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LIFT99 has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at LIFT99.
LIFT99 was founded in 2016 by Elise Sass (Co-founder & COO).
LIFT99 has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
LIFT99 operates as a network of coworking hubs and a vibrant community platform dedicated to fostering the growth of technology startups. It provides physical office spaces in key innovation centers like Tallinn and Kyiv, alongside a robust virtual ecosystem offering events, mentorship, and connections designed to support early-stage and scaling companies. The core offering transcends mere infrastructure, focusing on a synergistic environment where founders can exchange knowledge and collaborate.
The company was founded in 2017 by Ragnar Sass and a collective of Estonian entrepreneurs, drawing on Sass's prior experience as a co-founder of the Garage48 non-profit foundation. Their founding insight centered on creating a "from founders to founders" support system, addressing the specific needs of early-stage ventures by providing not just a workspace but a curated community steeped in entrepreneurial expertise.
LIFT99 primarily serves fast-growing tech startups, software-driven companies, and scale-ups, along with independent founders and creative professionals aiming for global expansion. Its vision is to elevate these businesses by providing essential know-how, critical networks, and consistent support. The company strives to be a second home for ambitious individuals, fostering a collaborative culture to help startups reach higher levels.
LIFT99 has raised $2.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $2.0M Seed in May 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1, 2018 | $2M Seed | — | Visionaire Ventures | Announced |
LIFT99 is a founder-led startup hub and community network operating in Tallinn, Estonia, and Kyiv, Ukraine, dedicated to elevating businesses through know-how, networks, and support.[1][2][4] Its mission centers on "from founders to founders" assistance, fostering synergy and co-growth among entrepreneurs via physical hubs, the Salto app for skill-sharing (launched in 2018), and events that connect global founders from Silicon Valley to Eastern Europe.[1][4] LIFT99 targets fast-growing tech startups, software-driven companies, and scale-ups in sectors like deep tech, with a philosophy emphasizing community feedback, peer learning, and challenging norms to help early-stage ventures raise funds and scale into unicorns.[2][4][5] In the startup ecosystem, it impacts growth by providing workspaces, pivotal connections, and proven success stories like Awesomic, Dashbird, and Outfunnel, which evolved from hub members to investment-ready companies.[4]
LIFT99 emerged from Garage48, Estonia's first startup co-working hub and hackathon organizer founded in 2010, with Ragnar Sass as a key founding team member who later established LIFT99.[2] The team comprises ecosystem veterans from successes like Skype, Bolt, Pipedrive, and GungHo, blending organizational experience with "first-generation" startup builders; it now employs 15 people primarily in Estonia and Ukraine.[2][4] Launched with the Tallinn Hub in 2016 at Telliskivi Creative City (including Telliskivi and RED locations), it expanded to Kyiv to boost Ukraine's global startup presence, evolving from a local workspace into an international network via the Salto platform and Toolbox for founder connections.[1][2][4]
LIFT99 rides the wave of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) startup resurgence, particularly in Estonia and Ukraine, by bridging local talent to global markets amid rising deep tech investments—which captured 41% of the sector in 2025 with 26% turnover growth.[4][5] Timing leverages Estonia's hacker-friendly ecosystem (post-Garage48 hackathons across CEE, Middle East, Africa) and Ukraine's resilience-driven innovation, countering geopolitical challenges with hubs that put Ukraine "on the global startup map."[2][4] Market forces like remote work, nomad visas, and skill-sharing platforms favor its model, influencing the ecosystem by accelerating first investments, team-building, and unicorn paths for members while fostering cross-regional synergy.[1][2][4]
LIFT99 is poised to expand its Salto Network and hubs, capitalizing on deep tech's momentum and CEE's talent pool to connect more founders globally.[1][5] Trends like AI-driven deep tech, hybrid workspaces, and founder communities will shape its growth, potentially scaling events and app features amid 2025's investment surge.[4][5] Its influence may evolve from regional hub to pivotal global connector, amplifying successes like Bolt alumni ventures and sustaining ecosystem impact through enduring peer networks—echoing its core mission to transform how founders learn and scale.[1][2]
Key people at LIFT99.
LIFT99 was founded in 2016 by Elise Sass (Co-founder & COO).
LIFT99 has raised $2.0M in total across 1 funding round.
LIFT99's investors include Visionaire Ventures.
