New industrial development area and railway infrastructure available for investment in Valmiera – Valmiera Industrial Park is completed

Construction has been completed at Valmiera Industrial Park, which is an infrastructure of national importance – a railway siding and internal railway, a cargo loading/unloading (logistics) site, and an industrial electricity connection have been put into operation. The rest of the infrastructure intended for exporting manufacturing companies operating in smart specialization (RIS3) sectors, creating products with high added value, has also been completed. The newly built railway infrastructure will strengthen the role of Valmiera region in the European transport network, consolidating its position as an important connection point between regions and the Baltic States. 

Valmiera Industrial Park, operating as Latvia’s first domestic multimodal logistics center, will promote economic growth and export capacity in Vidzeme. This will be a significant stage of development and change in the transport and storage sector, as companies in Vidzeme and South Estonia will be able to optimize their supply chains while reducing transport costs and emissions, as well as the load on roads. The potential of the new and competitive railway infrastructure and the extensive concrete logistics area has also been dubbed Latvia’s first “dry port” (i.e., inland intermodal terminals directly connected to seaports by road or rail). 

“Targeted investment in business development is always necessary to promote growth and maintain competitiveness. The development of the Valmiera Industrial Park has been purposefully planned since 2014, implementing this idea gradually and thoughtfully to ensure maximum return on invested resources in the long term. It is planned that at least three export-oriented companies will start operating in the area to be developed under the project, creating new jobs and making significant investments in business. These are historically the largest investments in the development of the Valmiera region, which will make a significant contribution to both the region’s economy and the well-being of its residents. At the same time, in parallel with the development of business infrastructure in the municipality, we continue to invest in affordable housing and competitive education to ensure a timely supply of qualified specialists to the labor market,” says Jānis Baiks, Chairman of the Valmiera Municipality Council.

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Originally published on 17 Dec

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Estonian defence companies secure key partnerships at World Defence Show 2026

By Trade with Estonia 16 February 2026

Estonia’s defence sector is making rounds even beyond Europe, and this week has demonstrated its digital capabilities at the World Defence Show in Riyadh. According to the official press release, the delegation members have secured three memoranda of understanding with regional and international partners.

The agreements, signed during the 13 February 2026 event, included partnerships between Threod Systems and Saudi Arabia’s First Shield, DefSecIntel Solutions and Oman’s The Armored Group, and Frankenburg Technologies and South Korea’s Hanwha. The deals cover autonomous systems, surveillance, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS), and digitally integrated defence technologies.

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Originally published on 13 Feb

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Chambers Global 2026: Ellex strengthens its position as a leading Baltic law firm

By Ellex 13 February 2026

Chambers & Partners has published the Chambers Global Guide 2026, once again recognising Ellex among the leading law firms in the Baltics in Corporate/Commercial and Dispute Resolution.

The 2026 results reflect the strength of Ellex as one integrated Baltic team, combining top-tier department rankings with broad individual recognition across Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

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Originally published on 13 Feb

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CBSS hosts side event on hybrid threats at the Munich Security Conference

By Council of the Baltic Sea States 13 February 2026

On Sunday, 15 February 2026, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), and the CBSS Secretariat will jointly host a roundtable side event at this year’s Munich Security Conference (MSC 2026). The session will focus on countering hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea Region.

The session will be chaired by Dr Gustav Lindström, Director General of the CBSS Secretariat, and is due to include interventions from Mr Radosław Sikorski (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, and Chair of the CBSS), Ms Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir (Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland), Mr Espen Barth Eide (Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway), and Mr Martin Roger (Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia).

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Originally published on 13 Feb

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Deep Space Energy secures €350,000 in investment

By Latvian Technology in Space 13 February 2026

Latvian space technology startup Deep Space Energy has raised €350,000 in pre-seed funding from two sources: firstly the local Outlast Fund and secondly from Linas Sargautis, co-founder of the Lithuanian space startup NanoAvionics (now Kongsberg NanoAvionics).

