Entrepreneurship

Rootcode Connect 2025 Concludes in Tallinn, Estonia

Rootcode Connect 2025: AI in e-Governance Forum took place recently at Fotografiska Tallinn, Estonia, bringing together government leaders, policymakers, and decision makers from across Europe to discuss how artificial intelligence is redefining digital governance.

From left to right: Thiru Dinesh - Head of AI, Rootcode; Ville Sirviö - CEO of the Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions (NIIS); Markko Liutkevičius - Head of AI at Information System Authority, Estonia and Peeter Smitt - Managing Director, Nortal

This year’s theme, “AI in e-Governance,” was chosen to reflect a pivotal shift in how governments are rethinking public service delivery in the age of AI. With Rootcode already working with three EU governments and securing multiple public sector tenders in Estonia, the company has helped build core national AI infrastructure, including the government’s model training platform used across state agencies. Rootcode is now also building the next generation of Bürokratt, Estonia’s citizen engagement platform that aims to simplify how people interact with public services. These projects underscore the company’s commitment to a digital transformation that is efficient, citizen-centric, and trustworthy.

“AI is no longer optional for public services, it’s becoming the backbone of citizen engagement, service delivery and decision-making,” Alagan Mahalingam, Founder & CEO of Rootcode stated.

Highlights included keynotes by industry leaders, including Merle Paula Videvik, Product Manager at the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA), who spoke on building resilient digital identity infrastructure for the future. Luukas Ilves, Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation and former CIO of the Estonian Government, led a session on “Agentic AI” and its role in shaping the next evolution of digital governance.

Paulo Calçada, CEO and Board Member of Porto Digital, shared how the city of Porto is leveraging AI to drive smarter governance, enhance public services, and accelerate its digital transformation journey. Liina Vahtras, Managing Director of e-Residency and Board Member of Enterprise Estonia, discussed how Estonia’s e-Residency initiative has become a global model for borderless entrepreneurship and digital innovation. Mats Hultin, Board of Director at Rootcode and former CIO at Ericsson & Saab, explored how enterprise-level principles of scalability, resilience, and security can be applied to reimagine governance for the digital era. The event concluded with a panel moderated by Thiru Dinesh, Head of AI at Rootcode, featuring Ville Sirviö (CEO, NIIS), Markko Liutkevičius (Head of AI, RIA), and Peeter Smitt (Managing Director, Nortal), who discussed how governments and technology leaders can build transparent, ethical, and citizen-centric AI systems for public services.

Rootcode is a global technology company specialising in software product engineering, based in Sri Lanka and Estonia. By leveraging AI and advanced technology, Rootcode delivers impactful digital solutions that power governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information about Rootcode and its services, visit www.rootcode.io

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