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Innovation
For RSU Employees
Research

State budget funding of 12.8 million euros has been allocated until the end of 2026 for research and innovation projects in the fields of biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, photonics, smart materials, electronics, electrical engineering, technology, and engineering systems. This funding will be provided through the implementation of the National Research Program (NRP) platform Biomedical and Photonics Research Platform for the Creation of Innovative Products (BioPhoT). 

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RSU and LSPA researchers are invited to fill out the initial project idea application form by 10 February.
This pre-selection is intended to identify RSU research groups willing to start preparing project proposals for the BioPhoT platform.

The Minister for Economics Viktors Valainis points out that ‘It is essential to create and develop targeted support mechanisms that promote the development of innovative technologies.

The biomedical and photonics sectors stand out with significant export potential, based on innovation and the creation of new, competitive products.

With financial support, these sector ideas can transform into market-demanded and high-value-added products. In the long term, this approach will strengthen Latvia's competitiveness in global markets while promoting the development and innovation capacity of the biomedical and photonics sectors.’

BioPhoT strategic goals

The BioPhoT platform will promote collaboration between the biomedical and photonics technology sciences and the commercial sector, and the development of new technologies. Its strategic approach is to identify research with a low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) but with high commercialization potential. Thanks to financial support, the development of these ideas will be promoted, and in the long term, competitive, market-demanded technologies and products based on scientific research in the fields of biomedicine and photonics will be created.

‘This approach will help bridge the gap between science and the commercial sector, improving the chances for inventions to overcome the so-called 'valley of death' in their development path.

Establishing a platform like this is a significant step in promoting the excellence of technological innovation in Latvia and increasing competitiveness in the global market, as well as serving as a basis for future innovation development,’ explains Osvalds Pugovičs, the project manager and Deputy Director of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis (OSI).

Phases of support and financing

The platform is planned to be in operation until 2032. Support for scientists' initiatives and responses to science-intensive problems identified by the commercial sector is planned in three phases, the first of which will have more than 12 million euros available for the implementation of innovation projects by Cabinet of Ministers order until November 30, 2026. Nearly 5 million euros will be allocated to improve scientists' innovation skills, including training on intellectual property protection issues. If the work progresses well, state budget funding will also be allocated for the next two phases until 2032.

Planned technological developments

There are plans to create 35 new technologies that will reach an experimentally proven technological basis (TRL 3 level) or technological validation in laboratory conditions (TRL 4 level) by 2032. It is expected that at least 23 of these technologies will be developed to validation in real conditions (TRL 5 level) or demonstration in full-scale conditions (TRL 6 level), while at least four will reach the innovation commercialisation phase.

First call for innovation projects in February

The first phase of the platform's operation will run until the end of 2026, during which four innovation project competitions will be announced. The first call is expected in February of this year, and researchers will be able to apply for the development of new technologies and innovative ideas in the fields of biomedicine, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, photonics, smart materials, electronics, electrical engineering, and technology and engineering systems. The maximum available funding for the implementation of one idea will be 200 thousand euros, with a 12-month implementation period.

BioPhoT partner organisations

BioPhoT is coordinated by OSI and implemented by the Institute of Electronics and Computer Science, the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Center, the University of Latvia, the Institute of Solid-State Physics of the University of Latvia, the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, the Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment Research Institute BIOR, Rīga Stradiņš University, and Riga Technical University. 

RSU researchers with questions about the BioPhoT platform are invited to contact RSU Science Department Strategic Science Project Manager Justīne Krūmiņa (justine.krumina@rsu.lv).

Long-term State Research Program Research platform for innovative products in biomedicine and photonics or BioPhoT (No. IVPP-EM-Inovācija-2024/1-0002).

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