From Research to Real World Solutions – Swiss–Latvian Smart Energy Digital Centre to Open in Riga
On May 15, from 14:00 to 15:00, the official opening of the Swiss–Latvian Smart Energy Digital Centre will take place at the Deep Tech Atelier 2026 conference at the Fantadroms conference centre (76 Gustava Zemgala Street, Riga). The Centre has been established to strengthen long-term collaboration between research, innovation companies, and industry in both Latvia and Switzerland.
The Digital Centre serves as a continuous collaboration platform, purposefully linking scientific expertise with industry needs to accelerate the transfer of research results into practical applications and the development of joint solutions in the field of smart energy and related technologies.
“The Swiss–Latvian Digital Centre is an action-oriented collaboration platform that helps research ideas find the right partners and pathways to practical implementation. It brings together the scientific expertise of Latvia and Switzerland with industry needs, fostering the development of joint initiatives in smart energy even beyond the completion of the LACISE project,” says Gints Kučinskis, leading researcher and head of the Energy Materials Laboratory of the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia, and coordinator of the LACISE project.
The Centre is part of the LACISE project, implemented within the Swiss–Latvian cooperation programme “Partnership in Applied Research.” Its flexible, virtual format lets researchers, companies, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders in both countries collaborate through thematic online seminars, expert discussions, partner matchmaking sessions, and industry-focused events.
A focus of the Digital Centre is also collaboration with startups, particularly those operating in the energy deep tech sector.
“The Digital Centre creates an environment where energy startups such as ProtiumTech, which develops innovative green hydrogen production technologies, can much more rapidly identify research and industry partners. This kind of structured international collaboration helps to focus on real-world applications and joint development projects,” says Allen Martini, CEO of ProtiumTech.
At a time of rapid geopolitical change and energy system transformation, the Digital Centre provides a practical contribution to strengthening Latvia’s innovation capacity and energy resilience, while deepening cooperation with Switzerland in a strategically important sector.
Participation in the event is free. Prior registration is required via the Deep Tech Atelier website:
More information about the Digital Centre.