Posts Tagged ‘Latvia’
Latvian Artificial Intelligence Association elects new board
Mila, the Latvian Association of Artificial Intelligence, announces the election of a new board that brings together leaders and experts from various industries with extensive experience in business, innovation and technology development.
The board’s goal is to provide strategic support to the association’s activities and promote the development and integration of artificial intelligence in Latvian business and society.
The board includes six industry experts:
- Armands Broks, founder and CEO of fintech company Twino
- Oksana Sivokobilska, Financial sector digitalisation strategist
- Dmitrijs Jemeljanovs, Machine Learning expert and head of Forward IT Consulting
- Gatis Romanovskis, CEO of Hansab
- Kristaps Siliņš, brand strategist and leading partner of McCann
- Guntis Kalniņš, technology industry leader
- Dmitrijs Ņititins, board member and Chief Technology Officer at SIA TET
Latvian Association of Artificial Intelligence
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Read MoreEnergy communities – the future of sustainable heating and electricity in Latvia
The second Green4HEAT regional working group took place in Salaspils, where representatives of local governments, experts of heat supply companies and energy specialists discussed the development of energy communities in Latvia. The event took place within the framework of the Interreg Europe programme project Green4HEAT, which aims to accelerate the deployment of low-temperature heating solutions by promoting cooperation and knowledge sharing between regions.
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Originally published on 11 Mar
Read MoreLatvia Ready to Adopt Norway’s Experience in Green Hydrogen Development
Today, a study was presented regarding the role of green hydrogen in the Norwegian economy and its potential development in Latvia. Currently, Norway produces 10% of Europe’s total green hydrogen, making it the second-largest player in the industry after Germany. Latvia has also begun early-stage hydrogen technology applications in various sectors, including water transport and aviation fuel, which could potentially establish a new economic industry.
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Originally published on 10 Mar
Read MoreNIB, Luminor and NORD/LB to co-finance a 148 MWp solar farm in Latvia
NIB, Luminor Bank and NORD/LB have agreed to co-finance a 148 MWp solar farm in the Ventspils municipality. The project is developed by Stelo Orienta SIA, a subsidiary of European Energy, a Danish renewable energy company.
The overall financing amounts to EUR 68 million. NIB’s EUR 28 million loan is supported by the European Union under NIB’s InvestEU Framework Operation on Clean Energy Transition. This is NIB’s first InvestEU loan in Latvia.
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Originally published on 6 Mar
Read MoreELKO Group enters refurbish business by acquiring Renewed AB
Akciju Sabiedriba ELKO Grupa (ELKO Group), a region’s leading distributor of IT and consumer electronics products, through its subsidiary Gandalf Distribution AB, has concluded a sales and purchase agreement for the purchase of 78.95 percent of the shares in Renewed AB, a fast-growing Sweden-based electronics recommerce player.
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Originally published on 6 Mar
Read MoreNord Stream 2 revival met with Baltic chill
Germany and its Baltic allies have flatly rejected suggestions that delivery of Russian gas via the Nord Stream 2 pipeline may resume. Rumours that such a plan are afoot emerged on Sunday, when the Financial Times, a news outlet, reported that a former boss of Gazprom, the Russian firm that operated the pipeline, was working to revive the €11 billion project.
To its boosters, the pipeline running along the floor of the Baltic Sea was a sign that Russia was securely tethered to Europe and the west. Its detractors, both those who remained unconvinced that Moscow was indeed an ally, as well as greens agitating for lower, greener energy consumption, were never sold on the first Nord Stream, let alone its sequel.
But when both were damaged by sabotage in September 2022 (by whom remains unknown), European countries, and Germany in particular, rushed to break their energy ties to Russia: today, Norway is Germany’s primary gas supplier, and, on 8 February, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania broke a power connection to Russia that dates back to the Soviet Union when they connected themselves to the EU grid.
Nothing suggests anyone is interested going back. “Independence from Russian gas is of strategic importance,” the German economy ministry insisted in its denial that Berlin was talking to Moscow about re-opening Nord Stream 2. With Europeans now looking to secure their future, it would appear that the era of Russian gas has passed.
Read MoreDanish retailer Salling overtakes Baltic chain
Denmark’s largest retailer will purchase Rimi, a Baltic retail chain, Salling Group and ICA Gruppen, the chain’s current owner, announced today. The deal makes Salling one of the largest supermarket operators in the Baltic region.
According to ICA Gruppen, the value of Rimi’s retail business in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is around €1.3 billion.
Salling will take over €500 million of Rimi Baltic’s debt, which is mainly made up of lease liabilities. The transaction will increase the company’s capital by €630 million and generate cash inflows of €810 million.
Salling said the acquisition of Rimi is the largest transaction its history. It will now own 2,100 supermarkets in the Baltic states, Denmark, Germany and Poland.
Read MoreLatvia accredits its first professional continuing education programme in cybersecurity
In response to growing cybersecurity challenges, Latvia has accredited its first professional continuing education programme in cybersecurity—the Cybersecurity Technician programme, which is available at the European Distance Learning Centre. The programme seeks to train qualified cybersecurity technicians capable of ensuring the security of an organisation’s IT systems and data, identifying and responding to cybersecurity threats, and implementing preventive measures to protect IT environments.
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Originally published on 5 Mar
Read MoreRiga to invest EUR 170,000 in an accelerator and incubator support programme
Until March 16, the Riga City Municipality is accepting applications for the Riga Startup Accelerator and Incubator Support Programme. The programme aims to foster the growth of the startup sector in Riga by providing co-financing for business incubation and acceleration programmes. The budget for this programme in 2025 is EUR 170,000, with up to EUR 40,000 in co-financing available per applicant.
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Originally published on 4 Mar
Read MoreArtis Grinbergs new chair of Latvian railways
Artis Grinbergs has been appointed chairman of Latvijas Dzelzceļš (LDz), the Latvian state railway.
Prior to starting in his new role, Artis was chair of Pasažieru Vilciens, a transport firm, and deputy-chair of Sakret Holdings, a maker of building materials.
He has previously served on the board of the Freeport of Riga and held other senior positions in private and public sectors.
Artis holds master’s in management from the Faculty of Business, Management and Economics of the University of Latvia, and is pursuing his doctoral studies in business administration at BA School of Business and Finance.
Connect with Artis on LinkedIn
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