On 24 September, the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) hosted the “Industry Day” event, organized by the biomedicine and photonics innovation platform BioPhoT. The event aimed to promote closer and more practical collaboration between researchers and entrepreneurs, helping to transform Latvia's scientific potential into exportable technologies and market-ready products.
To bridge the gap between science and industry, the event offered entrepreneurs the opportunity to visit ISSP UL laboratories and explore firsthand the technologies developed by our researchers. Attendees were introduced to innovative solutions in the fields of smart windows, functional coatings, sensors, biomedicine, energy harvesting, additive manufacturing, and water purification.
Daiga Eiduka, Senior Expert at ISSP UL, emphasized that support instruments like BioPhoT are crucial because they connect business needs with research expertise, fostering a robust innovation ecosystem. The shared experience of both researchers and industry representatives shows that successful commercialization relies on building partnerships during the early stages of technology development – where businesses help define real market needs, and scientists create the corresponding technical solutions.
The second part – "Sensing the Future" – of the event took place at the University of Latvia, where discussions expanded to energy, communications, and advanced manufacturing technologies, featuring dedicated pitch sessions designed to help participants quickly find potential collaboration partners.
The BioPhoT platform plays a vital role in helping projects cross the innovation “valley of death” – the phase where a promising technology requires targeted support for validation and commercialization strategy development before it can reach the market. Since 2025, 66 innovation projects have been developed within the platform, effectively helping researchers and entrepreneurs find common ground to advance ideas into solutions with real market potential.
