kood/Järva is Järva county’s “Deed of the Year 2025”!

18.02.2026

Since 2003, SA Järvamaa (the Järva County Development Centre) and the regional newspaper Järva Teataja have honored the county’s most impactful achievements. The “Deed of the Year” can be a landmark building, a project, an event, a new business venture, an act of kindness, or an individual/collective that has made a significant difference.

The nominees are selected based on public proposals, with the final winner determined by community voting. For 2025, the title was awarded to the opening of kood/Järva, the new learning centre of the //kood programming school in Järva County. Over the years, every winner has received a rug by Liis Pihlik as a gift, and this year’s piece is titled (nner)cosmicocean.

Photo by: Ants Leppoja / Järvamaa – The Heartland of Estonia

The seeds for kood/Järva were sown back in 2020. It all began when Karola Jaanof, Development Manager at SA Järvamaa, attended a presentation by Karin Künnapas, then co-lead of kood/Jõhvi. Inspired, Karola approached her to discuss how a similar school could be brought to Paide to the heart of Estonia. Over time, other local municipalities joined the project, leading to the regional name: kood/Järva.

The first batch of kood/Järva which is part of //kood’s 7th batch started in September 2025. The custom-designed study center in Paide was completed in late November 2025.

Photo by: Jürgen Randma

This January, for the first time, the “Selection Sprint” which is the admissions test took place simultaneously across all study centers in Estonia, including kood/Järva. During the admissions, candidates spent the first two weeks on-site and the final week working remotely taking their first steps into programming by solving daily assignments. In total, 50 people took part in the Sprint, with an average age of 33. The second kood/Järva batch which is the 8th for //kood overall will start in March 2026.

Photo by: Grete Mäe

Located at Keskväljak 15 in Paide, kood/Järva occupies the fully renovated third floor of a historic building that once housed a restaurant. At the interior designer’s suggestion, the original restaurant bar was preserved as a unique feature of the space. The entire 260-square-meter facility was made possible through the support of Järva County’s local municipalities, SA Järvamaa, and the Estonian state via regional development funding.

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//kood was founded in Jõhvi, Estonia in 2021, with the aim of making technology education accessible to everyone and address the software developers shortage. From 2025, students can study in Jõhvi, Võru and Paide. Its 12–15 month curriculum is based on 100% practical, self-directed and peer-to-peer learning, covering full-stack software development, teamwork and problem solving. Students can later specialise in fields such as cybersecurity, mobile applications, or AI.

//kood has welcomed more than 1,200 students in Estonia with close to 400 graduates – half of whom are now working in the technology sector. Students represent over 30 different nationalities, 21% are women and the average age is 29. You can find the //kood peer-to-peer learning method and curriculum also in Finland, Ukraine and Kenya.

In 2025, the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications recognised //kood as one of the best entrepreneurship promoters in the country.

The accessibility of IT education is supported by Skaala, Swedbank, Kaamos, LHV, SEB, Barrus and others.