HEVI Optronics wins Estonia’s Company of the Year award

Estonian defence-industry company HEVI Optronics, which develops and manufactures high-tech systems, has been named Company of the Year at the “Estonia’s Best Companies 2026” awards, ERR reported Saturday.

Founded in 2021, the company has grown rapidly, moving from development to stable production and exporting worldwide, including to the US Navy. Its systems are used in unmanned ground vehicles, patrol boats, autonomous sea drones, armoured vehicles and border surveillance systems.

One of the year’s most significant developments was the decision by German defence technology group Quantum Systems to acquire a majority stake in HEVI Optronics. The deal brought the Estonian company into one of Europe’s fastest-growing unmanned systems groups.

“In defence technology, a tailwind does not simply mean smooth sailing, but above all enormous pressure to grow and deliver quickly,” CEO Kristjan Tiimus said. “The security situation requires a new generation of intelligence, surveillance and targeting systems here and now.”

Ursel Velve, chair of the board of the Business and Innovation Agency, said the company had moved from product development to international markets in a short time. She pointed to its industrial-scale production, new factory plans, expanding development team, university partnerships and strategic international partner as preparations for further growth.

Hando Sutter, CEO of the Estonian Employers’ Confederation, said HEVI Optronics develops its own products and carries out most of its work in Estonia. He said its exports and investment in engineering skills create added value, while the company also helps train a new generation of engineers.

The company’s sales revenue nearly tripled last year, reaching more than €27 million. A new factory with room to expand is being built in Tabasalu, and the company is growing its engineering team at development offices near Tallinn University of Technology and the University of Tartu. Its products meet the highest NATO standards, Tiimus said.

Leet Rauno Lember, business manager and shareholder of defence technology company Marduk Technologies, was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year. The company has established partnerships with leading defence manufacturers worldwide, and nearly all its sales revenue comes from foreign markets.