Showcasing Baltic Resilience and Opportunity from WLG | summit Riga '25

Aku Sorainen (Estonia), founding partner at host firm Sorainen, offered an inside look at the firm’s transformation from a bold post-Soviet startup into a mature, technology-forward legal organization with a strong regional footprint and a clearly articulated strategic vision.

Overarching Takeaways

-From Startup to Strategy-Driven Firm: Sorainen has evolved over the past 30 years into a fully integrated, multi-jurisdictional law firm driven by technology, client-centric thinking, and purpose-led growth.

-Purpose-Led Mission: The firm’s guiding principle—to grow regional prosperity by helping clients succeed in business—remains central to its operations and long-term goals.

-Client Experience at the Core: Sorainen is shifting its internal focus outward, building systems and services that prioritize client needs, satisfaction, and strategic alignment.

Key Strategic Insights

The following takeaways illustrate how Sorainen’s strategic choices, cultural foundations, and forward-looking mindset continue to drive the firm’s regional influence and client-focused growth.

Client Experience as a Top Priority

-Moving from an inward-facing mindset to a client-centric culture.

-Reinforcing the idea that the firm "exists to serve clients, not itself.”

-Embedding client experience across all legal and business functions.

Technology and Data Strategy

-Implementing a coordinated tech strategy across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

-Taking a measured approach to AI, prioritizing knowledge consolidation and data integrity before rolling out artificial intelligence tools.

-Investing in data-centric systems and process automation to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.

Organizational Culture

-Over three decades, Sorainen has cultivated a distinctive, values-driven culture.

-Culture plays a vital role in recruiting and retaining top talent.

-The firm emphasizes close collaboration between legal teams and business services, strengthening internal cohesion and external outcomes.

Historical Context and Growth

-Founded 30 years ago in the wake of Baltic independence.

-Grew from a small legal startup into a leading regional firm with 250 lawyers and 400 total employees.

-Played a key role in supporting economic and legal rebuilding efforts across the Baltics.

Aku presented Sorainen as a forward-thinking firm that blends legal excellence with strategic foresight. With a firm commitment to client success, regional impact, and responsible innovation, Sorainen stands out as a top-tier law firm.

Plenary III – Business in the Baltics 

Moderator: Valts Nerets of Sorainen (Latvia)

Panelists: Aku Sorainen of Sorainen (Estonia); Līva Zorgenfreija, Chief Economist, Swedbank Latvija (Latvia); Mariano Andrade Gonzalez of Johnson Matthey (Lithuania); Joonas Vänto of Head of Invest Estonia (Estonia)

The Baltics continue to emerge as a powerhouse of innovation, adaptability, and entrepreneurial drive, offering a compelling model for high-growth economies navigating global uncertainty. In this session, panelists examined the region’s economic transformation and growing international influence, particularly through startup activity, regulatory innovation, and cross-sector collaboration.

A Startup Ecosystem Built for Scale

Estonia remains a standout in the global startup landscape, having produced 10 unicorns to date, giving it the highest per-capita unicorn rate in the world. This reflects a deeply rooted culture of innovation, supported by a regulatory environment that enables fast, frictionless company formation and an international mindset from inception.

The Baltics are increasingly positioning themselves as a "sandbox” for European market entry, offering international companies a manageable, efficient starting point for broader expansion.

Economic Adaptability and Resilience

Despite having relatively small economies, the Baltic states have shown remarkable structural adaptability in the face of inflation, energy instability, and geopolitical tensions. Their ability to rapidly pivot and problem-solve across sectors has earned the region a reputation for pragmatic resilience and forward-thinking leadership.

Panelists also emphasized how strong entrepreneurial instincts are now being matched with emerging capital infrastructure to support scalable, international growth.

A Global Talent Magnet

The region has become increasingly attractive to international professionals thanks to digital public services, e-residency programs, and an inclusive business climate. Estonia-based companies like ride service company Bolt exemplify this openness, hosting teams representing over 47 nationalities.

Taxation frameworks, such as Estonia’s zero corporate tax on reinvested profits, further enhance the Baltics' appeal for global business and talent.

Actionable Lessons from the Baltic Model

1. Investment Ecosystem Strengths

-Low bureaucratic barriers (e.g., company formation in 15 minutes)

-Global orientation from day one

-High-risk tolerance paired with strong ambition

2. High-Growth Sector Opportunities

-Defense Technology: Rapid expansion—sectors growing 4x to 10x in recent years

-Cybersecurity: Leading capabilities in joint cyber operations

-Green Energy: Significant investment in solar and wind infrastructure, driven by energy independence goals

-Deep Tech: Emerging sector with unicorn potential, exemplified by Skeleton Technologies

-Reshoring Potential: Strategic opportunities in regional manufacturing

3. Operational and Regulatory Advantages

-Fully digitalized public sector services

-Competitive tax regimes

-Highly educated, multilingual workforce

-Flexible immigration policies to support skilled talent attraction

Distinctive Regional Differentiators

-Entrepreneurial "Hunger”: A distinct drive among Baltic founders—particularly those from emerging-market backgrounds—fuels rapid growth and ambition beyond what’s typically seen in Western Europe.

-Cross-Border Integration: Strong ties between the Baltic and Nordic economies create a tightly integrated innovation ecosystem with shared resources, talent, and markets.

Global Expansion Strategy

Baltic firms are deploying deliberate, phased expansion strategies—starting with neighboring European markets and gradually scaling to Asia and Africa. Panelists shared that the acquisition of local firms is increasingly used as a pathway to new markets, demonstrating how Baltic companies punch above their weight globally while retaining strong regional roots.

Panelist Perspectives

-Mariano Andrade Gonzalez, Johnson Matthey (Lithuania): Stressed the importance of talent accessibility and collaboration across government, academia, and industry.

-Aku Sorainen, Sorainen (Estonia): Highlighted the responsiveness of government institutions, which actively support entrepreneurial growth.

-Joonas Vänto, Head of Invest Estonia (Estonia): Emphasized the region’s stability and strategic attractiveness to international investors.

-Līva Zorgenfreija, Chief Economist, Swedbank Latvija (Latvia): Provided economic context for the region’s resilience and long-term potential, even amid external pressures.

The Baltic region’s ability to pair visionary policy with practical execution offers a roadmap for others looking to foster innovation, attract talent, and remain economically agile in an unpredictable global landscape.