Governance
Estonians sign nearly 50 million digital signatures annually and save 5 work days each year. 99% of all government public services are online with more than 2400 e-services available.
In 2017 around 32% of people used internet for voting at the local elections.
Out of the total of 96 500 citizens living in Tartu around 50% are younger than 35 years. Tartu is only 4 hours away from Berlin by flying to our cozy airport. Almost all of the institutions that have connections to startups are miraculously located in about a kilometre wide area around the heart of Tartu.
Mobility 510 electrical and 240 regular bicycles will be installed in Tartu as a part of our new public transportation network which was designed mainly using big data. In 2019 all 64 public transportation buses will run on biogas or natural gas. In Tartu you can find 16 quick chargers for electric cars.
Economy We do things fast! You can establish a company online in 15 minutes and 3 minutes to file personal taxes which in Estonia by the way is one of the most liberal tax systems in the world with zero corporate income tax. Estonia has the highest number of startup unicorns per capita in the world. There are 1600 new companies established by more than 35 000 e-residents.
Environment 90% of apartment houses are connected to district heating while district heating in Tartu is green, clean and affordable. Tartu aims to replace all the remaining HPS and HIDluminaires by 2030. Today there are more than 3200 LED-luminaires in Tartu. Tartu is renovating 20 Soviet-style apartment houses from energy level F to energy level A.
Living Almost 100% of patients have countrywide digital record with close to 40 million health documents in the e-Health system. Tartu has more than 10 national sports events per year. Tartu Uus Teater has gathered over 320,000 â‚Ź via crowdfunding campaign to buy the building they have been renting till now and create their own theatre centre.
People Numerous institutions in Tartu are providing higher education for more than 16 000 local and international students. There have been 507 ideas submitted to the Tartu participative budgeting within last six years time. Tartu is international city it’s home for more than 108 different nationalities.
In a situation where many cities in the world are arms racing with technology to become “smart”, Tartu has always set its focus towards people.
Building user-centred services together with citizens
Developing environmentally friendly mobility solutions
Tartu is known for its participatory governance - public debates are included in all bigger decisions (e.g. city and
Our public transport is digitalised while we also have interconnected ticketing system across Estonia.
locations). Tartu embodies wisdom and therefor boasts an excellent climate for business. We want to become part of global economy and culture, but at the same time maintain our values - greenery, multiculturalism, compactness and safety. The Tartu language of smartness is a way of thinking we need to spread across our community members and outside of this wonderful city. This gives us a possibility to create ourselves the best city to live in. Tartu’s aim is to become better each day, while always remaining true to ourselves.
using paperless city governance as well as opened its budget designing process to citizens and began experimenting with participative budgeting. 99% of our local and state-wide services are digitalised - you can order a new driving licence just using your digital signature or Mobile-ID.
Tartu has always been a trendsetter when it comes to ICT developments enterprises like Skype, Playtech Estonia, Mooncascade, Fortumo, Nortal, CGI, Taxify, Pipedrive, etc are all located in our Silicon Alley. Tartu has a strong and prosperous startup community with various incubators, local institutions of higher education, companies and entrepreneurial centres (e.g. Tartu Science Park, Tartu Biotechnology Park, Tartu Centre for Creative Industries, SPARK Demo, European Space Agency Incubator, Tartu Business Advisory Services, Contriber, IdeaLab). City hosts hundreds of cool startup events every year - from sTARTUp Day Business festival to different kind of hackathons to Mobile Monday etc.
Tartu has made a considerable effort to there will be 750 bicycles (510 electrical and 240 regular) and 69 rental stations which locations are planned using different data layers.
In 2019, we will have new bike sharing system integrated with our public transportation
Did you know that Tartu was the first city in the world that started using mobile parking?
We have innovative management system for our educational system called ARNO and Tartu’s infrastructure is digitalised in our Geographic Information System (GIS).
Valuing open business environment and scientific entrepreneurship
Tartu smart city since 1632
Citizens of Tartu can decide how their city should spend 200,000 EUR, which is about 1% of the subsequent year’s investment budget.
Developing our cityscape by maintaining its greenery and milieu District cooling in Tartu is estimated to reduce traditional cooling energy costs roughly by 90%, and compared to a traditional cooling system, Tartu’s CO2 emissions will fall by 70%. Smart city district project SmartEnCity renovating the old Soviet apartment buildings in the downtown area into It will also entail innovative solutions in district heating, transport, street lighting, renewable energy use and will emphasise citizen engagement and awareness raising. In addition to smart grid solution, we have also developed sustainable energy program for City of Tartu.
Strengthening the culture of our communities Tartu is Estonia’s leading centre of education and research - 11 institutions provide world-class research-based higher education. University of Tartu is ranked in the top 3% of the world’s best universities.
Providing citizens the best emotions and experiences Tartu is part of UNESCO City of Literature network as well as the candidate for becoming European Capital of Culture in 2024. We are hosting a wide range of international events from sports to food.
Tartu is outstanding medical and biotechnological hub - the main areas of genetics and heredity, neuroscience and bioinformatics. We have strong co-operation with district communities. City Government of Tartu is including representatives of different districts into strategic decision making process.
Did you know that we have 9 theatre halls, 16 cinema halls, 18 museums and 188 sports clubs?