PIP applicants who have received a positive decision on their compliance with the qualitative evaluation criteria should send their presentations to the Industry Panel by 21 May at 23.59 in .ppt or .pptx format to the email address biophot@osi.lv.
As a reminder, the Round 1 Industry Panel must use the BioPhoT presentation template, which can be found on the platform's website.
On 8 May, the first BioPhoT call for Research and Innovation Projects (RIPs) closed. Over 122 RIP applications were received. The first round of evaluations has started, with short presentations to a panel of experts in late May and the final results of the second round expected in early October.
"The number of applications we have received shows the relevance and importance of such a funding platform. 77 applications came from university researchers, 45 from research institutes. Most of the applications were submitted by BioPhoT platform members, but applications were also received from Daugavpils University and Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technologies research groups," says the platform's leader, Osvalds Pugovičs, Deputy Director of the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute (OSI).
This call gave scientists and industry in the fields of biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, photonics, smart materials and the Smart Specialisation Strategy for Engineering Systems, or RIS3, the opportunity to apply for a share of a total €6 million in funding from the national budget.
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure, the applications received will be evaluated in accordance with the administrative criteria. The evaluation of administratively eligible RIP applications will take place in two rounds. In the first round, an independent panel of experts will analyse the innovative potential of the submitted ideas and their compliance with market requirements, while in the second round, experts selected by the Latvian Council of Science will carry out scientific expertise.
Short presentations of the RIPs submitted to the first call for proposals will take place from 26 to 28 May at the Moon hall of Science and Innovation Centre of Riga Technical University, Kipsalas iela 6A. The list of the order of presentations will be available on 21 May. All applicants should send their presentations by 21 May inclusive.
The first round of RIP applications will be evaluated by five industry and commercialisation experts. The competition offers up to €200,000 per approved project, with a 12-month implementation period, extendable by three months.
The first call is part of a broader programme of BioPhoT platform activities, which will include two more calls for proposals by 2026. The total funding for innovation projects will exceed €12 million, while almost €5 million will be dedicated to improving scientists' innovation skills, including training on technology transfer, commercialisation and intellectual property protection.
At least 35 new technologies are expected to be developed by 2032, some of which will reach the market demonstration or commercialisation stage. The long-term goal of the Platform is to strengthen Latvia's science and innovation system and promote technology-intensive entrepreneurship.
BioPhoT is coordinated by OSI and implemented by the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre, the University of Latvia, the Institute of Solid State Physics, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, the Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment Research Institute "BIOR", Riga Stradins University and Riga Technical University.
The project "Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products" or "BioPhoT" is implemented under the National Research Programme "Innovation Fund - Long-term Research Programme". Platform number: IVPP-EM-Innovation-2024/1-0002.
On 15 and 16 May, Riga will host the largest deep tech event in the Baltics Deep Tech Atelier 2025, a two-day event bringing together entrepreneurs, scientists, investors and industry leaders, with presentations by internationally renowned experts, idea presentations (pitch sessions), hands-on workshops and an exhibition with the latest technological solutions. The BioPhoT platform partners are also especially inviting everyone to a number of events during the festival.
Deep Tech Atelier 2025 key topics will include artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, defence and space, as well as future developments and funding opportunities. The event will include B2B zone, networking events and ample opportunities to make new contacts. The festival will host a series of discussions, presentations and panel discussions that will be of value to anyone looking to collaborate and develop new technologies. The Expo or exhibition area will provide an opportunity to explore practical deep technology solutions in MI, space, defence and other fields, including the work of BioPhoT partners.
On 14 May, just in time for Deep Tech Atelier 2025, the European Institute of Technology (EIT) will host a conference organised at the Riga Technical University (RTU) Science and Innovation Centre at Kipsalas iela 6A from 16.00 "Commercialising Research: Deep Tech and Open Labs". The event aims to strengthen the link between science and business, while fostering the development of the next generation of deep tech leaders. The BioPhoT platform will be presented at the event as an example of successful collaboration between science and industry. The event is free to attend, but places are limited, so pre-registration. The language of the event is English.
On 15 May at 15.30, lectureScaling science into impact: the role of research platforms and public-private partnership) by Uppsala University Professor Anders Karlén will take place on the festivals' Deep Tech Stage. His research focuses on the identification of starting materials and the development of potential drugs for antimicrobial drug discovery. Between 2014 and 2021, prof. Karlén was Head of Unit and co-coordinator of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) project ENABLE. He is currently the coordinator of the national project ENABLE-2, the follow-up to ENABLE. Since 2019, he is leading the six-year IMI-2 project COMBINE, part of the IMI Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Accelerator Initiative. In this lecture, prof. Karlén will describe how the ENABLE platform has contributed to addressing the needs of the pharmaceutical industry and public health.
The lecture will be followed by Panel discussionThe future of innovation: industry collaboration and sustainable science funding at 15.50.). Experts - Jurģis Miezainis, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Economics of the Republic of Latvia, Vitālijs Skrīvelis, PharmIdea SIA Board Member and Co-Owner, Osvalds Pugovičs, Deputy Director of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis and BioPhoT Platform Manager, Joanna Lipner, Picralida co-founder and Executive Director - moderated by Sandra Kropa, will discuss how long-term financial support fosters scientific discovery and accelerates technology commercialisation.
