Jõhvi seeks new success stories in film and multimedia technology

How can film productions be organised more efficiently, suitable actors be found more quickly, or artificial intelligence be integrated into the everyday work of creative professionals? These are just some of the challenges that technology companies are developing new solutions to address. Efforts to advance the film and multimedia sector in Ida-Viru County are already delivering their first results, and from 6 to 8 November, Jõhvi will host another film and multimedia hackathon, giving new ideas the opportunity to grow into businesses.

The film and multimedia industry has long been about more than cameras, film sets and editing. Behind every major production lies a complex workflow involving the coordination of people, equipment and locations, the management of large amounts of data, and ensuring that the right information reaches the right people at the right time. All of this creates opportunities for technology companies developing solutions that make creative workflows faster, simpler and more efficient.

These are precisely the opportunities that Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator aims to develop. Based at IDA Hub in Ida-Viru County, the accelerator brings together practical expertise from the creative industries and technological know-how to support the emergence of new companies with solutions that have the potential to reach international markets.

The initial results are encouraging. More than 2,100 people have already participated in IDA Hub’s activities and events. A film technology hackathon held in September 2025 brought together 73 participants. Three of the teams formed during the event went on to join Tehnopol’s accelerator, and two have since progressed to the growth programme. However, the number of participants or teams formed is not the only measure of success. What matters even more is what happens to these ideas after the hackathon.

Filmlink and IRIS demonstrate how industry challenges can become business opportunities

One of the success stories to emerge from Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator is Filmlink, which is developing a digital tool for managing film, television and advertising productions. Poor communication on set can quickly lead to rising costs, particularly when schedules change but important information fails to reach all crew members in time.

Filmlink’s solution brings information about cast and crew together in a single, real-time platform, reducing fragmented communication and simplifying production management. The company has already reached the stage of testing its solution with paying customers. This is a significant milestone, demonstrating that the idea addresses a genuine market need that customers are willing to pay to solve.

Another notable example is IRIS Casting Ecosystem, founded by Ronja Kissa, who has nearly 20 years of experience in casting for film and television projects. Her experience inspired her to tackle a common challenge in the industry: during the casting process, videos, feedback, documents and other essential information are often scattered across dozens of different communication channels.

IRIS is developing a platform that brings the entire casting workflow into one environment, connecting directors, producers, casting directors, actors and their agents. The aim is to reduce time-consuming administrative tasks and allow film professionals to focus more on creative decisions.

In September 2026, IRIS Casting Ecosystem secured nearly €150,000 in funding from the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency to further develop its platform. The team is now preparing to pilot the solution and has also presented its technology at Cannes Next, an innovation programme held as part of the Cannes Film Festival.

The experiences of Filmlink and IRIS demonstrate that technological innovation in the creative industries does not necessarily have to begin with a complex scientific breakthrough. Sometimes, it starts with someone who knows the industry well, recognises a recurring problem in their everyday work and finds the right technology partners to develop a solution.

A 48-hour hackathon to uncover new solutions

The next opportunity to put such ideas to the test will come on 6–8 November, when Tehnopol organises the Film and Multimedia TECH Hackathon at IDA Hub’s film studios in Jõhvi.

Over 48 hours, participants will form teams, develop technological solutions and turn their ideas into initial prototypes. The hackathon welcomes professionals from the film and multimedia industries, as well as software developers, designers, IT students, sound specialists, game developers and entrepreneurs.

There is no shortage of challenges to tackle. New technologies could, for example, simplify production scheduling for film and television, help find crew members and filming locations, or improve equipment rental and resource sharing. Participants are also encouraged to explore solutions for music rights management, game development workflows, virtual production, and audio and video editing.

No previous entrepreneurial experience, fully developed business idea or existing team is required to take part. Participants can join individually, find like-minded people at the event and work together to solve a real industry challenge.

Estonian and international mentors with expertise in technology development, the film and multimedia industries, and entrepreneurship will support participants throughout the event. This will give teams the opportunity to assess the potential demand for their solutions at an early stage.

The winning team will receive €2,000 to further develop its prototype. The most promising teams will also have the opportunity to continue their journey in Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator, where they will receive support with product development, business model design, customer validation and entering the market.

A growing ecosystem for film and technology entrepreneurship in Ida-Viru County

The hackathon is part of a broader ambition to develop Ida-Viru County into a region where filmmaking, creative entrepreneurship and technology development reinforce one another. IDA Hub’s film studios create opportunities to attract international productions to the region, while Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator supports the development of technological solutions that can serve the film industry beyond Estonia. This means that the region’s potential extends beyond providing services to film productions to creating new products and businesses.

The progress made by Filmlink and IRIS Casting Ecosystem illustrates how industry-specific expertise, technology and business development support can help turn an initial idea into a more mature business. The upcoming hackathon offers an opportunity to discover new solutions and teams with similar growth potential.

The Film and Multimedia TECH Hackathon will take place from 6 to 8 November 2026 at IDA Hub’s film studios in Jõhvi (Jordi tee 17). Participation is free, the working language is English, and advance registration is required.

The hackathon is organised by Tehnopol in cooperation with the Ida-Viru Investment Agency. The event is supported by Startup Estonia and the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency (EIS). The activities of Tehnopol’s Film and Multimedia Accelerator at IDA Hub are funded by the European Union.