Proud Engineers

⚕️ We are excited to share our active participation in the RAPIDE Project EU, which brings together research and innovation to enhance healthcare systems. RAPIDE stands for "Regular and Unplanned Care Adaptive Dashboard for Cross-Border Emergencies" and unites 13 project partners from seven countries, all working towards transformative approaches in healthcare. Running from January 2024 to December 2028, the project focuses on improving patient flow and creating a more agile balance between traditional care, online appointments, and apps tailored to patients’ needs, ultimately easing the workload on healthcare providers. Key Objectives: 🔹 Develop, validate, and demonstrate a portfolio of tools supporting robust decision-making. 🔹 Strengthen resilience for healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers. 🔹 Enable flexible care delivery. "This international collaboration brings new insights into the role of technology and helps to understand the value of innovation in providing healthcare. Working with clinicians keeps the focus on the real-life needs of health professionals and patients. Digital tools can only be effective if they center on the user," says Hille, RAPIDE project manager from the Proud Engineers team. Proud Engineers experts Hille Hinsberg, Igor Bossenko, and Laura Kask are leading efforts to identify digital tools suitable for hybrid care pathways. These tools will undergo rigorous assessment to meet high standards in quality, security, and usability. Each tool will be tested in diverse use cases across Slovenia, Italy, Malta, and the Netherlands, providing insight into their impact and applicability. *RAPIDE is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

We are glad to share our ongoing involvement in the AIRE (AI & Robotics Estonia) project, specifically focused on AI suitability assessments for manufacturing SMEs.   Our role in this project is to help companies identify how AI can enhance their processes, improve agility, and boost competitiveness by leveraging the technologies and data they already use. We are proud to have worked with several forward-thinking companies, including AS Estanc, AS Hansa Candle, and Palmse Mehaanikakoda OÜ, among others.   Kaspar Kala, AIRE project manager at Proud Engineers, highlights, "As part of our AI consultancy, we have provided clients with actionable insights on how AI could improve their business processes, reduce inefficiencies, and create new business value. We’ve helped them identify key areas for potential AI implementation in the future."   It's really great to be part of this initiative, aiming to support up to 150 companies by May 2025. If you're in the manufacturing sector and want to explore how AI can benefit your business, feel free to reach out to us or connect directly with Kaspar Kala.   Special thanks to Andres Kütt, Kristian Allikmaa, and our partners at Datafruit for their collaboration in this important project. Link in the comments to read more about the project 👇

Estonia Ranked 2nd Globally for Internet Freedom 🌍 Proud Engineers is happy to share that Estonia continues to stand out for its internet freedom, ranking second globally, just behind Iceland, in the latest Freedom on the Net 2024 report by Freedom House! 🎉 This recognition highlights Estonia's efforts to ensure internet access remains open while protecting users' rights and countering harmful propaganda. Here are some key takeaways: 🔹 Clear regulations support user rights, while access to the internet is widespread.  🔹 Estonia blocks websites that spread war propaganda, reflecting its firm stance against hostile media.  🔹 Concerns include collecting personal data by communication providers, and state involvement in content moderation under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). Hille Hinsberg, our e-governance expert, shared: “Governments are imposing various restrictions on what billions of people can access and share online, from blocking foreign websites to increasing control over their country's technical infrastructure.” Globally, internet freedom has declined for the 14th consecutive year. Governments are using AI tools to spread misinformation, manipulate content, and control digital spaces. This is a crucial time to safeguard trust online. We’re proud that our team members, Hille Hinsberg and Florian Marcus, contributed to this report, which offers important recommendations for policymakers, media platforms, and tech companies. 📊 You can read the full report from Freedom House's webpage (link in the comments)

Last week, Andres Kütt, Proud Engineers' CTO had the privilege of participating in the World Congress on Innovation and Technology 2024 in Armenia. He joined a panel on "AI as a Driving Force for E-Governance and E-Society Transformation."   A personal panel question for Andres was: "With your experience in digital transformation, especially in Estonia’s pioneering e-government efforts, how do you see AI enhancing already ‘mature’ e-government infrastructures, where perhaps services are already all digital? If services already work, where does the application of AI fit into this picture?"   🔑 Key takeaways from Andres:  – In the public sector, decisions must be clearly justified, and AI is currently facing significant challenges in this area.  – A recurring message across the panel was the importance of using AI to solve real problems, focusing on user needs and creating value—not just technology for technology's sake. A big thank you to the Information Systems Agency of Armenia for organizing this event! For more insights, feel free to visit their profile.

