The Baltic States at the Forefront of Innovation: Regional Technological Breakthroughs Showcased at the Eureka "Global Innovation Summit 2025"
On April 1–2, at the globally renowned "Hannover Messe" in Germany, special attention was given to the Baltic States. During this leading trade fair for technologies and innovation, the international Eureka network for science and business cooperation hosted the "Global Innovation Summit 2025" (GIS 2025), featuring a dedicated session on the Baltic region.
The event highlighted the Baltic countries with a panel discussion on how Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have been shaping their future through innovation. The discussion focused on regional collaboration, shared goals, and cross-border initiatives, strengthening Baltic and European cooperation in innovation, while taking into account SME-specific challenges and ways to overcome them.
The Baltic session was opened by Estonia’s Minister of Economy and Industry, Erkki Keldo. A panel discussion followed, featuring representatives from all three Baltic States:
- Tadas Tumėnas, Head of Office, Lithuanian RDI Liaison Office in Brussels,
- Aleksandrs M. Blūms, Counsellor, Science and Space Advisor at the Permanent Representation of Latvia to the EU,
- Siim Erik Akermann, Focus Area Manager and Team Lead, Enterprise Estonia.
The discussion focused on the key drivers behind the Baltic States' competitiveness in innovation. Among them: a dynamic business environment and open innovation ecosystems that foster rapid growth, experimentation, and the implementation of cutting-edge ideas.
Another highlighted strength was the leadership in technology testbeds, particularly in cybersecurity, biotechnology, fintech, and defense. The panel also emphasized the importance of strong cross-sectoral collaboration, where the public sector, academia, and business work as a united force for innovation.
Human capital was also acknowledged as a vital factor. The people of the Baltic States were described as creative, hardworking, and capable of generating breakthrough ideas and delivering results on an international scale.
During the event, several leading companies from the Baltic region were presented as potential partners for international collaboration, including Lithuanian and Estonian enterprises that have successfully implemented projects under the Eureka network and the Eurostars programme.
The session concluded with a keynote speech by Darius Lasionis, President of the Engineering and Technology Industries Association of Lithuania (LINPRA), who presented the achievements and ongoing challenges of Lithuania’s engineering and technology sector.
Last updated: 09-04-2025
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