New and innovative technological solutions and developing high-value-added products and services are both our priorities and strengths.
With more than 100 years of experience in delivering state-of-the-art solutions for the industry and excellent supply chains for electronics, optics, and lens manufacturing, It is possible to find an enormous potential for the science, engineering, and industry of smart materials.
Riga can offer the necessary infrastructure for high-impact investment and result delivery in developing deep tech innovations.
As for the life science sector leading in the Baltics with the highest value-added (2018 - in pharmaceutical manufacturing 41.1% and in chemical production 24.2%), pharmaceuticals are the top export, making up 37% of total industry exports (2019 - total turnover of the pharmaceutical sector reached 250 million euros).
Three smart city technology testing or pilot areas are recently opened in the capital:
- in the district of VEF,
- in the territory of the University of Latvia building complex in Torņakalns,
- as well as in the surrounding area of Riga Technical University in Ķīpsala
Numbers
- the smart materials and photonics sector ~ 2470 companies
- employment of 29,3 thousand people (2017)
- the chemical and pharmaceutical industry ~ 1000 companies
- number of employees in chemical and pharmaceutical companies exceeds 13 000
Key Benefits
- More than 100 years of experience
- 1st in innovations in the Baltics
- International expertise
- High-impact research
- 7th in the world in the number of students entering STEM bachelor programs in Europe (2019)
- Excellent supply chains for electronics, optics, and lens manufacturing
- Technology scouts
- World's fastest optical switch and top-notch optical fibre products
- Platform MATERIZE - a one-stop solution to link business and science
- Leader of employment in fast-growing companies in the Baltic States
Main subsectors
Smart materials and photonics, thin layers and coatings, equipment, devices and systems, energy harvesting and storage
Life science - Manufacture of chemicals, pharmaceuticals, rubber and plastic products, and biotechnology, coating materials, cosmetics
Key Players
- RD Alfa Microelectronics develops and manufactures high-reliability and radiation-hardened microelectronics components for aеrоspace and defence equipment.
- MikroTik is a Latvian company which was founded in 1996 to develop routers and wireless ISP systems.
- Primekss Founded in 1997, Primekss is the world’s leading concrete technology company, creators of unique, patented steel fiber reinforced self-stressing concrete (SFRSSC) technology – PrīmX.
- HansaMatrix is an electronic system manufacturer;
- LightSpace Technologies are global leaders in real-time multi-plane volumetric 3D image display technologies.
- EuroLCDs offers the world’s fastest optical shutter technology;
- Groglass is one of the world’s leading developers and manufacturers of anti-reflective coatings;
- Fiber Optical Solution (FOS) – specializes in developing optical-fibre gyroscopes.
- LightGuide Optics is the world’s leading provider of fiber optic products, optical fiber probes for laser medicine, optical fibers for UV, VIS, or IR range;
- CeramOptec creates customised solutions in fiber optic technology,
- Sidrabe has more than 50 years of excellence in developing unique thin-film technologies.
- Grindeks are producers of world-renowned and demanded products.
- Latvian Biomedicine Research and Study Center is developing a prototype vaccine against Lyme disease.
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis is an inventor and co-inventor of 18 original approved drugs and more than 70 original preparation methods of known medicines.
- BGI Group, the world’s largest genome sequencing organization, has established a genome sequencing machine production facility in Latvia.
- Madara Cosmetics is an internationally renowned organic skincare and cosmetics brand that uses biologically certified natural extracts and ingredients (~ 80 different beauty products exported to more than 35 countries worldwide).