SKALE2CT: 2nd workshop on New Needs for Digital Companies
On May 14, SKALE2CT’s second workshop, “New Needs for New Advanced Digital Companies,” delivered a full day of actionable insights and impactful discussions. The morning sessions provided participants with a comprehensive overview of Latvia’s digital ecosystem and development strategies, featuring key contributions from the Ministry of Economics, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, and the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.
Building on this foundation, expert presentations by Natālija Siliņa from the Latvian Investment and Development Agency and Alise Gurenko from the local tech community offered valuable insights into support programs for digital companies, including the Baltic Impact Accelerator (Finland) and the EU Business Hub. These sessions were complemented by best practices and inspiring success stories from Riga TechGirls, Startin.LV, and LATBAN, highlighting education, entrepreneurship, and investment in the advanced digital sector.
The day progressed with a focus on ecosystem development led by Ieva Felman from the Investment and Tourism Agency, concluding with a lively Q&A session and an informal networking lunch. These discussions provided participants with critical insights into funding opportunities, collaboration prospects, and business development strategies, alongside practical examples drawn from real-world projects.
Following the morning sessions, participants embarked on an on-site study visit to Startup House Riga, gaining firsthand experience of how innovation is brought to life through real-world applications.
In the afternoon, the program delved even deeper into cutting-edge research and innovation with a visit to the Design Factory at Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte (Riga Technical University).
This was followed by participation in the pre-event of Deep Tech Atelier 2025, “Research Translation: Deep Tech & Lab Open Doors.” The session featured a keynote by Haim Piratinskiy, who addressed the challenges faced by early-stage deep tech teams, and included a tour of a biomaterials research facility that exemplified the vital link between scientific research and business innovation. Participants also explored presentations of pioneering technologies developed by local researchers and engaged in discussions on funding opportunities from leading initiatives such as the EIT, the Biocatalyst Foundation, and the BioPhoT program.
On May 15, partners convened at LCCI for a reflective meeting, discussing project outcomes and future strategies. Alongside the workshop, regional stakeholders, who had been invited to the workshop, had the valuable opportunity to attend Deep Tech Atelier 2025 — one of the premier deep tech events in the region. The event highlighted cutting-edge technologies, featured startup pitch competitions, and served as a dynamic platform for fostering connections among researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors, further strengthening collaboration across the innovation ecosystem.
The week concluded on May 16 with the main Deep Tech Atelier 2025 event, which showcased cutting-edge deep tech innovations from across the region and featured a dynamic startup pitch competition, providing a fitting grand finale to an intensive and inspiring week of learning, collaboration, and innovation.