On 22–23 October, Riga hosted Techritory 2025 – Northern Europe’s leading technology and innovation forum bringing together policymakers, entrepreneurs, and digital innovation experts to discuss the future of Europe’s digital transformation and sustainability. The Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development Raimonds Čudars and representatives of the Ministry participated in the forum, highlighting Latvia’s vision for secure digital identity and the responsible use of digital innovation in business and public administration.
Minister Raimonds Čudars stated:
“When technology is built on trust and knowledge, even the smallest country can become a creator of a great future. We are not only following the digital era – we are shaping it together by connecting people, ideas, and opportunities in a sustainable and inclusive Europe. Technology must serve society by ensuring efficient, inclusive, and secure public services.”
In his address, the Minister emphasised that digital technologies are the foundation of Europe’s resilience and competitiveness, helping to strengthen public trust, drive innovation, and ensure security. He underlined that Latvia continues to invest in digital skills development, promotes the responsible use of artificial intelligence, and advances quantum and language technologies, as well as contributes to the development of the EU Digital Identity Wallet, which will provide citizens across the European Union with secure and convenient access to digital services.
During the forum, Minister Čudars met with European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen, responsible for technology sovereignty, security, and democracy, to discuss digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence development priorities within the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework. The discussion highlighted the need for balanced digital investment across Europe, especially in the eastern border regions, and the importance of continued strategic investments in cybersecurity, connectivity, and 5G infrastructure.
The Minister expressed Latvia’s appreciation for the European Commission’s support for the “AI Factory Antenna – Latvia” project, which strengthens national capabilities in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The meeting also addressed Latvia’s participation in the Baltic AI Gigafactory initiative, promoting sustainable regional growth and reinforcing Europe’s digital sovereignty.
Representatives of the Ministry also took part in several discussions and seminars on digital transformation and sustainability.
Rinalds Celmiņš, Director of the Digital Policy Department at VARAM, participated in the discussion “Digitalization & Sustainability: Driving Tomorrow’s Competitiveness”, highlighting how digital solutions can serve as a driver of sustainable business growth and competitiveness when implemented responsibly and based on high-quality data. The discussion emphasised the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors to ensure that digital transformation benefits society as a whole.
Gatis Ozols, Deputy State Secretary for Digital Transformation, took part in the panel “Future of Identity – Why Yet Another Digital Identity?”, discussing the future of digital identity in Europe. The panel underscored that the EU Digital Identity Wallet will provide citizens with a secure and convenient way to manage and use their digital credentials across the European Union while ensuring privacy and data protection.
Santa Bileskalne, Project Manager at VARAM, participated in the seminar “From Obligation to Opportunity: How Sustainability Drives Competitive Advantage”, which focused on how companies can turn sustainability requirements into competitive advantages through the use of reliable data and digital solutions. The seminar also presented the ESG assessment tool (esgtool.eu), which helps evaluate a company’s impact on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects as part of sustainability reporting within the double materiality assessment framework.
🎥 Recordings of the forum discussions and the Minister’s opening speech are available on the Techritory YouTube channel.