The deep-tech start-up AP4PIC, originating from ISSP UL (Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia), has won the main prize of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) business idea competition “Ideju kauss 2025”, receiving EUR 10,000 to further develop its polymer photonics chip technology.
The winning idea was developed by our leading researchers Aivars Vembris and Arturs Bundulis, who proposed an innovative approach to one of the world’s fastest-growing global challenges: the massive electricity consumption of data centres, significantly intensified by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence solutions.
The polymer photonics platform developed by AP4PIC aims to replace part of the electrical interconnects in data centres with photonic chips that convert electrical signals into more efficient optical signals, thereby reducing energy consumption and overheating. A key advantage of the innovation is the use of polymer materials in chip fabrication, which has the potential to significantly lower production costs. Several chip prototypes have already been successfully tested under laboratory conditions.
“This is a very important step toward moving closer to chip manufacturing in Latvia. It requires investment and funding, but progress is being made step by step – once we unlock the first part of the production process, we can collaborate with industry and move forward. This will likely be the first step that allows us to demonstrate something substantial enough to attract much larger investments,” comments Vembris.
This year, 12 finalists competed in the final round of the “Ideju kauss,” while a total of 355 ideas were submitted across a wide range of sectors, from information and communication technologies to smart materials, education, and sustainable solutions.
ISSP UL is proud of the achievements of its researchers and institute-born start-ups, which demonstrate that fundamental research and scientific excellence in Latvia can evolve into globally competitive technologies.
