2025 was an important year for Garage48 because it marked 15 years in operation for our organization. 
Garage48 was founded in April 2010 by six visionary Estonian founders behind Pipedrive, Fortumo, Weekdone, Mooncascade, and Bolt. Garage48 was born on very simple premises: we wanted to show that the initial step of building a startup doesn’t have to be difficult and that the first idea can be validated and turned into a prototype in just 48 hours. 15 years later, our mission remains the same: we want to empower both new and already seasoned entrepreneurs, create maximum impact with minimal resources, and turn rough first ideas into businesses.

Opening words by Garage48's founders. From left to right: Martin Villig, Rain Rannu, and Jüri Kaljundi. Photo by Rasmus Kooskora.

Over the past 15 years, we have organized more than 300 hackathons in 53 countries, during which more than 4,000+ ideas have been pitched, over 3,000 prototypes built, and countless businesses have taken their first steps on the Garage48 stage. We are proud of that, and it gives us the energy to keep going.

Looking back at our previous anniversary, our 10th birthday fell into the COVID year, when the road ahead suddenly became unclear, and all events moved online overnight. That shift marked a new era for us. Physical hackathons were replaced by online ones, making it possible to involve several continents at the same time. You might remember the #hackthecrisis and #euafricathejourney series, which received global attention and brought together participants from all over the world.

And while those online formats opened doors we’d never imagined, we’ve always known that nothing truly replaces the energy of a real, in-person hackathon. So when we started thinking about how to celebrate this anniversary, we quickly agreed that a regular party wouldn’t just feel right. The best way to honor our roots was with a proper old-school hackathon, the kind where anyone can walk in with an idea, find a team on the spot, and start building. So that’s what we committed to. Startup Estonia, the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Estonia, and Triniti shared our passion for the initiative and stepped on board to support it. For the venue, we chose TalTech, the home of the first Garage48 hackathons. We appreciate how openly they shared their space with us. 

We also want to acknowledge something honestly: as a small organization, Garage48 covered roughly half of the total costs of this celebration. It was a big stretch for us, but we genuinely believe in providing an open platform for Estonian entrepreneurs to meet, connect, and build together. That real community energy is what drives us, and it’s worth investing in. It would be great to see more regular public-sector support for this kind of grassroots work, but we are sharing this not as a complaint, just as a reminder of how much we care and are committed to keeping this space alive. As one of the participants shared with us later, "Please continue with the hacks with no theme in Estonia. It has a massive impact on making building a startup in Estonia cool again" 

When we opened the registration for applications, we anticipated some moderate interest, but receiving over 400 applications surprised us. With a limited budget, we could only take around 100 participants, and making those choices was genuinely tough as there were many high quality applicants and also lots of participants we have met over the years, in some of our previous hackathons. The level of interest shows clearly that old-school, “come with any idea” hackathons are more important than ever. These hackathons create a unique space where anyone is welcome. In just 48 hours, participants get access to top mentors,  honest feedback, and a supporting community that pushes ideas forward. Whether someone is starting from scratch or already building something and needs clarity, validation, or a fresh push, a hackathon gives that momentum. Showing up and starting is what matters most.

#G48AnniversaryHack felt like a beautiful blend of generations. OG hackers from a decade ago worked side by side with newcomers fresh from school. Some even returned with their original teams. One mentor summed it up real well: “Technically strong specialists still love hackathons.” Everyone there shared the same intention: to contribute to the Estonian startup ecosystem and share their know-how.

The room brought together founders, engineers, students, product people, and investors, many of them familiar and some fresh new faces from the ecosystem. The vibes were friendly and supportive, with people genuinely interested in helping each other move their ideas forward. Events like this make it easier to meet potential teammates, get advice, and take the next practical steps with an idea.

For many participants, the event felt like a return to something they had been missing. Developer Jaan Tohver (Loockit) joined his twentieth hackathon and said he came back because he had not seen any Hardware and Arts events for years. The mixed format of hardware, software, and art was exactly what he had been hoping for. He arrived without an idea, met his team on-site, and left with new contacts and a great experience.

The format stayed true to the old Garage48 spirit. People could arrive with or without an idea or join a team on the spot. A total of 29 ideas were pitched, and 18 teams formed naturally around the best ideas on Friday evening. By Sunday afternoon, every team had presented its very first prototype. Pizza and evening snacks helped keep the pace steady, and several teams continued working through the night. A big thank you to all sponsors who helped create a proper birthday table.

The jury had a tough task of choosing the winners among the 18 strong teams. We thank Getter Voitka, Rain Rannu, Jüri Kaljundi, and Allan Martinson for taking the time to do so. 

Winners

🥇 1st place: Closaria - the family’s personal AI shopping assistant. It learns each family member’s sizes, budget and style preferences, then selects the three best clothing options so you don’t get stuck endlessly scrolling. Closaria integrates with many brands and stores to deliver the best picks in one place.

🥈 2nd place: Onkoloogika - a matchmaking app connecting people based on their diagnosis, life situation, interests and demographic parameters, making peer-to-peer support meaningful and accessible.

2nd place winner Onkoloogika with Getter Voitka  from Startup Estonia. Photo by Rasmus Kooskora.

🥉 3rd place: Supercomms.io - one unified inbox that focuses only on what matters most right now.

3rd place winner Supercomms.io. Photo by Rasmus Kooskora. 

