On 9 October, Rēzekne will host the StartUP Festival, continuing an initiative launched in Daugavpils in 2025 to develop the start-up ecosystem in Latgale. The event will bring together start-up founders, investors, and representatives of universities and support organisations from Latgale and across Latvia. Last year’s strong attendance and positive feedback demonstrated significant interest in start-ups and innovation beyond Riga. This year, the initiative continues in Rēzekne, creating new opportunities for sharing knowledge, experience and contacts across the region.
“From its very first day, a start-up can aim beyond the boundaries of its home city and local market. Its growth depends on the quality of the idea, the founders’ expertise, and their ability to secure funding, find partners and reach customers. LIAA’s task is to help promising ideas originating in Latgale develop into viable businesses and enter export markets. The StartUP Festival in Rēzekne is a practical part of this work,” emphasises Ieva Jāgere, Director of LIAA.
The festival programme will focus on practical issues faced by start-up founders, including how to secure initial investment in the United States, use artificial intelligence to build a business, understand the criteria investors apply when selecting start-ups, and access support and funding instruments available to entrepreneurs in Latvia and Europe.
The programme will also examine the role of universities in business development and fundraising, intellectual property in academia, and the path from an academic programme to founding a start-up. Participants can look forward to founders’ experience stories, start-up pitches and an interactive discussion entitled “What Would You Do in the Founder’s Place?” At the conclusion of the festival, theLAB Rēzekne will open its doors at RTU Rēzekne Academy, providing a new space where ideas can be transformed into prototypes and where people can experiment, create and develop innovations.
“Many of the activities within Latvia’s start-up ecosystem remain concentrated in Riga, but talent, ideas and entrepreneurial ambition can be found throughout Latvia. We see considerable potential in Latgale, and our goal is to create more opportunities for local people to meet like-minded individuals, build valuable contacts, gain experience and gradually develop a stronger start-up community,” says Annija Mežgaile, CEO of TechChill.
In addition to the festival’s main programme, entrepreneur Ernests Štāls will lead a pitching workshop in which participants will learn how to present their ideas clearly and convincingly, structure the narrative of a presentation and avoid common mistakes. The workshop will also examine what investors look for when assessing start-up pitches. Several selected Latgale start-ups taking part in the workshop will have an opportunity to present their ideas on the festival stage.
The festival will take place on 9 October from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at RTU Rēzekne Academy.
The event is organised by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) in cooperation with RTU Rēzekne Academy.
