Baltic Sea Cities Unite in Słupsk: Collaboration, Commitment, and a Common Vision for Europe
The XVIII UBC General Conference concluded in Słupsk and Dolina Charlotty after four days of lively discussions, practical workshops, and strategic debates on the role of cities in the future of the European Union. The event, which brought together 200 people from partner organizations, EU institutions, and UBC member towns, reaffirmed the network’s primary goal of creating a more resilient, innovative, and united Baltic region.
The tone was set by two high-level plenary sessions. The Opening Plenary included European and local leaders, such as Magdalena Adamowicz (Member of the European Parliament), Krystyna Danilecka-Wojewódzka (Mayor of Słupsk), Aleksandra Dulkiewicz (Mayor of Gdańsk, Member of CoR), Mantas Jurgutis (UBC President), Dr Gustav Lindström (Director General, CBSS), Henryka Mościcka-Dendys (Undersecretary of State, Polish MFA), Marcin Skwierawski (Deputy Marshal, Pomorskie Voivodeship), and video addresses from Themis Christophidou (DG Regio) and André Sobczak (Eurocities). One thread ran through all of their messages: cities need to be acknowledged as important collaborators in determining the future of Europe.
The second plenary explored cities’ access to EU funds within the MFF 2028–2035, featuring contributions from Kieran McCarthy (CoR), Claire Roumet (Energy Cities), Laura Omucińska (Słupsk), Linda Ozola (Riga), and Henrik Johansson (Växjö). The discussion highlighted both opportunities and challenges for cities in navigating EU programmes.
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Originally published on 7 Nov
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Executives from Tyréns, one of Sweden’s largest design companies, and its Lithuanian branch have visited the Rail Baltica construction sites. The meeting with representatives of LTG Infra, the company implementing Rail Baltica in Lithuania, have discussed the ongoing and planned works. LTG Infra is currently focusing on securing design capacity and invites both Lithuanian and international design companies to work in Lithuania and contribute to the Rail Baltica project. According to Vytis Žalimas, CEO of LTG Infra, one of the biggest challenges for Rail Baltica now is to secure design resources for the planning of future high-speed railway sections.
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Originally published on 25 Mar
Lithuanian researchers from Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) and the Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI) have developed a groundbreaking hydrogen production technology that transforms waste into valuable, clean hydrogen fuel. This new method not only boosts hydrogen extraction efficiency but also addresses the persistent issue of tar formation in the gasification process. By offering a more sustainable energy solution, the technology holds significant promise for reducing industry’s reliance on fossil fuels and fostering a cleaner energy future.
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Originally published on 24 Mar
Boldyn Networks (Boldyn) and Ascom have joined forces to enhance digitalisation at Oulu University Hospital (OYS) by boosting 300 Ascom Myco 4 devices for the use of hospital staff, enabled by Boldyn’s private 5G Standalone(SA) network. This is part of the Hola Oulu project where consortium members Pohde, Oulu University Hospital (OYS), University of Oulu, and WICOAR Technologies Oy are revolutionising patient care by implementing advanced, secure, high-capacity connectivity within the hospital environment.
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Originally published on 24 Mar
Prince William visited Sunly to examine how hybrid energy parks are strengthening energy security and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The visit, part of his tour including meetings with British troops under NATO’s Operation Cabrit, comes weeks after the Baltic states permanently disconnected from the Russian power grid and integrated with the European system.
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Originally published on 21 Mar
INVL Baltic Farmland, a company that invests in agricultural land, announced its operating forecasts for this year along with planned dividends and decisions that are being proposed to the shareholders’ meeting. The company plans to earn a net profit of EUR 460,000 and have consolidated revenue of EUR 890,000 this year. This forecast assumes that during 2025 the value of land holdings will not change, no new agreements on the purchase or sale of land will be signed, and there will be no change in the impairment of trade receivables and no impact of trade receivables on the size of the administration fee.
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Originally published on 21 Mar
Last week, Estonia welcomed back some of the brightest minds in dual-use technology for an action-packed onsite experience at the NATO DIANA Estonian Accelerator. Over five days, the 7 teams tackled masterclasses, investment workshops, pitch sessions, and test centre visits, forging connections and shaping their solutions. Here’s a look back.
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Originally published on 19 Mar
The global sustainable initiative startup “Walk15,” founded in Lithuania, continues its rapid growth across Europe, reaching a valuation of €30 million. The company is now opening a Series A investment round, with initial investments coming from its existing shareholders, including the venture capital fund Coinvest Capital, led by Viktorija Trimbel, the angel syndicate NGL, led by Justinas Pašys, and other investors.
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Originally published on 17 Mar
On Friday, 14 March, the third “Idea Day” conference for teachers and education technology experts took place, bringing together more than 180 teachers and education experts from all over Latvia and offering them a wide-ranging program on the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in education. Teachers had the chance to improve their AI skills in 14 workshops and discussions on methods, solutions, and experiences.
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Originally published on 17 Mar
Ovivo, a leading provider of water treatment and purification solutions, has announced plans to open a design center in Kaunas, Lithuania. The new facility, scheduled to open in April 2025, will focus on piping and plant design for the company’s ultrapure water and wastewater treatment systems. Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Ovivo specializes in providing innovative water treatment solutions, and is renowned for its technical expertise in producing ultrapure water for the electronics industry.
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Originally published on 17 Mar
Tallinn-based FinTech startup Cino has secured €3.5M in seed funding to expand its real-time shared payment application across Europe and launch in the UK market. Cino has developed a unique payment solution that allows groups to pay together in a single transaction. Unlike traditional bill-splitting apps that create debt and require follow-up payments, Cino charges everyone their share in real time at the point of checkout.
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Originally published on 13 Mar