Teachers, university representatives, entrepreneurs and local government leaders are invited to take a fresh look at future innovation in the bioeconomy, science and education at the conference “The Path of Innovation: Knowledge – Transformation – Breakthrough”, to be held in Valmiera on 9 April. The conference is organised by the association Latvijas Koks in cooperation with Vidzemes Augstskola.
“Together with our partners, we are organising this cycle of themed conferences in Valmiera for the third year running, and we are genuinely proud of it. This year we have chosen innovation as the central theme – ‘The Path of Innovation: Knowledge – Transformation – Breakthrough’ is a conference about how people and education become the main driving force behind innovation in the bioeconomy,” emphasises Sigita Alksne, board member of the association Latvijas Koks. “Latvia must be able to make effective use of the resources available to us – land, knowledge and people.”
More information and registration: https://latforin.lv/lv/asociacija-latvijas-koks-konference-2026
Three parts – from knowledge to breakthrough
The conference programme is built around three blocks – KNOWLEDGE, TRANSFORMATION and BREAKTHROUGH – which reflect the full innovation cycle: from ideas and a change in thinking through to practical implementation and a vision of the future.
● Part I, “Knowledge”, will shed light on how education, research and entrepreneurial thinking create the foundation for innovation in the bioeconomy. Iveta Putniņa, Vice-Rector for Development at Vidzemes Augstskola, will talk about the university's cooperation platforms with various target audiences and their role in creating innovation. Jānis Baiks, Chair of Valmiera Municipality Council, will discuss local government as a driver of innovation in business, working in close synergy with the university.
Next up, Teacher 2050, the STEM factory and innovation at different scales – these will be some of the key themes in the first part of the day. Linda Liepiņa, who conceived and established the STEM education centre in Latvia, will outline the educational processes of the future, while Jānis Urtāns, Head of Education Initiatives at LMT, will share examples of cooperation between technology and education in STEM fields. Innovation strategist Līva Pērkone, meanwhile, will help define what innovation means today – from “small improvements” to global solutions.
● Part II, “Transformation”, turns to the practical implementation of change in organisations, education and companies. Historian Gatis Krūmiņš will give an insight into the history of innovation and into how the notion of innovation has changed over time. Jānis Ciems, Chairman of the Board of AS Latvijas Finieris, will discuss how approaches to innovation differ in large and small companies, while Juris Griķis, head of Marks M and the creator of several brands, will share his experience of building high value-added products and brands. Guna Joma, Chair of the Board of the AUGT Foundation, will present innovative education activities in the Baltics, including the initiative “Lietkoku Čemodāns”.
● Part III, “Breakthrough”, will look ahead to the coming decades – to technologies, resources and the place of the timber industry in the bioeconomy of the future. Gundars Skudriņš of the Institute for Environmental Solutions will introduce current and future solutions in the field of remote sensing, while Artis Kromanis, R&D and patent engineer at Kronospan Riga, will analyse the importance of the circular principle in the economy of the future. Gundars Kuļikovskis, Chairman of the Board of Zippy Vision, will offer a structured, futuristic view of developments in artificial intelligence, automation and robotics and their impact on value creation.
Practical workshops: from 3D glasses to the LEAN approach
In the middle section of the conference, participants will be able to take part in parallel working sessions where innovation is experienced hands-on. Roboskola will demonstrate how 3D virtual reality solutions make it possible to bring the physically unreachable into the classroom, the office or the company – a chance to try out the learning environment of the future in practice.
In the workshop led by Vidzemes Augstskola, a brainstorming session will define topics that young people can explore in depth at the Innovation Co-creation Laboratory, building a bridge between studies, research and industry.
In the LEAN session, Baiba Drēgere-Vaivode, Head of Operational Excellence at Rimi Baltic Group, will introduce various LEAN methods that help improve efficiency in any organisation – from a production plant to an educational institution.
“The aim of the conference is to give people the chance not only to learn what innovations are available, but also to try them out in practice. To test virtual reality solutions, rethink processes through the LEAN prism and jointly generate ideas for new research topics,” emphasises Sigita Alksne. “We want participants to leave with concrete ideas to take back to their school, university or company.”
The bioeconomy as an opportunity for a Latvian breakthrough
The conference will set out a futuristic yet realistic vision of the wood products, technologies and wood chemistry that will shape the bioeconomy of the coming decades. It also poses critical questions: why, despite a strong industry base, does the pace of innovation often stagnate, and what needs to be done to unlock the potential of Latvia's bioeconomy in education, research, everyday business practice and policymaking.
“The forest sector can continue to be the backbone of Latvia's economy and a pillar of national prosperity, provided we are able to connect people, technology and knowledge in a single innovation ecosystem,” says Sigita Alksne. “This conference is a call to think more boldly, act more quickly and cooperate more closely.”
The conference “The Path of Innovation: Knowledge – Transformation – Breakthrough” will take place on 9 April at Vidzemes Augstskola, Cēsu iela 4, Valmiera, from 10.00 to 16.00.
More information and registration: https://latforin.lv/lv/asociacija-latvijas-koks-konference-2026
The conference is organised by the association Latvijas Koks together with Vidzemes Augstskola. Financial support is provided by Latvijas Finieris; information partners: the Latvian Forest Industry Federation, the Employers' Confederation of Latvia, Valmiera Municipality.
