Last week, the second cycle of the “Venture Catalysts” program, organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) in cooperation with UniLab, ended. The program aims to promote innovation, research commercialization, and the growth of start-ups. This year’s first graduating class included 41 more graduates – entrepreneurs, scientists, and students from various educational institutions who have gained practical insight and strengthened their skills in setting up businesses.
The program provided an in-depth introduction to innovation and the commercialization of research results, innovation management, and the fundamentals of start-ups. Different management styles, IP protection strategies, the role of the team in the commercialization process and assessing the potential of inventions were covered. The final session focused on opportunities and methods for raising finance. Through interactive discussions, experience stories, and hands-on activities, participants gained essential knowledge and skills to help turn innovative ideas into successful businesses.
“‘Venture Catalysts’ was like a breath of fresh air! First, I got a whole new perspective on how development can be driven. Secondly, I appreciated the professional knowledge, and the trainers, who are high-level practitioners and have an open attitude, were able to encourage me to do things. Thirdly, I appreciate the open and safe atmosphere that the organizers provided. I started the training with an intuitive feeling, without a concrete idea of what I wanted to do, but I finished the training with a clear direction of what I wanted to develop. Thank you, it’s time to put what I’ve learned into practice and realize what my heart is set on!” says Ieva Sijāte, Change Maker.
“A great opportunity to gain a lot of useful knowledge, meet people from the industry and future colleagues, listen to advice from professionals, and hear stories about their own experiences. Thank you to the organizers and participants for the nice atmosphere,” says Aleksejs Peņkovs, RTU student.
Ieva Jāgere, Director of LIAA, emphasizes that this training is intended as a first step for budding entrepreneurs on the path to their technological start-up. “Not only the idea, but also the team and the support available, using all the opportunities offered, are important for the viability of a start-up. To expand your network and learn about what’s happening in the industry, we invite everyone to attend Deep Tech Atelier, a technology conference in Riga on 15-16 May. The event will serve as a practical complement to the knowledge gained during the training and will be an opportunity to build international collaborations to develop and improve your business.”
The Venture Catalysts program will continue this summer, with the next training cycle starting on 28 July. Applications will open in June, providing a new opportunity for budding entrepreneurs and scientists to learn the necessary skills and create a roadmap for developing their innovative business.
The first training cycle took place at the end of 2024. The program aims to provide scientists, entrepreneurs, and students with the knowledge and practical skills to develop successful start-ups based on scientific research and innovative ideas.
“Venture Catalysts training is organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) in cooperation with UniLab, Riga Business School as a unit of Riga Technical University, and RISEBA.
