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On September 24, the biomedicine and photonics innovation platform “BioPhoT” and the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) At the event “Industry Day & Sensing the Future,” scientists, technology developers, and industry representatives will discuss how to ensure that ideas generated by researchers do not remain in laboratories, but become technologies, products, and solutions that help companies increase their competitiveness and promote Latvia's economic growth.
At the center of the event program will be a direct dialogue between researchers and industry, demonstrations of new technologies, and the search for cooperation opportunities. Registration for free participation – “on the ”BioPhoT" website.
In the first part of the event – “Industry Day” – visitors will be welcomed by ISSP UL at 8 Ķengaraga Street. Representatives of technology-based companies who wish to learn about the latest domestic research results and look for opportunities to cooperate with scientists are especially welcome. Interested parties will have the opportunity to visit the ISSP UL laboratories and discuss potential forms of cooperation with scientists.
Participants will have the opportunity to choose between two parallel thematic sessions, in which initiatives of the European Union research and innovation programme “Horizon Europe” will be presented ERA Chair technologies developed by the project and their potential applications.
The first session will be dedicated to the SWEB project (Smart Windows for Zero Energy BuildingsAs part of this, ISSP UL materials science researchers are developing smart windows and functional coatings that help reduce building energy consumption.
Meanwhile, the focus of the second session is the FeLow-D project (Low-Dimensional Ferroelectrics for Advanced Electronic and Biomedical Devices). Here, researchers are developing new nanoscale ferroelectric materials for future electronics, sensors, energy harvesting, and biomedical devices.
The first part of the day at the ISSP UL will conclude with a discussion in which industry representatives will reflect on the potential of technologies and the real requirements for scientific results to be commercialized.
The goal of the second part of the event – “Sensing the Future” – which will take place at the University of Latvia Academic Centre House of Science, 3 Jelgavas Street, is to inspire and be inspired, converse, network, and promote an open exchange of ideas. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear a conversation with internationally recognized quantum computing expert Prof. Koen Bertels (Koen Bertels, Belgium) and learn about the innovations of Latvian scientists developed within the “BioPhoT” platform in the fields of energy, communications, and advanced manufacturing. A significant role at the event is played by industry, which will perform an “Industry Reality Check”—an evaluation of the researchers' developed technologies from an industry perspective.
The discussion scheduled in the program will be attended by Ainars Ozols, Chief Technology Officer of “Baltic Photonics”, Ilmārs Osmanis, founder of “Lightspace Group”, Nikita Kazakevičs, Head of the Innovation Development Department at “Latvijas Mobilais Telefons”, and other industry representatives related to the event's theme.
Meanwhile, in the 40-second “Matchmaker” session, event participants will have the opportunity to briefly introduce themselves, their competencies, or cooperation needs and find potential partners for future collaboration.
By BioPhoT
The biomedical and photonics innovation platform “BioPhoT” (“Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for the Creation of Innovative Products”) strengthens Latvia's innovation education and technology transfer by fostering cooperation between scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.
“BioPhoT supports scientists in the development of innovative technologies and the formulation of commercialization strategies, addressing intellectual property issues and searching for potential industry partners, thereby bridging the gap between science and the market and helping promising ideas overcome the so-called ”valley of death“ on the path to commercialization.
Since 2025, 66 Latvian innovation projects have been developed within the framework of the “BioPhoT” platform. 12.7 million euros have been invested in their development so far. The goal of the platform is to develop technologies to the commercialization phase by 2032.
“Led by the ”BioPhoT“ National Research and Innovation Institute, the project is implemented by the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, University of Latvia, Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, Institute of Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment ”BIOR", Riga Stradinš University, and Riga Technical University.
Project No. IVPP-EM-Inovācija-2024/1-0002 “Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for the Creation of Innovative Products (BioPhoT)” is implemented within the framework of the long-term state research programme “Innovation Fund – Long-Term Research Programme”, funded by the Ministry of Economics.
