Liene Briede, Acting Director of the Science and Innovation Center of Riga Technical University (RTU), has been confirmed as the first representative of Latvia in the Board of the European Innovation Council. The Council, set up this year, is Europe’s largest innovation initiative to boost research, innovation and start-ups to bring Europe a technological breakthrough.

The European Commission has appointed 20 leading researchers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, innovation ecosystems and innovation experts with expertise in Europe’s future innovations, including digital technologies, healthcare and green transformation, to the Board of the European Innovation Council (EIC). More information.

L. Briede is the only representative of Latvia in the newly established council, to which more than 430 specialists applied. The European Commission has assessed her ten years of experience in improving the Latvian and Baltic innovation ecosystem by implementing and improving various business development and support programs at RTU, such as pre-incubation, incubation and acceleration activities for students, researchers and start-ups. Under her leadership, the activities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) knowledge communities EIT Climate-KIC, EIT Food, and EIT RawMaterials have also been implemented in Latvia, increasing the innovation capacity in various sectors of the economy.

“Following the development of the innovation ecosystem in Latvia and Europe, I see the need to change the focus from technology-based processes to human resource development processes. Scientists and innovators create many technologies, but not all of them enter the market. An essential precondition for the commercialization of science-intensive solutions is the cooperation of specialists from different fields and levels, a unified motivation and value system, as well as a systemic approach to the implementation of support processes, »emphasizes L. Briede.

She said that the new board would review European innovation policy, evaluate the functioning of EIC instruments and, if necessary, propose new solutions that would ensure a more efficient exchange of knowledge and the development and implementation of innovative solutions. “Membership in the Board will ensure Latvia’s representation and more active involvement in the global innovation ecosystem. Latvia ranks one of the last places in the use of EIC tools. Participation in the board opens up an opportunity to become an “interpreter”, ie to explain the needs of Latvia and other small countries to European innovation policy makers, and the opportunities and benefits of EIC to members of the Latvian ecosystem, “L. Briede continues.

RTU has a developed innovation environment that offers knowledge, support in product development, as well as various tools for the development of ideas from the early stage to the global conquest. With the continuous improvement of this system, the RTU Science and Innovation Center has almost been established, which will promote both the involvement of students and academic staff in the transfer of knowledge and the creation of innovations, as well as cooperation with industry in the creation of high value-added products.

The European Commission announced the establishment of the council this spring. The EIC has a budget of more than ten billion euros for 2021-2027.

Riga Technical University (RTU) in partnership with the manufacturer of construction mixtures SIA “Sakret” has established a scientific laboratory for 3D concrete printing.
The laboratory will provide knowledge and infrastructure to students, researchers, start-ups and various construction-related industries.

Vaivare pointed out that 3D concrete printing is an innovative direction of scientific and technological development that is developing rapidly all over the world. Technology is sustainable, ensures the efficient use of human resources and materials, and offers the architectural and construction industries almost endless possibilities in terms of freedom of shape, size and structure. The 3D concrete printer was made by RTU scientists with the support of RTU Design Factory engineers.

The head of the scientific laboratory, the leading researcher of RTU Faculty of Civil Engineering, Māris ŠinkaŠinka, said that the laboratory was created to develop innovative ways for the production of concrete structures. He emphasized that currently there is no one in the Baltics who has the infrastructure and knowledge of all stages of 3D concrete printing – dry material production, printer, printer head and feed equipment, modeling and software, material properties and testing in fresh and hardened state, structural design, regulations and legislation.

The laboratory will be able to print concrete mass, develop prototypes for 3D printing of objects or structural details, research and test innovative materials, test printed objects. The research carried out in the laboratory could become the basis for the development of standards so that 3D technologies can be used for the construction of various buildings not only in Latvia, but also in Europe.

It is planned to become an open access science platform for printing 3D concrete and other building materials. It will be available to students and researchers, as well as to various companies and start-ups for the commercialization of knowledge.