11th e-Governance Conference hosts digital leaders and experts from more than 80 countries in Tallinn
The 11th annual e-Governance Conference will host on 28–29 May in Tallinn, Estonia more than 600 digital development leaders, policy implementers, and donors from over 80 countries. Titled “From Bytes to Benefits”, the conference will explore the impact of digital transformation on the economy and the financial costs and benefits it entails.
Hannes Astok, Executive Director of the e-Governance Academy (eGA), highlighted the conference’s enduring mission to foster meaningful connections and tackle the most pressing challenges in digital governance.
Hannes Astok, Executive Director of the e-Governance Academy (eGA), emphasized the conference’s role as a platform for meaningful collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and experience. “Estonia remains a country whose digital developments are closely followed and whose experiences are sought after—from Kyrgyzstan to Kosovo. As Estonia works on reducing bureaucracy and implementing AI initiatives in education and the public sector, it has valuable lessons to share. At the same time, the conference also tackles cross-border topics such as strategic approaches to technology adoption, and the benefits and risks of digital solutions,” he noted.
This year’s conference focuses on the value that technology creates for society. “Technology holds immense potential — but the real challenge lies in using it responsibly to deliver meaningful, transparent, and measurable outcomes for people, businesses, and societies. Digital transformation isn’t about doing more — it’s about doing better. Technology should reduce bureaucracy, not add to it. Now more than ever, we need strategic thinking that goes beyond trends and buzzwords. This conference is a space to learn from one another to avoid reinventing the wheel,” he said.
The conference will feature 100+ speakers from 25 countries across 3 continents, as well as representatives from leading international organisations including the European Union, EIT Digital, GovStack, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, and the World Bank.
This year’s programme showcases visionary leaders such as: Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia, Liisa Pakosta, Estonia’s Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs, Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group, Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital, Matthew Blakemore, CEO of AI Caramba!, Lili Milani, Head of the Estonian Biobank among other experts.
High-level digital leaders will attend from Estonia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, the Kingdom of Morocco, North Macedonia, the Republic of South Africa, and Uganda.
Staying true to its hands-on approach, the conference will feature 20 real-world showcases from Brazil, Estonia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Ukraine. These case studies span critical themes—from Estonia’s i-voting system and Ukraine’s digital public services to Kenya’s innovations in environmental data management.
An interactive expo will present digital solutions from 24 Estonian and international companies and organisations. Key highlights include:
- A special exhibition marking 20 years of i-voting in Estonia
- Autonomous defence systems by Milrem Robotics
- Cyber and defence innovations showcased by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence
The conference takes place at the Noblessner district in Tallinn and will be streamed live online on the Conference’s page. The speakers’ introductions, the program, and participation information can be found on the conference website egovconference.ee
The e-Governance Conference is a global meeting point for digital governance leaders and practitioners worldwide. The 11th e-Governance Conference is organised by the e-Governance Academy (eGA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Estonian International Development Cooperation Centre (ESTDEV). This year, the conference is supported by ITL, European Union, CybExer, Digital Nation, EstoniaHub, FIAP, Recorded Future, Tallinn city, Visit Estonia, the World Bank Group and Zetes.
The e-Governance Academy (eGA) is a centre of excellence to increase the prosperity and openness of societies through digital transformation. Driven by our mission, the experts at eGA have, since 2002, partnered with over 300 organisations in 145 countries to build successful digital societies that improve their citizens’ lives, strengthen their economies, and deliver transparent, democratic, and effective public administrations. The core of our team of 100+ members consist of the architects and founders of the Estonian and Ukrainian e-states. Find out more >>> ega.ee
