October 7 saw the opening of the new Technology Business Centre (TBC), featuring a discussion on the support necessary for businesses in the technology industry. Among the participants of the discussion were Viesturs Sosārs, co-creator of ‘TechHub Riga’; Kristaps Zaļais, mentor of the Rīga Stradiņš University Technology Transfer Office; Mārtiņš Borodušķis, researcher at the University of Latvia and Ņikita Kazakevičs, Director of the TBC. The guest of honour of the event was H.E. Kristian Ødegaard, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway to the Republic of Latvia.
The TBC will operate as a branch of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) with the aim of attracting a minimum of 98 business idea developers and aiding the development of at least 30 product prototypes. The Centre will also provide pre-acceleration support and various training programmes.
The initiative to create the TBC was brought to life by LIAA with the financial aid of 2M from Norway Grants, and in close cooperation with the University of Latvia, Riga Technical University and Rīga Stradiņš University.