On 16 May, a panel "Industry's challenges for science" (Industry Challenges for Science)will take place at 10.00. Industry professionals are invited to share real challenges that require interdisciplinary thinking and new collaborations. Life sciences, biomedical, medical technology and pharmaceutical professionals are invited to briefly present technical challenges and a "wish list" for their fields, for receiving informal feedback and new ideas from researchers, experts and other professionals, and make contacts that can lead to collaborations, research projects or co-developed innovations. Presentations on issues in their fields will be presented by TBD PharmaTech (Estonia), Lithuania BIO (Lithuania), Molport, PMNet Forum, Cellbox Labs and Roche Latvia representatives.
Registration for all Deep Tech Atelier 2025 events are free!
It is important for every researcher to understand how to protect their intellectual property and to be aware of how to assess the patentability of an invention, which can be an important step towards commercialising an idea. Researchers are invited to watch the recording of the Patent Information Reading webinar, which provides basic knowledge and practical information on the patenting process.
The webinar is moderated by Artis Kromanis, a European patent attorney with many years of experience in the field of intellectual property.
The seminar covers three key aspects:
the purpose of the patent information search, including the discretion analysis and the assessment of the patentability of the invention;
an introduction to patent databases, demonstrating how to carry out patent searches;
Analysis of patent documents to understand their validity and scope of protection.
Additional meeting times are available for BioPhoT participants who have registered for the mentoring talks by 25 April. These one-to-one calls are intended to discuss the pitch presentations prepared and to receive feedback from the mentors after the submission of the project application on 8 May.
Please note: The additional meeting times are only open to participants who have registered for the mentoring talks by 25 April. Bookings can be made using the link to the booking page sent in the email.
An intensive hands-on training event was held at the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis with great interest and a large attendance of more than 50 participants, where participants learned the basic principles of presentation structuring, content creation and public speaking. The event was moderated by Kristaps Pētersons, an experienced presentation master.
At the beginning of the training, the lecturer introduced the BioPhoT short presentation template, highlighting the essential elements to pay attention to, as well as the common mistakes in presenting. The theoretical part of the workshop provided a clear structure and direction for the practical work to follow.
In the practical part of the workshop, participants developed and presented their draft presentations, receiving detailed and valuable feedback from the lecturer.
Kristaps Petersons, a presentation skills specialist with more than 30 years of experience in journalism and thousands of presentations, inspired with his professional approach, clear examples and individual approach to each participant.
The first call for BioPhoT research and innovation projects is open until 8 May. Applications will be evaluated in two rounds. In the first round, a panel of independent science, industry and innovation experts will assess the innovative potential of the R&I project idea and its relevance to market and/or end-user needs. Applicants will be required to prepare a five-minute presentation and after their presentation in front of the panel, a 10-minute question and answer session. The second round will consist of a full project submission and scientific peer review by experts selected by the Latvian Science Council.
On 21 May at 10.00 a seminar will take place at the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute (OSI), Aizkraukles iela 21, Riga (From Hit Compound to Clinical Trials). The event focuses on the commercialisation of biotechnology and the drug development pathway from laboratory discovery to clinical trials.
The seminar will be chaired by DrScott Dax- an internationally renowned expert with more than 25 years of experience in R&D management in both large pharmaceutical companies and innovative biotechnology firms. His professional activities span chemistry, drug discovery, pharmacology, technology and intellectual property.
Seminar programme:
09:50 - Registration
10:00 - Introduction
10:05 - Lecture by Dr. Dax
10:50 - Q&A session
11:25 - Networking
Working language: english
The workshop is aimed at researchers, students and others interested in the development and commercialisation of medicine. Researchers planning to submit projects under the BioPhoT platform - "Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products" - are particularly invited to attend.
Registration is required for the seminar: https://lu.ma/uvhdn7em
The event is funded by the Long-term National Research Programme project "BioPhoT" or "Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for Innovative Products" (project No IVPP-EM-Innovation-2024/1-0002).
The first call for BioPhoT Research and Innovation Projects (RIPs), with a total funding of €6 million, is open until 8 May. Up to €200,000 per project is available in smart specialisation areas: biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, medical technologies, photonics, etc. Mentoring is available during the RIP application process. The deadline for applying for mentoring is 25 April.
The evaluation of RIP applications will take place in two rounds. In the first round, a panel of independent scientific, industry and innovation experts will assess the innovative potential of the RIP idea and its relevance to market and/or end-user needs. Applicants will be required to prepare a five-minute presentation and after the presentation in front of the panel, a 10-minute question and answer session. The second round will consist of a full project submission and scientific peer review by experts selected by the Latvian Science Council.
To apply for a consultation, please fill in application form and send it to the following email address biophot@osi.lv.
BioPhoT Research and Innovation Project (RIP) applications will be evaluated in two rounds. In the first round, a panel of independent scientific, industry and innovation experts will assess the innovative potential of the RIP idea and its relevance to market and/or end-user needs. Applicants will be required to prepare a five-minute presentation and after the presentation in front of the panel, a 10-minute question and answer session. The second round will consist of a full project submission and scientific peer review by experts selected by the Latvian Science Council.
The information seminar took place on 10 April in the conference room of the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science. During the seminar, the platform team informed about the application process, opportunities for cooperation with mentors, as well as frequently asked questions.
