From April 29th to May 17th, the application period is open for participation in the incubation program at 20 Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) regional representations, as well as in Creative Industries and Technology representations in Riga.
"By participating in the incubation program, companies will have the opportunity to receive both grants and other types of support to develop their business ideas. In this program, we focus on supporting companies working in innovative, technologically intensive, or creative industries that objectively need more time to advance their products or services in export markets," emphasizes Iveta Strupkāja, acting director of LIAA, adding that a total of 32.7 million euros in support is available by mid-2027.
Companies registered in Latvia that are up to 5 years old, working with technologies, developing innovative products or services, as well as commercial entities in the creative industries sector with a developed product or service at least at a minimum viable level, can apply for incubation support.
Applications for the LIAA incubation program are made according to the administrative territorial division or regional principle. Entrepreneurs from all over Latvia can apply for the program in the Creative Industries representation if they belong to the creative industries sector, while in the Technology representation, only entrepreneurs from Riga can apply.
LIAA's regional representations are located in Jūrmala, Tukums, Valmiera, Cēsis, Smiltene, Madona, Gulbene, Alūksne, Sigulda, Liepāja, Saldus, Ventspils, Kuldīga, Talsi, Jelgava, Bauska, Ogre, Jēkabpils, Rēzekne, and Daugavpils.
It is planned that each representation will admit 2 to 10 companies into the incubation program, with admissions occurring twice a year, in spring and autumn.
Detailed conditions of the program and applications for participation can be accessed on the platform https://business.gov.lv. Application forms will be active throughout the admission period.
The new call will continue the LIAA regional business incubator project, under which, from 2016 to 2023, 685 merchants received grant support. Various types of non-financial support were provided to 1,044 newly established merchants, creating 2,568 new jobs. In the creative industries sector, 92 companies were supported. Additionally, 3,173 individuals and merchants received non-financial support in the pre-incubation program.
The funding spent in the previous planning period was 35.2 million euros, while the taxes paid to the State Treasury by the companies involved in the program amounted to 47.1 million euros.
The operation of the LIAA regional representations is financed with ERDF co-funding.
