Posts Tagged ‘Latvia’
AI Salon Opens in Riga – A New Platform for Latvia’s Artificial Intelligence Community
On November 6, the opening event of AI Salon Riga took place at the Tet headquarters – the first gathering in Latvia of the global artificial intelligence community AI Salon.
The Latvian Association of Artificial Intelligence (MILA) was honored to participate in the event, where Chair of the Board Oksana Sivokobiļska shared her vision for the development of Latvia’s AI ecosystem and the need to strengthen cooperation between the public sector, academia, and industry.
The goal of AI Salon is to bring together people who work with artificial intelligence daily – developers, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and product specialists – to exchange experiences, build new connections, and collectively strengthen AI literacy in Latvia.
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Originally published on 11 Nov
Read MoreMILA has developed practical guidelines for the implementation of artificial intelligence in public administration
The Latvian Association of Artificial Intelligence (MILA) has developed the first practical guidelines for state and municipal institutions on the implementation and use of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in public administration. The guidelines will help institutions better understand the potential of AI and more clearly understand how to organise the process of introducing and applying AI solutions.
The document was created within the project “Development of Practical Guidelines for the Introduction of Artificial Intelligence in Institutional Work and Services,” in cooperation with AI Master Lab experts, commissioned by the State Administration School (VAS) and with methodological support from the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development Republic of Latvia (VARAM).
As MILA emphasises, the purpose of the guidelines is to provide a practical and easy-to-use framework for public institutions, enabling them to assess the suitability of AI use, prepare their organisations for the introduction of such technologies, and ensure a responsible, transparent and publicly accountable approach to the use of AI.
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Originally published on 10 Nov
Read MoreAigars Rostovskis re-elected Eurochambres vice-president
Latvian is first to hold senior position with association of European chambers of commerce
Aigars Rostovskis has been re-elected as vice-president of Eurochambres, the association of european chambers of commerce and industry. Aigars is the president of LTRK, the Latvian chamber of commerce. His re-election helps the organistion to maintain a powerful voice among European business representatives.
Eurochambres acts as the voice of the business community at the EU level, representing more than 20 million companies. It is an important player in the European business environment, driving significant initiatives and supporting entrepreneurs to ensure a sustainable and competitive European economy.
Aigars is the first Latvian representative to hold a senior Eurochambres office.
Read MoreOpinon Beyond profitability
The economic case for Rail Baltica can be found in examples of other major infrastructure projects that were initially deemed too big not to fail
Read MoreIn the largest NATO “Digital Backbone Experiment” unmanned systems have been tested
From 27 October to 7 November, NATO’s Largest Digital Backbone Experiment “DiBaX 2025” was taking place at military base “Ādaži” and virtually across several NATO nations. This year, “DiBaX” strategically focused on the use of unmanned vehicles in contested environments and the application of artificial intelligence in detection and decision-making tasks.
‘”DiBaX” is the only military technology experiment of this scale that NATO has been conducting in Latvia for already four years. This demonstrates the advancement of our defence industry in the field of 5G technologies, the National Armed Forces’ contribution to innovation development and Latvia’s defence infrastructure capacity to host such high level experiments,” underlines Andris Spruds, Minister of Defence of Latvia.
The digital backbone is a vital component of NATO’s infrastructure, enabling connectivity for complex Multi-Domain Operations. During the DiBaX, the latest technological advancements was demonstrated and assessed for integration into real-world environments to enhance interoperability and efficiency among Allied Forces.
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Originally published on 7 Nov
Read MoreThe Baltic states must move towards a unified economic and political identity
On Thursday, October 30, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene met with representatives of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts (ALCCIC), as well as representatives of entrepreneurs from both countries, focusing on the conclusions of the study “Baltic Tiger” and the idea of a joint global brand for the Baltic States.
During the meeting, the main conclusions of the study “Baltic Tiger” conducted by the Latvian Institute for Strategic and Economic Studies “LaSer” were presented. The author of the study, Professor Daunis Auers, pointed out that in order for the Baltic countries to maintain their growth rate and security stability, deeper integration is needed in four areas: defense, diplomacy, functional cooperation, and joint branding. The study shows that the potential of the Baltic region increases when the countries act as a single player rather than three separate economies. Closer integration and a shared economic vision can become the main drivers of growth in the region. The author also emphasized the importance of the Nordic countries’ experience—close cooperation and joint solutions have helped to strengthen economic and political stability.
“The economies of Latvia and Lithuania are closely linked, and we have ample opportunities to deepen cooperation, especially in the defense industry and the digital sector. With a more favorable environment for entrepreneurs, closer economic cooperation, and fewer bureaucratic obstacles, we can increase the international competitiveness of the Baltic region,” said Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa.
