Estonian Startup Awards is a celebration of Estonian startup success stories, bringing together our community and inspiring the next generation of startup founders. Starting from the launch in 2019, the best of our ecosystem have also taken home an official trophy to recognize their great deeds. The original award depicted the theme of mounataineering, but ever since the 5th anniversary edition of 2023, the little sculpture has been in the shape of... a bee!
The clever design features a light-source and a unique look, created by Ines-Issa Villido, an Estonian artist and the founder of Filaret. On the brink of Estonian Startup Awards 2024 (tune in to the live broadast on 23.01.2025 at 19:00 via Linkedin!), we intreviewed Ines about the brief, the concept, the execution, and what do bees even have in common with Estonian founders!
The winners and their trophies at Estonian Startup Awards 2024
First of all - why bees? What is the connection between the bee and the spirit of foundership within our ecosystem?
The Awards’ team approached me towards the end of 2023 to help make the 5th edition of Estonian Startup Awards more special—to create prizes that would be instantly recognizable over time, a bit like the Oscars. It was also important that the award looked like an art piece, not “just a medal” on a shelf.
I usually gather information about the symbols or ideas the art piece should represent and then start sketching visuals until I find something that feels right.
Rannar [Rannar Park - the Project Manager of the awards in 2023] and his team at LIFT99 felt that the idea of a bee represented the startup mentality: dedication, hard work, teamwork, and collaboration. The honeycomb symbolizes a building block, with each one linking together to create a cohesive system. The added light stands for innovation, bright ideas, creativity, and solutions.
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The original bee design for Estonian Startup Awards 2023
What has been the most challenging part of designing the sculptures?
Visually, the challenge has been finding the balance between showcasing the bee and the honeycomb in a way that wouldn’t feel like it’s a “Best Beekeeper’s Award.”
Since the award combines various materials and multiple elements, each step needs to be carefully planned and executed in a specific order. A significant amount of skill, precision, time, and patience goes into making these awards—there’s a lot of meticulous handiwork involved.
You’ve reimagined the design for 2024—how has it evolved compared to last time?
The main idea remains the same, but this year the wooden frame and base have been replaced with copper, adding noticeable weight to the piece. The bee has been redesigned, and instead of just lighting the inside of the frame, the light string now creates a flying path for the bee.
What makes you especially proud when you look at the result?
Every award is a little different—they’re not exact copies of each other. I think that’s the beauty of handmade art—every piece is unique.
This year’s creation was a collaboration with my friends Ivar and Rein. They handled cutting, bending, welding, drilling the copper, and assembling the electrical components. I particularly love the sleek system they devised for the lighting, hiding the batteries inside the base with a minimalist design. To achieve this, they handcrafted new details (even redesigning the plug using a brass bolt).
In addition to overseeing all the processes, I created the visual, flame-torched the copper to achieve a darker final surface, 3D modeled the bee, poured and colored the epoxy resin together with placing the light and bee, etc.
I really enjoy how the materials come together—copper and honey-like epoxy resin—and how their colors sync with each other and with the black 3D-printed bee with its light trail.
The bee trophies re-designed for Estonian Startup Awards 2024 - each an unique piece
What message do you hope the recipients of these sculptures take away when they hold their award?
I hope the award elevates the feeling of receiving something special and unique. I hope the recipients can proudly put it on display to show off their accomplishments, that it could spark a conversation, and keep reminding that their hard work has been recognized.
How would you describe yourself? What do you do in everyday life, what are your passions, and do you have a connection to the startup world?
I would like to think that I’m a kind-hearted, curious person. In my every day life, I rely a lot on my intuition and creativity, I love challenges. This mindset has led me down several different paths: I’ve studied sculpture, worked at Wise (my first experience with the startup world), earned a master’s degree in plastic engineering, and developed a way to upcycle cigarette butts into 3D printing material. Based on this, I successfully completed several startup programs with my company, Filaret.
My true passion is art—especially sculpture—focusing on environmental themes. In February 2025, I’ll be setting up an environmental exhibition - which I’ve curated - at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, which is a huge milestone.
Outside of work, I love wakeboarding, snowboarding, being in nature, anything to do with animals, and exploring all kinds of things and places.
About the artist
INES-ISSA VILLIDO
Ines is an Estonian artist with a BA in Sculpture from Pallas University and an MSc in Technology of Wood, Plastics, and Textiles from Tallinn University of Technology. Her thesis focused on recycling cigarette butts into reusable plastic, leading her to found Filaret, a company that upcycles cigarette waste into 3D printing filament.
ABOUT THE AWARDS
Estonian Startup Awards is the official annual celebration of the Estonian startup sector. Each January, the event brings together the local founders and the ecosystem activists to sum up the year, reflect on the highlights, share recognition, and inspire the next generation to aim even higher! This year, the awards gala will take place on January 23, the show will be broadcast live via the Linkedin channel of Estonian Startup Awards. Tune in!
FRIENDS & PARTNERS
Estonian Startup Awards 2024 is co-organized by LIFT99, Estonian Founders Society, and Startup Estonia. We are immensly grateful for the headlining sponsors and their contribution on all fronts of the organizational process: Swedbank Estonia, Kaitseministeerium / Ministry of Defence of Estonia and City of Tallinn. And to the community-members fueling the initiative: 2C Ventures, ÄIO, Alari Aho, DefSecIntel Solutions, Eedu, Elar Nellis, Endover, Estonian Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EstVCA), Eversheds Sutherland Ots & Co, GoWorkaBit, Hedman Law Firm, Icebreaker.vc, Invent Baltics, Kair Käsper, Karma Ventures, Latitude59, Martin Kõiva, Metaplanet, Plural VC, Ready Player Me, Sorainen, Specialist VC, Superangel, TGS Baltic, Trind Ventures, Triniti Advokaadibüroo, and VOOL.