A vibrant first year of Estonian Canadian Business Chamber activities concluded with a thought-provoking panel discussion with Estonia's Minister of Economy & Industry, Erkki Keldo and Creative Destruction Lab CEO Sonia Sennik, moderated by Sentinel R&D CEO Katheron Intson, on June 10, 2026.
ECBC President Ellen Valter reviewed the business chamber's evolution into existence, growing out of the KESKUS International Estonia Centre project and now operating independently. Minister Keldo, fresh from presenting at the International Economic Forum of the Americas’ Conference of Montreal that same morning, laid the foundation for the evening’s discussion with remarks about Estonia’s economy, more about his visit to Canada in Globe & Mail article (published Jun 15, 2026).
The panel discussion was lively – moderating was Katheron Intson of Sentinel R&D, which recently signed an agreement with the Canadian and Ukraine governments to build drones for Ukraine. At the top, Kath warned the panelists that she would poke a bit, and this enabled frank exchanges about how geopolitical developments are affecting the innovation ecosystem on all continents, all the way through to the return of industrial policy to government agendas.
Minister Keldo spoke about Estonia's evolution from unicorn creation to more deep‑tech scaleups, CDL’s Sonia Sennik provided background on how CDL connects founders with Nobel laureates, world‑class operators, and investors managing billions, and the panel went on to discuss how Estonia can leverage that network, not symbolically, but strategically.
Northern Birch Credit Union CEO Anita Saar spoke at the top of the evening, focussing on the personal service this financial institution provides, with competitive rates on both deposits and loans, and deposit insurance that outranks the big banks. The icing on the cake is that the cooperative governing principles provide for member community support, of which the business chamber is a recipient.
A delicious dinner before the panel discussion was made possible by the generous support of Estonian Central Council in Canada (“EKN”). For those coming straight from work or the airport, it made for a smooth transition to food for thought.
EKN chair Reet Marten Sehr thanked Ambassador Margus Rava for his work over the past 4 years in Canada. Echoing Reet's sentiments, the Ambassador received a standing ovation by ECBC members and guests, as this was the Ambassador’s final trip to Toronto in this ambassadorial posting.
Thanks go to Liina Tomlinson, Estonia's Trade Advisor at the Ottawa Embassy for her support in creating a very special event to cap off ECBC's first year. Thanks also go to evening sponsors and presenters, KESKUS International Estonian Centre, evening sponsor Estonian Central Council in Canada, speaker series sponsor Northern Birch Credit Union, and event space provider Tartu College.
To stay informed and get involved, sign up for the ECBC newsletter at estonianchamber.ca and if fostering business and trade speaks to you, consider becoming a member: www.estonianchamber.ca. New membership and renewals go to the new membership year that begins September 1, 2026.
