Latvia Raises Public Co-Financing for Research-Based Startups to 80%

Latvia has significantly eased access to its support programme for research-based startups, increasing public co-financing from 50% to 80% and widening eligibility to technologies that have reached TRL 8.

The revised rules also allow Latvian branches of foreign companies to apply. Companies can work not only with Latvian research institutions but also with registered research organisations elsewhere in the EU, EEA and Switzerland.

The private-financing threshold has been reduced to €10,000 and now applies only to companies that have already reached TRL 8. Advance payments can cover up to 50% of total project financing, while laboratory rent and utility costs of up to €5,000 per month have become eligible expenses.

The changes effectively lower the financial barrier between research and commercialisation while making the programme more accessible to companies entering Latvia from abroad.

The amendments entered into force during the summer; LIAA published its detailed explanation on 21 September.

Source: Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).