Proud moment! Proud Engineers's founder, Taavi Kotka, received the Education Friend of the Year award for his long-term contribution to IT and technology education development with the HK Unicorn Squad movement and Rakett69 Teadusstuudiod. "He is a visionary; he always thinks beyond tomorrow or the day after because he knows that the solutions that work today will be outdated tomorrow, and certainly the day after." – Tiit Land, rector of TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology. Congratulations! Well deserved, and we couldn't be more proud 💜 Photo: Jassu Hertsmann/Delfi Meedia

🚨 A new generation of 112: A modern and accessible emergency service for everyone! 🚨 In collaboration with CGI Estonia, Proud Engineers conducted a legal analysis on accessibility requirements to ensure comprehensive accessibility solutions, not just limited to video and real-time text (RTT) technology. We also examined conditions for telecom providers and engaged with representatives of vulnerable communities to address key concerns. 👥 Hille Hinsberg served as the project lead, and Kristiina Laanest was the legal expert from Proud Engineers' team. Together, they reached a great milestone with the successful completion of the project. 🎯 The goal of this analysis was to review the European Union and Estonian legal framework related to the adoption of video calling and real-time text transmission (RTT), including: – Identifying existing legal requirements in EU and Estonian law, along with any conditions and limitations; – Determining the need for amendments to national legislation. On September 25th, we presented the results of the project, marking an important step toward ensuring equal access to emergency services for all. 💬 Kristiina Laanest, who led the legal analysis, shared: "To ensure the smooth adoption of video and real-time text solutions in the future, it is crucial to assess how the current legal framework supports these technologies and what legal amendments may be necessary." By 2025, the Estonian Emergency Response Centre will be able to gather crucial information not only from voice calls but also from video and text messages, offering faster and more efficient assistance. 📍 The project, initiated by the Ministry of the Interior and funded by the Public Sector Innovation Fund of the Riigikantselei / Government Office of Estonia, partners with the Häirekeskus | Estonian Emergency Response Centre and SMIT (IT and Development Centre at the Estonian Ministry of the Interior). The activities and projects of the Innovation Fund are financed from the European Union’s Cohesion Policy 2021-2027 measure "Enhancing Public Sector Innovation Capacity."

September has been an incredibly busy month for us at Proud Engineers, with new projects launching every week! 🚀 One of the most exciting collaborations we've had the pleasure of working on is with the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) and GovStack. We’re honoured to be a key partner in helping establish GovStack’s legal entity in Estonia. The creation of this independent entity will be instrumental in supporting the development of sustainable and efficient digital government infrastructure worldwide. As part of this consultancy contract, Proud Engineers is supporting the founding members of GovStack on: ✔️ Strategic ✔️ Organizational ✔️ Legal ✔️ Financial aspects 📈 The GovStack initiative, currently a multi-stakeholder program, aims to become an independent entity that will oversee the global efforts in digital public infrastructure. This next phase will help scale the program sustainably and enable it to operate autonomously. 👥 We are proud to have Kaspar Kala as the project lead and Andres Kütt as the key expert from the Proud Engineers team. Their expertise and leadership have been pivotal in ensuring the success of this complex and important project. Our CEO Laura Kask said: 💬 “We are excited to support GovStack in evolving into a formal structure that can fully deliver on its promising value proposition. Our strategic approach will help the initiative realize its full potential and enable it to scale and thrive globally.” Estonia’s reputation as a leader in digital governance and e-governance solutions makes it an ideal location for establishing GovStack’s legal entity. Estonia, as one of the founding members of GovStack, has played a significant role in shaping its global recognition as a trusted partner in digital society development. With the growing demand for digital public infrastructure (DPI) solutions and the increasing investment in this sector, we are eager to see the continued growth of GovStack and proud to be part of its journey. ✨ At Proud Engineers, we are always excited to collaborate on projects that have the potential to create a lasting global impact, and we look forward to contributing to GovStack’s success in the years to come! 📍 GovStack is a multi-stakeholder initiative founded in 2020 by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development represented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and ESTDEV, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the Digital Impact Alliance (DIAL).

