On Friday, September 9, two organizations of the Latvian innovation ecosystem - Latvian Startup Association “Startin.LV” and TechHub Riga community are organizing the “Startup Day + Startup BBQ” event. The activities will last all day, and anyone interested will be able to learn more about the startup ecosystem and its current opportunities, as well as network with the industry's leading experts. The event is free and held in English.
Startup Day
“Startup Day”, organized by “Startin.LV” and supported by Riga City Council, is an annual gathering that brings together startup representatives, policy makers, influencers, investors, and other ecosystem participants to discuss the current challenges, gain a platform to ask uncomfortable but important questions, and meet like-minded people to talk about future growth priorities. “Startup Day” program will last from 9 AM - 6PM, with a snack break thanks to Buildit and Jeff App.
The opening of Startup Day at 9:30 AM will be followed by a speech of the CEO of Startin.LV, Olga Barreto Goncalves, in which the startup industry expert will lay the foundation for the whole day's talks by highlighting the current situation in the Latvian startup ecosystem, as well as make important announcements.
“Due to the pandemic, last year's Startup Day was very limited as an opportunity for everyone to come together, talk about accomplishments, analyze what hasn’t been working, and figure out the next steps of development. This year, we are returning to the Startup Day tradition in full force – as an important event where the entire community has a platform and an opportunity to find their voice,” says Olga Barreto Goncalves.
Following that will be two in-depth panel discussions - "Riga of Today vs Riga of Tomorrow" and "VC Investment Outlook: Snakes or Ladders?". Representatives from the Riga City Council, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), and the innovation movement VEFRESH will participate in the first talk, discussing a range of topics about the growing Riga startup community, and what would be necessary for its further strengthening and development. In the second panel, representatives from the state development finance institution ALTUM, the angel investor syndicate BADideas.fund¸ accelerator Buildit Latvia and the Latvian Business Angel Network LatBAN will discuss the always relevant investment area – focusing on the most important things that startup founders should know about the investment environment in the tumultuous year of 2022 and the near future.
Wrapping up the morning session, there will be an opportunity to learn more about one of the biggest recent events in the ecosystem – Nordigen exit story (as July of this year it was sold to GoCardless, the global leader in direct bank payments).
After lunch, there will be a series of short but diverse discussions and announcements from representatives of the Latvian startup ecosystem – universities, state institutions, non-governmental organizations, several hubs of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, as well as startups themselves. There will be an opportunity to learn both how to get started - in the Innovation Academy discussion "Idea to Startup: First steps", and how hard it is – in the Buildit discussion "Why you shouldn't become an entrepreneur". The full program can be viewed here.
“Startup community in Riga is the future of our city. Ambitious people who think globally and have a vision. I am glad that we can support Startup Day, fostering new ideas which hopefully will become an important part of the city's economy in the next decade,” comments Fredis Bikovs, Managing Director of Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.
Startup BBQ
In the evening, all participants and guests are invited to Spīķeri, the backyard of the startup Printify for the Startup BBQ networking event, which will begin at 6:00 p.m. Startup BBQ is organized by TechHub Riga and supported by the Riga City Council and the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA), so the end of the evening will be spent in an entertaining and informal atmosphere, enjoying burgers from TechHub Riga and drinks provided by ecosystem friends Lokalise, Jeff App, and Techchill. Along with the zestful rhythms of music performed by DJ Kārlis Ķilkuts, there will be speeches by representatives of the ecosystem and Drunk Pitches, which has become our yearly tradition.
In addition, the LIAA stand will also be located at the venue, where you will have the opportunity to get acquainted, meet the employees of the LIAA Start-up Department, receive advice, and learn more about the support provided to startups. It will also be possible to participate in various activities at the LIAA stand and familiarize yourself with the programs and support mechanisms offered by the LIAA. Traditionally, the event's purpose is to promote awareness, communication, and understanding for the startup ecosystem members about available forms of support, as well as to gather representatives of startup companies, industry experts, and other enthusiasts.
At the Startup BBQ, we will hear a speech by Nikita Kazakēvičs, director of LIAA's Innovation and Technology Department, about current affairs in the industry. During the event at the LIAA stand, it will be possible to network and establish new contacts. In addition to networking, visitors can participate in activities organized by Printify, Httpool, and the Gravity team.
For in-person attendance, register for the event here – https://ej.uz/ycgk. Due to high demand, the event will be streamed live on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/2tCv3Eu8J.
Startup Day + Startup BBQ is supported by the Riga City Council - the 2022 Startup Ecosystem Support Program of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.
About Startin.LV:
Latvian Startup Association “Startin.LV” NGO (https://startin.lv/) was established in 2016 as a grassroots movement aiming to develop the Latvian startup ecosystem and promote the startup movement, as well as facilitate mutual understanding and respect within the startup environment.
To date, Startin.LV has grown into one of the leading ecosystem coordinator bodies in Latvia with more than 100 members uniting startups and ecosystem players under the shared goals of cooperation, innovation, and economic growth.
One of the most significant achievements of the Startin.LV was the introduction of the Startup Law that came into force in Latvia in 2017. Subsequently, the association proposed numerous amendments that made it more effective. Startin.LV helped to develop regulations on stock options that give startups more opportunities to compete for the best talent in the market. The association also maintains the Latvian startup database.
Contact information: Eduards Ritums, eduards@startin.lv, +371 29360122
About TechHub Riga:
TechHub Riga is a startup based community known for sharing knowledge and offering a platform for innovative entrepreneurship. Through various programs and events, we're reinforcing the existing tech ecosystem and building the next generation of founders. More information about the operation of "TechHub Riga": https://www.techhubriga.org.
Contact information: Santa Zarāne, santa.zarane@techhub.com. +371 29780399
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