From Tallinn to Antwerp: What Estonian companies need to know for a safe landing

In the cockpit of the NBB HUB this time: Pieter Poppelsdorf. For more than 4 years, he has been responsible for promoting Estonian investments within the Benelux, based in Amsterdam. He operates at the intersection of government and entrepreneurship, moving smoothly between policymakers, scale-ups, and investors. What makes Pieter unique is his linguistic talent and cultural compass. He speaks Dutch, Estonian, English, and French. This is not a luxury—it’s his essential work tool. From the Netherlands, he connects with Benelux stakeholders, building bridges between hyper-digital Estonia and the multi-layered decision-making of the Benelux.

He’s a networker with sharp insights and always to the point 😊.

“Forget the Estonian market. For Belgian investors, it’s all about the ecosystem and available talent. You don’t go to Estonia to sell to Estonians. You go for the environment, the network, the people.”

The route is not one-way

What Belgian companies are looking for in Estonia fundamentally differs from what Estonian companies seek in Belgium. That “flight direction” defines everything.

• Belgian companies move to Estonia for tech capacity, agility, and ecosystems.
• Estonian companies want to touch down in Belgium for market share, customer growth, and scaling.

It may seem trivial, but it’s crucial. Belgian companies don’t need to understand the Estonian customer. Estonian companies must understand the Belgian customer. And that’s where it can go wrong.

The challenge is cultural, not technical

Estonian companies are technically strong—brilliant, even. Commercially? That’s often the challenge. Pieter puts it directly:

“Estonians are product-oriented but sometimes lack marketing and sales knowledge. They build something and often think: this speaks for itself.”

In Belgium, nothing speaks for itself. Decision-makers want case studies, comparisons, and preferably a reference from someone they know. A CEO who says, “They really helped us,” opens more doors than ten technical demos.

Communication can also create friction. Pieter explains:

“Estonians expect you to follow up. For Belgians, that can be difficult. In Belgium, if you request a meeting, we expect you to also do the follow-up.”

At the same time, Estonians find Belgian decision-making slow, ambiguous, and tiring. What they perceive as indecision is, for Belgian companies, simply getting everyone on board. It requires guidance and translation—not just of language, but of pace and expectations.

Why Rethink does land in Belgium

The difference between stumbling and landing? DNA and preparation.

Rethink, a digital service design and innovation agency from Tallinn, takes a fundamentally different approach. They follow the entire NBB HUB DNA trajectory. Not a quick pitch, but a thorough process around positioning, value proposition, and cultural translation.

We align their DNA with the Belgian ecosystem, with clear entry points in education and the public sector.

“The quality of the landing depends a lot on the precision of the preparation. Rethink realizes you need to know the landscape before you land in it.”

Belgium a country?

A frequently underestimated obstacle. Companies see Belgium—and by extension the Benelux—as one market.

Pieter laughs:

“The Benelux isn’t a country. Belgium alone is three markets: Flanders, Wallonia, Brussels. Each with different rules, networks, and expectations. And that applies to the Netherlands too.”

That’s why local guidance isn’t a luxury. It’s the only way to avoid months lost to misunderstandings, cold contacts, and false assumptions. The NBB HUB isn’t an intermediary, but a navigation partner. Not “we’ll do it for you,” but “we’ll teach you to land as it works here.”