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.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 17 Dec
Announcements are published as a service to readers. The sender is responsible for all content. Announcements for publication can be submitted to announcements@thehanseatic.com.

HYBRIT’s pilot project for hydrogen gas storage has now been completed and reported to the Swedish Energy Agency. The results show that it is technically possible to store fossil-free hydrogen gas for producing fossil-free iron and steel on an industrial scale. This can also reduce the variable operating costs of hydrogen production by up to 40 per cent.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 27 Feb

In the Estonian-Latvian border region, public transport services that once provided convenient travel options for residents of both countries have been absent for several decades. The ROCC project, supported by the Interreg Estonia-Latvia Programme 2021-2027, is now approaching a significant milestone—the launch of two pilot bus routes. The Valga-Valka and Ikla-Ainaži (Salacgrīva) bus lines are expected to begin operating in the spring of 2025, offering new mobility opportunities for border residents and travelers alike.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 25 Feb

OpenAI is proud to work with Estonia’s government on a world-first initiative to provide all students and teachers in the secondary school system with access to ChatGPT Edu, a version of ChatGPT customized for education systems, starting with 10th and 11th graders by September 2025.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 25 Feb

A new solution has emerged in Latvia’s defence technology sector: the unmanned ground platform developed by the Latvian startup Natrix is a universal, modular solution that can be adapted for various applications. Currently, the Natrix platform’s primary tasks are delivering ammunition and food to the frontline and on the return journey evacuating the wounded and deceased, thus significantly reducing the risk of casualties for rescuers who previously had to evacuate the injured manually.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 25 Feb

Are you a VR/AR/XR company or a game developer in Finland, Sweden or Estonia looking to accelerate your growth?
The CDG-Booster program invites you to an inclusive community of peers and industry experts to help your company speed up growth, avoid business pitfalls, save resources, find your strengths and learn how to exploit them.
Through this program, your company will become it’s next, improved version of itself and you will journey the path to become a smarter and better entrepreneur.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 21 Feb

Over the course of 2024, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) continued to support Sweden’s economic development and climate initiatives through substantial investments.
The EIB Group’s financing during the year amounted to around SEK 22 billion, of which more than 60% went to climate measures and environmental sustainability. This money supported wind power, energy-efficient housing and industrial electrification, among other projects.
These investments are estimated to have kept 32 000 jobs in Sweden.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 20 Feb

In the Rail Baltica project, envisioned as a seamless corridor stretching from Warsaw to Tallinn, Poland plays a crucial role as a strategic partner, serving as the gateway connecting Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia with the broader European rail network. While work on Rail Baltica has been progressing in all three Baltic countries, with 43% of the mainline expected to be construction-ready and actively under development by the end of this year, the Polish section has also experienced continuous development for several years.
Rail Baltica team recently conducted a visit to Poland to assess modernization efforts and observe the progress of the railway line that will connect Poland to the Lithuanian border.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 24 Feb

LIAA will carry out the project “Agri-Biocircular-Hub: Center of Excellence for Smart Agriculture and Circular Bioeconomy Towards a Sustainable Agri-Food Sector in Enlargement Countries.” The project will be implemented over a four-year period, from 2025 to 2029. LIAA’s 2023-2029 strategy focuses on fostering knowledge-intensive business, export growth, and investment attraction, with an emphasis on smart specialization strategy (RIS3) areas.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 21 Feb

The Hola 5G Oulu project has announced the successful launch of its private 5G standalone (SA) network at Oulu University Hospital, marking Europe’s first private 5G network in a functioning hospital. This achievement has the potential to revolutionise healthcare with advanced technology. The project, a collaboration between Pohjois-Pohjanmaan hyvinvointialue Pohde, Boldyn Networks, WICOAR Technologies, Oulu University Hospital, and the University of Oulu, aims to enhance patient care and operational efficiency through secure, high-capacity connectivity.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 19 Feb

Pactum AI, an Estonian startup focusing on autonomous negotiation technology, has been named the winner of DIGITALEUROPE’s prestigious Future Unicorn Award for 2025. The company was recognised at DIGITALEUROPE’s Masters of Digital conference in Brussels for its innovative AI platform that automates complex business negotiations.
Read full announcement (external link)
Originally published on 20 Feb