Economic transformation requires innovative and knowledge-intensive companies that increase the productivity and competitiveness of the Latvian economy. For such companies to emerge and survive, Latvia's scientific potential and inventions must be used more effectively, transformed them into business ideas and transferred to the economy.
The path of knowledge transfer from universities and research centres to companies and the private sector is risky and fraught with challenges. Therefore, it requires not only concerted action by all those involved, but also a targeted and systematic innovation policy.
We have several success stories of innovative and exporting companies. However, Latvia's generally low innovation performance in international comparison shows that it is the exception rather than the rule.
At the conference on Latvia's economic transformation, the President of Latvia will be joined by Kaspars Rožkalns, Director General of LIAA, Andris Anspoks, Head of the Institute of Solid State Physics at the University of Latvia, Lauma Muižniece, Director of the Latvian Science Council, Māris Būmanis, Head of the Development and Research Sector of Latvijas Finieris, Member of the Board, Žaneta Vegnere, Deputy Chief of Staff to Valdis Dombrovskis, Executive Vice-President and Trade Commissioner of the European Commission, Egita Aizsilniece-Ibema, Head of the Innovation and Technology Representation of LIAA in Brussels, Juris Binde, President and Chairman of the Board of LMT, Aigars Jirgensons, Deputy Director for science programmes of the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Ilze Indriksone, Minister of Economy, Anda Čakša, Minister of Education and Science, Agrita Kiopa, RSU Vice-Rector for Science, and Tālis Juhna, Rector of RTU.
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