For Karen Korjus, founder of the winning team Closaria, the Anniversary Hackathon was a turning point. Although the idea had been in her mind for a long time, everyday family life made it hard to take the first concrete steps. The hackathon created the space she needed. Working with the team helped her turn ideas into something with an actual structure. For Karen, the biggest value in joining the hackathon was stepping out of her daily routine.

"For anyone who is at home, come to a hackathon. You get fresh thinkers around you, leave your home tasks behind, and can focus fully on your product. You are surrounded only by people who genuinely help you move forward."

 
Special awards:

• Favorite of the Audience: Loockit- door lock status sensor with app
• Palo Alto Special Award: Solved Closet- a sustainability-oriented clothing store aggregator for purchasing full outfits. Like combining Pinterest with sustainable shopping.
• Best Pitch: Wekor Systems-   a construction safety system
• Best Execution: Open Coach- an app that analyses your private notes and goals and nudges you with meaningful reflections to help you grow without disrupting your journaling flow
• Do it in the Nature: BioCap Data- tool that helps financial institutions assess biodiversity risks in their portfolios and helps businesses understand the biodiversity value of their assets.
• Screw It, Let’s Do It : CertifyShare- a web app that verifies users’ certifications and connects them with relevant job listings. After validation, they can apply and message companies directly.

Other teams in the hackathon:

•  RawCommerce- AI image creator.
• Avail- an application that makes planning hangouts with friends frictionless through focusing on free times instead of busy calendars and suggesting personalised activities through an AI recommendation engine.
• Intiimacare-  a pain tracking and smart reporting app for women to diagnose endometriosis faster and with higher accuracy
• Digital CFO- a cash-flow radar for small businesses to help them manage company cashflow in 90 days ahead.
• Aligned Edtech- AI tool that analyzes a curriculum and automatically suggests the most suitable edtech solutions, reducing manual selection and speeding up decision-making.
• Helping Doctors- a platform for physicians to automate document filings based on natural language input
• LaSearch- fully local ultra-fast semantic search.
• OnTimeDing- smart Employee Experience for SME's
• Juggl Panic- gamified business automations - build your business easy

Thank you.  As we always say (and we actually mean it too)- You are all winners!

The Sunday night celebration ended with EIK's concert. We are grateful to EIK for joining us and waking the tired crowd with its energy and sharp lyrics.

Thoughts from participants

Beyond the prototypes and prizes, the hackathon also reminded us of what this format gives to its participants. Many participants described the weekend as a rare chance to focus fully, test ideas quickly, and work in an environment where support and challenge go hand in hand.

Rode Luhaäär (Raw Commerce) said that what stood out for him was the pace and the freedom to experiment. In his words, a hackathon offers one of the few settings where you can build fast, break things safely, and learn quickly. He also noted how valuable it is to work alongside people who have built products around the world, a defining feature of Garage48 events.

For Kristel Leif (Onkoloogika), the weekend brought clarity. Features that previously felt optional suddenly became essential after conversations with mentors and early users. Their team left with a sharper sense of direction and validation from the people they aim to help.

Robin Otter (Wekor Systems) reflected on the confidence the hackathon gave their team. Being able to build something meaningful in a short time, and do so with new people, helped them see the potential of their idea more clearly.

For Relika Alliksaar Williams (Intiimacare), who joined her first Garage48 hackathon, the experience highlighted how many people genuinely care about solving real problems. She reconnected with old friends, formed new plans with people she met during the weekend, and appreciated how naturally the team supported each other.

Thank you, everyone!

These reflections, each from a different angle, point to the same thing: the value of having a space where people can come together, explore an idea, and make progress without overthinking. This has always been the core essence of Garage48 hackathons.

As we look back at this anniversary weekend, we are grateful to everyone who made it possible: the mentors who shared their experience, the volunteers who kept everything running smoothly, the partners who trusted the vision- Startup Estonia, TalTech, and the Nordic Council of Ministers Office,  and of course, all the participants who spent their weekend building something new. 

Thank you to the sponsors who contributed to our birthday celebrations and helped keep the energy going: Belief Eesti, sTARTUp Day, La Muu, Õllenaut, Põhjala, Saku, Palo Alto Club, Balsnack, Kadarbiku, Triniti, Elamusgolf, MyFitness, Njom, Latitude59, Äripäev, Äritehnoloogia, Voog, Loginet.

A special thank you goes to our mentors and volunteers. Your guidance, presence, and steady support helped teams stay focused and made the event a warm and smooth experience for everyone.

Mentors: Joao Rei, Calum Cameron, Uve Poom, Ilja Livenson, Maret Kruve, Prof. Alvo Aabloo, Jaanus Jagomägi, Cesar Zeppini, Jaanus Sakkis, Maido Parv, Triin Preem, Henrik Rank, Romet Tagobert, Jüri Kaljundi, Martin Verrev, Farid Singh, David Clark, Valter Võhma

Volunteers and organizers: Mari Hanikat, Laura Gredzens,  Mia Alter, Serena Dentoni, Tom Rannu, Lauri Kallio and Kseniia Karpenkova

Take some well-deserved rest, let your ideas settle, and keep up the good work♥️

Check out the full photo galleries of the event from the following links: 
Photos by Maido Parv
Photos by Rasmus Kooskora
Photos by Cesar Zeppini