A Latvian business trade mission organised by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) has begun in the United States. Running alongside Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs’s working visit until 27 September, the mission covers New York, Los Angeles and San Diego. Its four sector programmes bring together representatives of start-ups, the film industry, defence and dual-use technology companies, and biomedical and pharmaceutical businesses.
“The United States is Latvia’s strategic partner and trusted ally, and this September marks 35 years since the restoration of diplomatic relations. Successful cooperation with US partners, including those in California, demonstrates the international competitiveness of Latvian companies. The delegation includes representatives of the defence and dual-use sectors, biomedicine, start-ups and the film industry. I hope this visit will help Latvian businesses establish valuable contacts in the United States and, in turn, support Latvia’s economic growth,” said President Edgars Rinkēvičs.
The first business meetings are taking place in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday, 23 September. Over the following days, Latvian entrepreneurs will meet major US companies, investors, universities and technology transfer centres to pursue export deals, joint technology projects and investment partnerships.
“Trade between Latvia and the United States reached €1.63 billion in 2025, up 13% year on year. This is more than a strong statistical result: it is a foundation for much greater ambition. We need Latvian companies to enter US supply chains, become partners in joint product development, and attract US capital to new projects in Latvia. The United States is a strategically important economic and security partner for Latvia, and the President’s visit lends additional weight to these economic discussions. The goal is clear: new projects, orders and investment,” said Raivis Bremšmits, State Secretary at Latvia’s Ministry of Economics.
Three cities and four sector programmes
In New York, representatives of Latvia’s start-up ecosystem will meet US investors and representatives of ServiceNow, a global developer of enterprise AI and digital workflow platforms. Latvian start-ups will present their solutions at the “Pitch to a President” event, receiving feedback from US investors on their prospects in the market.
In Los Angeles, the film industry programme will begin with a meeting at Paramount. Separate programmes for Latvian defence and dual-use technology, biomedical and pharmaceutical companies are also scheduled in the city over the following days.
“Three cities, four sector programmes and dozens of carefully prepared meetings within just a few days make this one of LIAA’s largest and most complex trade missions. Its pace and scale match the ambitions of Latvian companies in the United States. Last year, Latvia’s services exports to the US rose by 10% to €510 million, with information and communications technology services accounting for more than 40% of the total. Latvian companies have the expertise and technology to sit at the same table as global leaders as equal partners. We will judge the mission’s results by the deals, joint technology projects and investments that follow these discussions,” said LIAA Director Ieva Jāgere.
Latvian delegation includes 44 companies and organisations
The trade mission includes 44 Latvian companies and organisations.
The defence and dual-use technology programme includes Aumeux, SAF North America, Origin Robotics, Raw-tech, SIA Ardlat, Perkons Energy, LMT, LMT Defence, VIC TEC and LAT Security, as well as the Latgale Special Economic Zone, the Latvian Exporters’ Association “The Red Jackets”, the Federation of Security and Defence Industries of Latvia, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the University of Latvia and Riga Technical University.
The biomedical and pharmaceutical programme includes the National Research and Innovation Institute (NIRI), Double Helix Technologies, Rīga Stradiņš University, Riga East University Hospital, Daugavpils University and the University of Latvia.
The film industry programme includes Nafta Films, RED DOT MEDIA, Mistrus Media, Trickster Pictures, Baltic Pine Films, CINEVILLA FILMS, Ierakstu Māja and the Latvian Film Service Producers Association.
BDO Latvia and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are also part of the trade mission delegation. The start-up programme includes BirdyChat, Monetizr, Engycell, Submerge, Spotwise, Supliful, Tournated, Capture Study, HoneyB AI, Cellbox and Crowdable.
Los Angeles: From film studios to autonomous defence systems
On 24 September, film industry participants are scheduled to visit the Warner Bros. and HBO studios and meet representatives of Disney and Netflix. Discussions will focus on Latvia’s capabilities in film production, post-production and animation, as well as opportunities for international co-productions.
Defence and dual-use technology companies will take part in a roundtable with representatives of Southern California’s defence industry and visit Anduril, a US defence technology company developing autonomous systems and AI-based solutions. Discussions will focus on using Latvian technology in joint solutions, developing new products and bringing Latvian companies into US supply chains.
Biomedical and pharmaceutical representatives will meet economic development and life sciences organisations in Los Angeles County. They will also visit the Technology Development Group at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Office of Technology Transfer and Corporate Partnerships at the California Institute of Technology. Discussions with researchers and technology transfer specialists will cover the commercialisation of research, joint product development and cooperation between Latvian companies and US universities.
The day will conclude with a business event hosted by the US Ambassador to Latvia at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, bringing together the Latvian delegation and representatives of the US business community.
San Diego: Semiconductors, unmanned systems and genomics
On 25 September, the defence and dual-use technology programme will continue in San Diego, a major US centre for defence, aviation and unmanned systems technology.
Latvian companies are scheduled to meet Shield AI, a developer of autonomous aircraft and AI pilot technology, and Kratos, a national security technology company active in unmanned systems, space, hypersonics and missile propulsion. Meetings are also planned with Qualcomm, a global communications, connectivity and semiconductor company; public safety technology company Axon; and Starling Systems.
Representatives of SAF Tehnika and Riga Technical University will meet senior executives at Analog Devices. The global semiconductor company has more than 100,000 customers and reported revenue of $11 billion in its 2025 fiscal year.
“SAF Tehnika regularly takes part in LIAA trade missions to the United States because they allow us to meet senior executives at partner and customer companies and strengthen our reputation with them. For example, during this September’s mission to California, we and Riga Technical University will meet the senior management of a major US semiconductor manufacturer. Opportunities like those offered by LIAA produce results only when a company has done its homework and can say precisely whom it wants to meet and what it hopes to achieve. If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do,” said Jānis Bergs, Member of the Board and Vice President of Sales and Marketing at SAF Tehnika.
In San Diego, biomedical and pharmaceutical companies will meet Thermo Fisher Scientific, one of the world’s largest suppliers of laboratory, life sciences and pharmaceutical technologies, with annual revenue exceeding $45 billion. Meetings are also planned with Illumina, a leading developer of genomics and DNA sequencing technologies, and DNA sequencing technology company Element Biosciences.
The Latvian delegation will also visit the Technology Transfer Office at San Diego State University and the Office of Innovation and Commercialization at the University of California, San Diego, to discuss research cooperation, technology transfer and bringing new biomedical products to market.
LIAA organises participation in overseas trade missions under the EU co-financed Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), supported by the European Regional Development Fund and national funding. Companies may participate either on a paid basis or with support to cover eligible costs.
