On August 29th at Startup House Riga, the Latvian startup ecosystem came together for a vibrant celebration - Startup Day, a two-part event organized by the Latvian Startup Association (Startin.LV) and Startup House Riga. The event kicked off with the insightful Startup Community Forum, followed by a lively Startup BBQ in the evening. The day offered a dynamic platform for the local startup community to connect, learn, and celebrate.
Startup Community Forum Equips Startups for Success:
The highly anticipated Startup Community Forum at Startup House Riga. One of the critical events for local startups, it gathered around 100 participants and 35 esteemed speakers from various institutions and companies, representing a diverse range of expertise. This event was organized by the Latvian Startup Association, Startin.LV and powered by the Ministry of Economics and the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency.
The forum was designed as a one-stop destination for startups to access a comprehensive range of opportunities, support, and resources, neatly packaged into a four-hour program. The event featured vital community announcements and insights on public and private funding, support tools, education, incubation and acceleration programs, and upcoming competitions and events.
The forum’s program was divided into four key blocks, starting with Government Support for Startups, where representatives like the LIAA and Riga City Council shared initiatives to boost the local ecosystem. The Incubator and Accelerator Support block featured insights from funds like BuildIt VC and BADideas.fund on resources for early-stage startups. Riga TechGirls and TechChill guided scaling and investment in the Growth Partners segment. The final block, Academic Sector Support, highlighted contributions from institutions like RTU SIC and the newly opened Start School, emphasizing the role of education and research in fostering innovation.
For those who couldn’t attend, the event recording will be available shortly via www.startin.lv, ensuring everyone can access the valuable insights shared at the forum.
Startup BBQ : Celebrates Community Spirit:
As evening fell, the Startup Day: BBQ transformed the Startup House courtyard into a lively social hub. Nearly 500 attendees from the startup community gathered for an evening of networking, fun, and entertainment. The event featured a surprise musical performance by Reperis Abra, while a variety of games and activities hosted by fellow community members kept the energy high. These activities were organized by dedicated partners, including Printify, TechChill, Riga TechGirls, and more (see full list below).
Support from Riga Dome and sponsors like Valmiermuiža Brewery, Kokmuiža beer, Moonbar Catering, and Mežpils Brewery further contributed to the success of this celebratory event.
Startup Day : BBQ also marked significant milestones for Startup House Riga. The event served as a platform to announce the appointment of Kristians Jenčiuss as the new CEO and the securing of funding from the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency (RITA) through their Startup Houses Support Program. This will enable Startup House Riga to further support startups and foster innovation in Latvia.
Startup Day exemplifies Riga's thriving startup ecosystem. By fostering connections, providing resources, and celebrating accomplishments, the event empowers the local community to reach new heights.
Community partners: Printify, TechChill, Riga TechGirls, Gravity Team, CostPocket, Edurio, Orbit8, StartSchool, Toolio, ConverShake, Hackmotion, Latvian Blockchain Association, TRAFOLO, Novatore, Fiedler Capital, Vendep Capital, and Verge HealthTech Fund.
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