© Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis

Smart materials, technologies, and engineering systems

Smart materials are the basis for most smart sectors – from biomedicine to smart cities. With 100+ years of experience in engineering and manufacturing, as well as deep-rooted collaboration between academia, industry, and government, Latvia has become an established science hub for smart materials. But our ambitions are even bigger – we want to become the Silicon Valley of the North.

#1

fiber optic products provider in the world

117M

EUR worth of smart material products and solutions exported in 2021

40+

research organizations and SMEs involved in photonics R&D

Experienced global market leaders - this is where our know-how comes from

  • 50+ years of experience in developing unique thin-film technologies. Global supplier of flexible solutions for vacuum deposition equipment and scaling coating technologies. Long-term partner of NASA.

  • World’s leading optical fiber production lab with 40 years of experience. The company provides about 70% of all the fiber optic instruments used in urology.

  • Over 20 years in the market. HansaMatrix develops and manufactures electronic systems for transportation, telecommunications, energy management systems, IoT, medicine, and defense technologies. Partner of Facebook, Apple, VW, Boeing, & more.

  • 19 years of experience developing and manufacturing anti-reflective and other high-performance coatings on glass and acrylic. Partners of the Louvre Museum in Paris, Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, and many others.

  • A liquid crystal product development company with its own research, industrialization, and manufacturing facility. Inventors of the world’s fastest optical shutter technology. 10+ years of experience in the field.

Next generation of engineering talents

With years of firsthand experience under our belt, we’re now focusing on passing on the know-how to future generations.

Latvia’s universities offer numerous study programs in engineering and natural sciences. Riga Photonics Center offers a mentoring program for students to pair them with already retired researchers. After graduating, new specialists have nearly guaranteed job opportunities to further gain hands-on experience in their fields.

7th

in the world in the number of students entering STEM bachelor programs

37%

of graduates are from engineering and natural sciences programs

3

DeepTech-focused startup accelerators in Riga

Startups you should know:

  • ALINA – uses innovative production technology to replace toxic chemicals and heavy metals normally used in building materials
  • Lightspace Technologies – photonics and optical solutions company developing AR headsets with superior 3D image quality.
  • Crystals Growing has developed the latest modification of the growth method for a wide range of perfect (ideal) single crystals with new properties.