Space technology startup Deep Space Energy has raised €350,000 in pre-seed funding from two sources: firstly the local Outlast Fund and secondly from Linas Sargautis, co-founder of the Lithuanian space startup NanoAvionics (now Kongsberg NanoAvionics).

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Originally published on 13 Feb

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NIB to finance upgrades to Riga water systems

By The Nordic Investment Bank 12 February 2026

NIB has agreed on a credit facility of up to EUR 50 million with SIA Rīgas ūdens to support a 2025–2028 investment programme for wastewater treatment and clean-water infrastructure. The aim is to improve service reliability and quality and to cut non-revenue water.

The total programme cost is EUR 235 million and is also co-financed by a EUR 70 million loan from the European Investment Bank, as well as funding raised through green bond issuances.

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Originally published on 12 Feb

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Cross-border collaboration can strengthen sustainable cultural tourism

By Luleå Teknsika Universitet 12 February 2026

Strong and durable collaboration between cultural actors and tourism stakeholders across Northern Sweden and Northern Finland could play an important role in strengthening regional development in the Bothnian Arc. This conclusion is presented in a new white paper produced within the ACCENT project, a cross-border collaboration between the University of Oulu, Luleå University of Technology, LTU Business, and the Oulu Culture Foundation.

The white paper, Opening pathways to sustainable cultural tourism in the North, presents evidence-based insights from the ACCENT project on how culture-led tourism can support sustainable regional development across Northern Sweden and Northern Finland.

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Originally published on 9 Feb

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Students Join the “Setting the Course for Offshore” Program

By Bałtyk 11 February 2026

Students from technical schools in the Pomeranian region, specializing in renewable energy, have embarked on a unique educational journey into the offshore wind industry. Launched by Equinor and Polenergia, the “Setting the Course for Offshore” program opens the door for young people to the world of offshore wind – one of the fastest-growing sectors of the Polish economy.

The program is delivered in cooperation with partners: Pomeranian Employers, the Polish Offshore Wind Energy Chamber, Rumia Invest Park, and the Pomeranian Offshore Renewable Energy Competence Centre.

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Originally published on 9 Feb

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Rail Baltica hosts Port Polska delegation in Riga

By Rail Baltica 11 February 2026

Last week, Rail Baltica hosted a delegation from Port Polska during a working visit to Riga. Port Polska is a Polish state-owned special purpose vehicle (SPV) responsible for the delivery of a strategic national transport infrastructure programme with strong European added value and global impact.

The visit focused on knowledge exchange related to the delivery of large-scale European transport infrastructure projects. Discussions covered grant management under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), institutional capacity building, financing models, and the practical challenges associated with the implementation of complex cross-border rail projects.

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Originally published on 11 Feb

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PSF 2026: CBSS Opens Call for Project Proposals on Security and Resilience

By Council of the Baltic Sea States 10 February 2026

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) invites proposals for projects focusing on strengthening security and resilience in the Baltic Sea Region under its Project Support Facility (PSF) 2026 call, which opens on 15 February 2026. Applications will be accepted until 31 March 2026. 

The PSF 2026 call seeks innovative projects that foster understanding, cooperation, and mutual trust, contributing to a safer, more resilient, and sustainable region. Proposals should align with one of the CBSS’s three long-term priority areas, promoting sustainable partnerships and macro-regional cooperation. 

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Originally published on 5 Feb

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NIB finances Estonian Drone Technology Infrastructure

By Announcements 9 February 2026

The Drone Technology Unit is designed to focus on R&D in unmanned aviation, communications, navigation, flight physics, and hardware security. It will consist of laboratories designed to validate and industrialise unmanned systems across the air, ground, and maritime domains.

The unit is part of the recently established Applied Research Centre in Estonia and is planned to become fully operational during summer 2027.

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Originally published on 6 Feb

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