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Originally published on 30 Oct
Read MoreNext May, Latvia will host the second high-level international Drone Summit
On May 27, 2026, Riga will host the second International Drone Summit, bringing together defence ministers from the countries of the International Drone Coalition, leading experts, and companies from the defence industry. The summit will serve as a leading platform for discussions and future decisions, where Drone Coalition and allied nations will have the opportunity to agree on further drone deliveries to Ukraine, discuss the development of the drone industry, and establish new partnerships with drone manufacturers and innovators.
“Latvia has taken on international leadership in the drone industry not only by heading the Drone Coalition but also by promoting the development of the drone industry, fostering cooperation among entrepreneurs, and driving innovation. It is important that we continue to strengthen the defence capabilities of our country and its allies by encouraging closer cooperation between industry, science, and military sector,” notes Latvian Minister of Defence Andris Sprūds.
At this year’s international high-level Drone Summit, the establishment of the Autonomous Systems Competence Center, also known as the Drone Centre, was announced. The center has already begun operating at full capacity, ensuring the development, testing, and implementation of the drone and counter-drone capabilities required by the Latvian National Armed Forces, as well as close cooperation with industry and research partners from Latvia and allied nations.
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Originally published on 3 Nov
Read MoreLatvia’s space and smart technology potential presented at EXPO Japan
In September, Latvian entrepreneurs and scientists participated in the world’s largest exhibition, EXPO 2025 Osaka, at a business conference organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) entitled “How Innovation in the Aerospace Industry Can Promote Sustainability and Environmental Conservation,” highlighting Latvia’s expertise and innovation potential in the field of space and smart technologies.
The conference took place as part of the Expo 2025 Osaka thematic week “The Future of Earth and Biodiversity,” bringing together experts, industry representatives, academics, and students from Latvia, Japan, and other countries to seek solutions on how sustainable aerospace technologies can help preserve the environment and biodiversity.
The conference was opened by Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže. In her speech, she emphasized: “Latvia’s achievements in innovation, ICT, quantum technology and other new technology fields are recognized worldwide. The geopolitical situation has promoted the development of the domestic security industry, including in the field of drone technology. Latvia also has the advantage of extensive technology testing opportunities – more and more manufacturers from our allied countries are coming to Latvia to test the latest generation of drones. We have also achieved a lot in quantum technologies – we are a “small quantum superpower” whose professors have developed algorithms that account for up to 20% of the world’s quantum algorithms. The minister also pointed out that confirmation of our companies’ achievements is also reflected in investor assessments – the investment climate in Latvia has improved significantly, and half of existing investors plan to continue investing in Latvia in the future.
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Originally published on 29 Sep
Read More145 MW Stelpe solar farm reaches full commercial operations
The 72.5 megawatt (MW) Stelpe solar farm II, developed in Latvia by Ignitis Renewables, an international green energy company, has reached the commercial operation date. The project is located in the southern part of Latvia, Bauska municipality. The solar farm, which covers 85 hectares, is equipped with 121 thousand solar panels. The investments in the project, including the acquisition and construction costs, should amount to approximately EUR 54 million.
Stelpe solar farm II is a part of the Stelpe solar project, which consists of two sites, each with a capacity of 72.5 MW. The project has a combined installed capacity of 145 MW and will cover the electricity demand of around 70 thousand households.
Ignitis Renewables is actively continuing the development of renewable energy projects in Latvia. This year, the commercial operation date was also reached by the 94 MW Varme solar farm, and the development of the 174 MW Tume solar farm is on track. These solar farms, with a combined installed capacity exceeding 400 MW, will be able to cover the electricity demand of nearly 200 thousand households.
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Originally published on 22 Sep
Read MoreA delegation of more than 180 Latvian entrepreneurs begins a trade mission in Hamburg and Rostock
From September 24 to 26, Minister of Economics Viktors Valainis, together with 180 representatives of businesses and organizations, will participate in a trade mission to Hamburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. On September 25, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa will also join the trade mission to participate in a business forum and meet with senior officials from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
This trade mission brings together more than 100 Latvian companies from various sectors – from biotechnology and sustainable energy to financial technology, information technology, and the defense industry.
Germany is the third largest economy in the world and one of the leading innovation and industrial powers. It is Latvia’s second most important foreign trade partner, with a total trade volume of €4.98 billion in 2024. Germany is also Latvia’s third largest export market, second largest import partner and main destination for Latvian service exports. In the first half of 2025, exports of goods to Germany increased by 4% to EUR 641.7 million, while exports of services increased by 6% to EUR 355 million.
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Originally published on 24 Sep
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