At the EdTech Estonia panel AI in Education & AI Leap at Latitude59 in Tallinn, Baltic EdTech companies and education experts discussed how the sector’s experience could help solve pressing problems in education.

Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential

“The fact is that students are already using AI extensively—more so than teachers,” said Oleg Shvaikovsky, co-founder of the AI education program AI Leap (TI-Hüpe). “With AI, there can be a temptation to delegate critical thinking. That’s why we’re developing a language model with AI Leap that doesn’t provide ready-made answers—an approach that helps students develop their independent thinking and encourages them to make an effort.”

Panelists emphasized that AI should not solve problems for students—it should leave the thinking process to them.

Kadri Haljas, PhD, founder and CEO of TriumfHealth, stated that students need a safe environment where they can experiment and make mistakes. “AI should create challenges, not solutions, so that students develop problem-solving skills and grow in their confidence and ability to succeed.”

Agnė Diana Liubertaitė, PhD, principal of Vilnius Private Gymnasium, which is piloting an AI-powered virtual school, described how their institution follows the principles of a thinking school. “This means teachers don’t immediately provide answers to students’ questions but instead guide them to think independently and find the answers themselves. It’s completely free, but a big change.”

EdTechs can give teachers more of their most valuable asset: time

While artificial intelligence can support the development of students’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, educational technology gives teachers more of their most valuable resource: time.

According to Elchin Jafarov, founder and CEO of Latvian EdTech company Datorium, their solution saves teachers about five hours per week. “Instead of administrative tasks, teachers have more time to focus on building relationships with students and parents. Artificial intelligence can be the ideal assistant for students, helping them fill knowledge gaps, recall previously learned material, and better understand new concepts. This frees up teachers’ time to focus on the more human side of education.”

Liubertaitė added that their school began by training teachers on how to use AI. “When teachers gain self-confidence, magic happens. School is not about delivering content—it's about nurturing each individual student and building relationships. AI can free up more time for teachers to spend with their students.”

Haljas emphasized that magic also happens when children start believing in themselves. “You can't believe in any tool more than you believe in yourself,” she said. Haljas also highlighted the importance of improving overall quality of life. “Right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty in the world, which makes adopting new technologies more difficult—especially since teachers are overwhelmed, too.”

Choosing the right tools can be tricky—but regional EdTech are here to help

Dejan Delev, Technology Integration Specialist at the International School of Estonia, pointed out that one of the main challenges schools face is selecting tools that comply with both school policies and EU regulations. Many tools solve problems for students instead of with them. “This is a real issue—some programs don’t support learning, they just give you the answer. That undermines critical thinking.”

According to Liis Siiroja, CEO of EdTech Estonia, local EdTech companies have extensive experience and the potential to provide tools tailored to the local market and teachers’ needs—all while aligning with the national curriculum.

“The EdTech sector is growing rapidly and has become a significant part of Estonia’s economy and exports,” said Siiroja. “Thanks to their diverse experience supporting students, teachers, school leaders, universities, and employers, EdTech companies have a unique role and the competencies needed to lead innovation in education.”

Good to know:

Over 100 companies operate in Estonia’s EdTech sector, tackling a wide range of educational challenges.

The sector’s annual turnover doubled in 2024, growing from €20 million to €40 million. Most of this revenue comes from exports.
Approximately one-third of the total revenue is paid to the state in taxes.
EdTech Estonia has over 60 members, more than half of whom integrate AI in their products or services.
Nearly 70% of EdTech Estonia members export their products and services, and over 90% are also used in Estonia.
Eight Estonian EdTech companies already have users in over 100 countries—some in more than 190 countries.

The panel AI in Education & AI Leap brought together leading voices from the Baltic EdTech landscape—including founders, researchers, and education experts—to share hard-won insights on turning generative AI into real classroom value and to provide recommendations to the AI Leap team. The event was organised by EdTech Estonia in collaboration with AI Leap and Latitude59.

Opening remarks were delivered by Liis Siiroja, CEO of EdTech Estonia. The conversation was moderated by Kristjan-Julius Laak, a researcher at the University of Tartu and AI Leap. Panelists included Oleg Shvaikovsky, co-founder of AI Leap (Estonia); Agnė Diana Liubertaitė, PhD, principal of Vilnius Private Gymnasium (Lithuania); Elchin Jafarov, founder and CEO of Datorium (Latvia); Kadri Haljas, PhD, founder and CEO of TriumfHealth (Estonia); and Dejan Delev, Technology Integration Specialist at the International School of Estonia.