"We are pleased that Estonia and Estonian entrepreneurs - through Enterprise Estonia - have chosen San Jose as their West Coast landing pad to establish strong relationships with other top global technology companies here in the Silicon Valley,' said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed as he and members of the San Jose City Council warmly welcomed Estonian Prime Minister Andrus Ansip to the 'Capital of Silicon Valley' last week.

The prime minister was accompanied by the Honorable Vaino Reinart, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the United States, and spent the afternoon with Mayor Reed, members of the Community and Economic Development City Council Committee and San Jose officials. Discussions focused on key economic development initiatives that have propelled San Jose and Estonia as global leaders in technology and innovation.

"San Jose is honored to host Prime Minister Ansip and his delegation," said Mayor Reed. "The evolution of Estonia as one of the most dynamic economies of the European Union is a remarkable success story."

Later in the afternoon, Prime Minister Ansip ceremonially opened Enterprise Estonia, a new "tech embassy" in Downtown San Jose. Located at the US Market Access Center, an international business incubator sponsored by the City of San Jose's Redevelopment Agency, Enterprise Estonia will facilitate the needs of Estonian businesses and entrepreneurs.

"As a crossroads for global talent, innovation and capital, San Jose is delighted to be aligned with the Estonian entrepreneurial spirit and to have the Enterprise Estonia Technology Embassy in our Downtown. Estonia and San Jose have similar characteristics: a workforce with a progressive technology culture and intellectual vigor that drives innovation. By building strong ties with each other, we will both grow our economies here and throughout the world," Reed said.

Enterprise Estonia Technology Embassy, will also provide financing, counsel, partnership opportunities and training for entrepreneurs and research and development institutions.

With offices in Helsinki, London Stockholm, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Hamburg, Kiev, Shanghai and now San Jose, Enterprise Estonia was founded in 2000 by the Ministry of Economic Affairs with the aim of promoting the competitiveness of the Estonian entrepreneurial environment and Estonian businesses and is one of the institutions responsible for the implementation of EU structural funds in Estonia.