Please note that the English version of this text has been prepared with the assistance of AI, and in some instances, it may not have been subsequently reviewed or edited by the authors.
On October 29, the annual “BioPhoT” conference will take place at the University of Latvia (UL) House of Science. Entrepreneurs, industry representatives, investors, and policymakers will have the opportunity to view nearly 40 Latvian innovation prototypes developed with the platform's support. Registration for the conference is open to all interested individuals. on the platform's website.
The conference will evaluate the achievements of the innovation projects supported by the platform and future development opportunities. The program includes short presentations by all 66 research teams supported by “BioPhoT,” highlighting the results of projects in biomedicine and pharmacy, photonics and smart materials, engineering and medical technologies to date, as well as future development and cooperation opportunities. The exhibition will showcase technology prototypes developed by the program teams, along with their practical application and development potential.
The conference will discuss how to transform scientific excellence into innovations capable of competing in the global market – technology commercialization opportunities, challenges, and prerequisites for successful innovation development.
Programme
The working language of the conference will be English.
In panel discussions, participants will evaluate the achievements and accumulated experience of “BioPhoT,” as well as explore ways to strengthen the cooperation between science and industry in Latvia. The opportunities for cooperation between science and business will be discussed by Līga Brūniņa, founder of “Labrains”; Māris Būmanis, board member and head of the development and research sector at AS “Latvijas Finieris”; Dmitrijs Stepanovs, Vice Dean for Science and Innovation at the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology of Riga Technical University (RTU) and head of the RTU BioPhoT project; Elīza Līga Līdaka, senior expert at the Enterprise Competitiveness Department of the Ministry of Economics; and Ainārs Ozols, technical director of “Baltic Photonics.” The discussion will be moderated by Agnese Oļševska, Director of the Innovation Centre of Riga Stradiņš University.
The second panel discussion will be dedicated to the path of new technologies from the laboratory to the market, and it will be moderated by Lauma Muižniece, Director of the RTU Grant Office. Experience and knowledge will be shared by Andris Anspoks, Director of the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia, and leading researcher Kaspars Pudžs, RTU Professor Kristaps Kļaviņš, as well as physician, entrepreneur, and business growth consultant Marko Rīdi (Marco Rüedi, Switzerland).
“In her presentation ”What happens after research? The path of “BioPhoT“ from technology to market”, Līva Pērkone, Associate Partner at ”Civitta", will focus on technology development after the research phase and the path to its commercial use.
Since 2025, 66 Latvian innovation projects have been developed within the framework of the “BioPhoT” platform, with 12.7 million euros invested in their development so far. The platform aims to develop the technologies to the commercialization phase by 2032.
By BioPhoT
The biomedicine and photonics innovation platform “BioPhoT” (“Biomedicine and Photonics Research Platform for the Creation of Innovative Products”) provides scientists with support in the development of innovative technologies and the formulation of commercialization strategies, addressing intellectual property issues, and searching for potential industry partners.
“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.
