data and evaluation criteria will not be chosen to be presented in the final conference and in the final report. In order to have a fair evaluation of the proposals, the organizers need to make sure that the proposals are based on common data and information provided by the FinEst Link project.

Proposal will be evaluated by Prototron and FinEst Link Advisory Board. All entries meeting the evaluation criteria and based on common baseline information provided by the projects, are provided a possibility to present their case at the final conference in February 2018 in Tallinn. Selected proposals are included in the final recommendations to be presented to the political decision-makers.

Describe your idea and submit your application by October 29th via www.prototron.ee Best ideas get an extra opportunity to win Prototron 2017 Autumn round grand 10 000 € (if Estonian company) or apply for TEKES founding (if Finnish company).






What is FinEst Link?


Project FinEst Link started in 2016 and it is looking at the Tallinn-Helsinki tunnel in order to improve transport connections, develop twin-city and connect national economies into EU markets. Project is conducting feasibility and socio-economic study of new fixed link connection. Fixed connection allows reap the dynamic benefits of Helsinki-Tallinn twin-city area and facilitate increasing travel and commuting. Project FinEst Link is a result of the cooperation of the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council with the cities of Helsinki and Tallinn, Harju County Government, the Finnish Transport Agency and the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communication. Project is financed by EU’s Interreg Central Baltic Programme.

Gulf of Finland is one of the most heavily used ferry connections in the world and current volumes between Tallinn and Helsinki are reaching 10 million travels annually. Ports of Helsinki and Tallinn are soon the busiest passenger ports in the world. This connection is main gateway for Finnish on-land freight transport towards Central-Europe and facilitators of twin-city traffic. The regions are growing more and more together, making Finnish and Estonian capital regions one of the most developed twin-regions in Europe. Increasing labor interactivity and common economic area are great opportunity for economic growth for both capitals.

While we are witnessing heavy traffic activity between two cities, then looking towards main markets for both Estonian and Finnish economy, it can be said that logistics is crucial for regions to compete in EU markets. Transport connections are ones main that affects the development of the economy in this region. While currently developed Rail Baltica is improving the situation in Estonia. Tallinn-Helsinki connection is becoming increasingly congested bottleneck on Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) network. The railway tunnel between Tallinn and Helsinki serves both twin-region growth potential and integration of Finland and Estonia into The Trans-European Transport Networks in Europe.

The changes in transport system would effectively have an impact on the logistical, socio- economic and environmental aspects of the whole region. The future of Tallinn and Helsinki is now presented as a whole new vision of 2 merged twin-cities with a 90km long tunnel between them. The new concept of transportation alongside with the infrastructure projects will significantly cut the travel time for the passengers, increase the volume of the vehicles carried to the both shores by ferry service and will also minimize the release of CO2 into the atmosphere.






Why FinEst Link creates partnership with Prototron?


For the past 5 years, the Prototron Foundation, established by the Tallinn University of Technology, Swedbank and Science Park Tehnopol, has been sponsoring the best ideas of young entrepreneurs and providing its resources for the commercial implementation of projects and the creation of start-ups. The Prototron Foundation contributed to the emergence of new products on the market, whereas the participating teams successfully opened new enterprises and created 120 workplaces. Innovative ideas, developed with Prototron attracted follow-on financing of more than 17.5 million Euros. Some of the ideas earlier presented to Prototron foundation, have already become international success stories. For Example, Lingvist, Shipitwise, Flydog, Smart Load Solutions, coModule, GlobalReader, HackMotion and Sprayprinter

In scope of Prototron and FinEst Link project cooperation, ideas will have a chance to meet with relevant mentors and specialists, as well as get a valuable legal support from Hedman Lift in compliance with legal obligations. The entrepreneurs with the best idea will be awarded with up to 10,000 EUR grant for realization of their project.

It is worthwhile to clarify that the search for solutions in the field of transport communication is aimed at digitalization. Despite the fact that the FinEst Link project specializes in the creation of a railway tunnel between Tallinn and Helsinki, any ideas aimed at optimizing the industry and solving transport communication problems are welcome. Do you have a software idea that will facilitate traffic in the ports of Tallinn and Helsinki?

You can create a mobile application that can be used as an e-ticket or can merge the flight and train connections?

In your opinion, there is an alternative method for solving the transport connection issue between two cities?


Send your application