It's been an intense and inspiring week at the CDTO Campus, which aims to accelerate digitalization in Ukraine and internationally, and we are part of their new training season's short-term program "Estonian ICT Cluster: Building a Digital Society." Proud Engineers, together with Civitta and Digital Nation, form a consortium of Estonian companies sharing their know-how with their Ukrainian counterparts to further advance Ukraine's digital transformation journey. Participants gained valuable insights into covering essential topics such as: 📌 accessible e-services, 📌 cybersecurity, 📌 business collaboration, 📌 innovation management strategies, 📌 creating a digital environment. A big thank you to everyone involved, especially the organizers and to our own team, who made some insightful presentations: 💬 Taavi Kotka opened both sessions with his captivating talk, "My Wins and Failures as Government CIO," and shared invaluable insights from his experience. 💬 Raido Aarop was there in person to deliver a presentation on "Digital Identity and Trust Services," and shared examples from the most forward-thinking countries in Europe, explaining how Estonia and Belgium have taken different paths to establish effective frameworks for digital identity and trust services. 💬 Kristiina Laanest gave a detailed online session on data protection, discussing the regulatory framework that supports data protection and its connection to cybersecurity efforts. We are excited to see participants dive deeper into these topics like accessible e-services, cybersecurity, and digital product design as we continue our journey of building a digital society. The cross-border project to better equip Ukrainian public servants with practical insights from around the world is being funded by Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) and procured by the ITL Estonian ICT Cluster. #digitaltransformation #estonianICT #cybersecurity #digitalidentity

Oleme alustanud AS Tallinna Linnatranspordi (TLT) remonditöökoja haldustarkvara ärianalüüsi, mille eesmärk on kaardistada praegune olukord ning töötada välja uue haldustarkvara protsessid ja tulevikunägemus. Peamine väljakutse seisneb selles, kuidas tagada, et TLT 550 bussi ja 65 trammi hooldus- ja remondiprotsessid toimiksid tõhusalt ja vastaksid kõigile ettekirjutustele. Kuigi trollide kasutamine lõpetatakse, on neid endiselt umbes 50, mille hooldusvajadustega tuleb samuti arvestada. Kõik see on oluline, et Tallinna linn saaks kvaliteetse ja usaldusväärse ühistransporditeenuse. Projekti viivad läbi projektijuht Pirjo Vanem, ärianalüütik Kaspar Kala ja süsteemianalüütik Andres Kütt. Projekti kavandatud lõpukuupäev on käesoleva aasta detsembri keskpaik. ** We are pleased to announce that Proud Engineers has started a project with AS Tallinna Linnatransport (TLT) to carry out a comprehensive business analysis of their maintenance management software. The objective of this project is to thoroughly assess the current system and outline the processes and vision for a new, more efficient management solution. This work is essential for ensuring the effective and compliant maintenance and repair of TLT's extensive fleet, which includes 550 buses and 65 trams. Additionally, while trolleybuses are being phased out, approximately 50 are still in operation and require attention. Our team, led by Project Manager Pirjo Vanem, Business Analyst Kaspar Kala, and Systems Analyst Andres Kütt, is committed to delivering a detailed and actionable plan by the project’s anticipated completion date before Christmas this year. This collaboration aims to support a more efficient future in public transportation.

Both in business and in life, it's important to seize the moment. We may be a few weeks past Midsummer's Day, but Estonians are still enjoying their summer. 🌅 Some of us have a good barbeque with friends and family, whereas others venture out into the forests to pick berries. What we have in common is that we are all dedicated to making the most of the long days that we get at this latitude As we reflect on the journey of Proud Engineers as a whole and in this year in particular, there are plenty of reasons to be... well, proud! Exciting new projects are fast-approaching, active collaboration with existing clients persists, and all around the world there are highly promising digital transformation initiatives. We are fortunate to work in an area that has the chance to improve the lives of millions of people. Thank you for being a part of our journey and choosing us to be a part of yours, too. We wish you a relaxing and enriching summer! #digitaltransformation #egovernment #holidays