The mission of the Southwestern Advantage Foundation is to help young people develop skill and character to achieve their goals in life. In continuation of this mission, we organized the Roland Liinar Memorial Entrepreneurial Youth Scholarship competition in 2025, with the aim of recognizing young individuals who are entrepreneurial minded and create value in society more broadly.
The Entrepreneurial Youth Scholarship has been awarded in Estonia for the third time, but this year we decided to dedicate it to Roland Liinar in order to honor the memory of a dear friend and colleague who passed away this spring at just 25 years of age. Roland was an exceptionally positive and active young person who was actively involved in sports, participated in student organizations, and pursued interests in entrepreneurship and investing. He was also a mentor and role model to many other young people, both within Southwestern Advantage and beyond. At the beginning of his university journey, Roland would have been an outstanding candidate for the Entrepreneurial Youth Scholarship, which is why we felt this was a fitting way to honor and remember a dear friend.
This year, the competition received a large number of strong applications from Tallinn University of Technology, the University of Tartu, Tallinn University, and the Tartu and Tallinn Health Care Colleges. From among the applicants, 20 top candidates were selected and invited to participate in a seminar where Southwestern Advantage sales leaders shared their knowledge of entrepreneurship as well as sales and presentation skills. During the seminar, all candidates were also given the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones and deliver a short presentation.
The Entrepreneurial Youth Scholarship was established to encourage young people to use their potential to drive positive societal change—whether through entrepreneurship, education, civic engagement, or leadership. For us, it is important to support young individuals who not only dream big, but also take consistent and determined action toward achieving their goals.
This year, two outstanding young individuals stood out—Alice Kangro and Triinu Vaher—both of whom received high evaluations from all parties of the scholarship selection committee and were awarded the €1,000 Roland Liinar Entrepreneurial Youth Scholarship.
Alice Kangro – entrepreneurship and civic leadership
Alice Kangro was awarded the scholarship for her outstanding entrepreneurial achievements and broad societal engagement. She is a student at the University of Tartu’s Faculty of Economics and one of the founders of the student company UnTop. The company reached the podium in the JA Estonia Best Student Company competition and received Mainor’s Future Maker award, demonstrating Alice’s ability to turn ideas into impactful and successful ventures.
In addition to entrepreneurship, Alice has been an active leader in promoting democratic thinking and youth participation. She has taken part in the Model Estonia and Model European Parliament programs as a delegate, committee chair, and vice president, contributing to the development of political awareness and civic responsibility among hundreds of young people. Previously, she served as president of the student council at Gustav Adolf Grammar School, where she organized large-scale discussions, debates, and events.
The scholarship supports Alice’s journey as an entrepreneur and civic leader, enabling her to further develop her business ideas while continuing to contribute to the advancement of Estonian society.
Triinu Vaher – a dedicated advocate for education and youth development
Triinu Vaher was awarded the scholarship for her exceptional dedication to education, youth development, and the sharing of knowledge. She is one of Estonia’s youngest mathematics teachers, working at Tartu Forselius School alongside her bachelor’s studies and contributing daily to the academic and personal growth of young people.
Triinu is also a high-level debater—according to the Estonian National Championships, she ranks among the country’s top 12 speakers. She actively contributes to the development of debate culture as a judge and trainer, as well as a board member of the University of Tartu Debate Club. In addition, she has been a long-time volunteer with the University of Tartu Hospital Children’s Foundation and has served as a youth cadet unit leader, demonstrating consistent commitment to serving the community.
The scholarship enables Triinu to participate in the European Universities Debating Championships, allowing her to bring the knowledge and experience gained there back to Estonia’s education and youth development landscape.
The mission of the Southwestern Advantage Foundation is to become the largest investment-based charitable foundation in Eastern Europe, supporting young people in acquiring knowledge and developing character so they can achieve their dreams in life. We help young people across Europe gain access to better entrepreneurial education and share investment knowledge with those who otherwise would not have such opportunities. We work to reduce and prevent poverty.
We direct our contributions to charitable projects in alignment with our mission. Donations are made exclusively from the foundation’s passive income: 50% of returns are allocated to charitable causes, while the remaining 50% are reinvested into the foundation. In this way, your contribution continues to do good forever.
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