On 24 November, the first BioPhoT platform conference “BioPhoT – Latvia’s Innovation Launchpad” took place, bringing together more than 200 participants from the biomedical and photonics communities – researchers, entrepreneurs, industry representatives, and policymakers.
The event featured the presentation of the first 40 innovation projects supported by the BioPhoT programme, all demonstrating clear international and commercial potential. Among these were eight projects from the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL), covering advanced materials, photonics solutions, energy-efficient novel sensors, and next-generation diagnostic technologies.
In addition to project contributions, ISSP UL was represented in the conference’s content programme. The institute’s director, Andris Anspoks, moderated the panel discussion “From academia to commercial value – highlights and pitfalls, role of smartly selected support instruments”, which featured experts from LETERA, LAĶĪFA, the Ministry of Economics, the Latvian Council of Science, as well as industry leaders. The discussion highlighted key challenges and prerequisites for transforming scientific ideas into market-ready solutions.
The conference also included presentations from companies, researchers, and international guests on topics such as fibre optics, infrared spectroscopy, biomaterials, medical diagnostics, and other innovations. For example, Gatis Mozeļevskis from Cellbox Labs shared the growth story of his microfluidics company, which traces its beginnings to research carried out at ISSP UL.
The institute’s strong expertise in materials science continues to serve as a solid foundation for innovation, fostering the development of new technologies, products, and collaborations that contribute to Latvia’s scientific and economic growth.
