fCN The Magic Baltics

Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn were the stage for a 6-day trade mission in the Baltic States! The Magic Baltics are frontrunners in the field of tech and therefore offered more than enough space for an interesting program.

From special company visits and matchmaking with each other and companies from the Baltic States, to cultural activities and culinary enjoyment – ​​the perfect mix between business & pleasure!

DAY 1
We kicked off the 6-day trade mission with an extensive lunch in the winning design hotel in Europe, Hotel PACAI in Vilnius! We stayed here for 2 nights.

In the afternoon we discovered Vilnius through a city tour, culminating in a tasting of special Lithuanian honey liqueurs with a beautiful view over the city.

During the ‘Cooking Party’ at Restaurant 14Horses we dived into the kitchen ourselves to put a delicious “farm to table” menu on the table under the guidance of chef Rokas Vasiliauskas. He taught us all the ins and outs about modern Lithuanian cuisine.

DAY 2
Mayor Remigijus Simasius gave us a warm welcome in the town hall of Vilnius and told us all about this greenest city in Europe, which is also seen as the European innovation capital.

After this we continued our route for a company visit to Ellex. With almost 30 years of experience, founder Rolandas Valiūnas is the number 1 lawyer in Lithuania, but also the head of the Investors Forum and one of the largest art collectors in Lithuania! Together with his team, he told us all about the business opportunities in Lithuania.

After a tour and business lunch in the historic Palais of the Grand Dukes, we visited the largest unicorn in Lithuania: Vinted!
Dutchman Thomas Plantenga, CEO Vinted, welcomed us on the roof terrace of HQ Vinted and shared the unique story about the strategic growth, lean margins and global rollout of Vinted!

We ended the first days of Vilnius with a beautiful balloon ride over the city at sunset.

In the evening we dined on the terrace of one of the most prominent and best preserved mansions in Lithuania, Tyshkevich Manor, overlooking Trakai Castle.

DAY 3:
The tech sector in Latvia is booming! More than 100 scale-ups and creative tech start-ups are located in Latvia.

Some of these companies were invited for a matchmaking with our fCN members on the rooftop of Kempinski Hotels Riga.

In the afternoon we got a tour through Riga and attended a special organ concert in the Dome Cathedral.

In the evening we enjoyed a gastronomic dinner at Restaurant Barents, known for its award-winning sommeliers!

DAY 4:
What better way to discover Riga than through a sightseeing rally?! In traditional Fiat 126s we got to know Riga better in a fun and interactive way and we visited the main highlights of the city!

After recovering from the rally during a Russian style lunch, we visited FBO RIGA, one of the best ultra-modern Business Aviation Centers in Europe. Co-founder Roman Starkov received us for an extensive, private tour through, among other things, the Hangar.

To conclude, we enjoyed dinner at sunset in the ‘Côte d’Azur of the Baltic States’: Jurmala!

DAY 5:
How many connections can you make during a matchmaking lunch in Tallinn? A LOT! Özlem Canel, Margot Roose and Jana Silaškova brought together great entrepreneurs in the beautiful Hotel Telegraaf Tallinn. From tech, digitization and energy to the manufacturing industry: cheese and agro!

Estonia is one of the leaders in digitization! This country is slightly bigger than the Netherlands and has only 1.4 million inhabitants with a great work mentality!

Estonia has a digital society in general and in healthcare in particular. That is why we paid an inspiring visit to e-Estonia, where we learned how Estonia is shaping digitization as a small country with a very high level of ambition!

The New York Times: “Estonia should be the role model for governments. It is a country where almost any bureaucratic task can be done online.”

In the evening we visited Noblessner, the most prestigious
and modern residential and commercial area of ​​Tallinn. We visited the art gallery and the famous Iglu Park.

During the special gala evening in 180 Degrees Restaurant in Tallinn, now awarded with a Michelin Star, chef Matthias Diether cooked the stars from heaven!

DAY 6:
After breakfast, Timo Suslov, Member of the Riigikogu, received us for a private tour of the parliament. The Riigikogu is Estonia’s unicameral system. All important state-related questions run through the Riigikogu.

In the afternoon we got an interesting sightseeing tour accompanied by a Dutch guide and a shooting experience for the enthusiasts could not be missed!

At the end of the day we left for the international photography museum Fotografiska. After admiring the photo exhibition, we concluded the trade mission with a dinner on the rooftop. The beautiful memories of this trip were shared, enjoying a beautiful view of the city!