Due to the very strong competition, the EstBAN syndicate will be divided between two promising deep tech startups: ImpactPCB gets up to €150k, and LifeGlue (FIN) gets up to €150k.

EstBAN syndicate co-lead Martin Goroško commented that the startups were impressive, and it wasn’t an easy task to pick the winners. “All the top 30 companies that made it to the sTARTUp Day pitching stage are investable, and I believe investors will pick them up sooner or later. Regarding the angel investor syndicate, we were weighing the decision pretty intensely until the last minute,” Goroško mentioned.

Lead investor Heidi Kakko said that the winners were the strongest in all aspects that investors are looking for. “They know how to validate a problem early enough in a complex field and create a corresponding solution. For investors, it’s also important to understand their specific markets,” Kakko said.

How are the investment winners going to change the world?

ImpactPCB offers a validated, revenue-generating deep-tech solution for chemical-free e-waste recycling, addressing a critical EU resource challenge. Strong founder expertise, early customer traction, and scalable modular technology support an attractive growth opportunity.

• Founders: Artur Klauson, Deniss Klauson
• Read more: https://www.impactpcb.com/our-solutions

LifeGlue is developing a scalable biomaterial platform with strong scientific foundations and broad application potential. Early validation and a clear value proposition position the company well for long-term impact and growth.

• Founders: Laura Kuittinen, Paula Puistola, Anni Mörö
• Read more: https://www.glue4life.com/

Rest of the TOP5 startups of the sTARTUp Day 2026 Pitching Competition

These companies made it to the finals together with two winners from a pool of over 200 promising ventures:

• Thistle and Gerda-Annika Laager (EST)
• EsaDres and Karin Kogermann (EST)
• BabAI Orbital and Roman Karpenko (UKR-EST).

More on the same topic

• Read more about the sTARTUp Day 2026 syndicate
• Take a look at former EstBAN syndicates too.

The post EstBAN syndicate winners of sTARTUp Day Pitching Competition are deep tech companies ImpactPCB (EST) and LifeGlue (FIN) first appeared on EstBAN.

The post EstBAN syndicate winners of sTARTUp Day Pitching Competition are deep tech companies ImpactPCB (EST) and LifeGlue (FIN) appeared first on EstBAN.

What it means to be a lead investor and why are you doing it?

Martin: Leading a syndicate gives you in a few months the experience that usually takes years: scouting dealflow, running due diligence, negotiating terms, and closing the deal. It’s an experience every angel should aim for – when you make decisions later during your investment journey, you know each step first-hand and have tested the investment process. In the context of an event like sTARTUp Day, the lead role helps to shape a very resilient angel investor.

How do you rate the overall level of startups this year?

Martin: As expected, strong. All ~30 companies that passed the main screening are investable, and I believe investors will pick them up during sTARTUp Day or afterward. While there’s talk in the ecosystem about a shortage of founders and difficulty finding good companies, this selection doesn’t support that. It was diverse by stage, from deals for early angels to A-round VCs, and by verticals, from deep tech to simple, scalable mobile apps. The international angle stood out as well. Latvia and Lithuania have made a big leap, and serious deep tech is coming from there.

Heidi: The share of women founders could be higher, although a few women-led teams did make it to the top this year.

Which fields stood out, and what was specific about this year?

Heidi: Defense and dual-use, AI, and healthtech dominated. The strongest rise was in defense and dual-use technologies, not necessarily new products were introduced, but existing companies have redefined their market segment and go-to-market strategies. We aimed for balance so the strongest teams from different sectors were visible. Still, those two areas are the hottest globally right now.

Who made the finals, and on what basis?

Heidi: Simply put, companies that are market-ready, with a clear go-to-market strategy and a capable team to execute their plans. Every selection also reflects the lead investors. Since we’re drawn to more technically complex products like deep-tech, those teams were chosen.
Martin: As EstBAN represents angels, we also have to consider capital fit: stage, valuation, and ticket size need to match angel logic, and angels should be able to make a meaningful difference in the company’s progress. The capital-company fit is crucial, sometimes even more than the sector. In my view, the top five is strong, varied, and most importantly, well suited for angel investment.

On Thursday, 29 January, 30 startups will pitch on the sTARTUp Day stage, and on Friday, 30 January, a winner will be selected from the five finalists. The investment will come from both angel investors and the venture capital fund BSV.

• See all EstBAN previous syndicates
• Read more about the sTARTUp Day investment

The post Heidi Kakko and Martin Goroško lead a syndicate investment of up to €200,000 into the sTARTUp Day pitch competition winner first appeared on EstBAN.

The post Heidi Kakko and Martin Goroško lead a syndicate investment of up to €200,000 into the sTARTUp Day pitch competition winner appeared first on EstBAN.