Vidzeme Open Innovation Hub (VAIC) was founded on April 23, 2024, to establish cooperation between Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences and the Vidzeme Planning Region with aim to develop the knowledge and innovation ecosystem of the Vidzeme region. Vidzeme Open Innovation Hub tasks are:
- Develop a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing among stakeholders;
- To increase the competences and understanding of stakeholders about innovation and knowledge processes;
- Promote the rationalization of innovation and knowledge policies;
- Strengthen the role of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in the regional and international knowledge and innovation ecosystem, while positioning Vidzeme's innovative capacity internationally.
Vidzeme Open Innovation Hub activities are:
- Innovation Co-Creation laboratory: an annual event to strengthen collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs and students with the aim of creating innovations for new products, services, processes or technologies;
- Express training for young people: an event to promote entrepreneurial mindset and develop cooperation skills in solving challenges relevant to the region;
- E³UDRES² Bootcamp: international 5-day event where E³UDRES² University students come together to find solutions to various challenges thus developing intercultural communication skills and promoting the exchange of experiences.
We are a co-organizer of many other events such as: Business Laboratory, Youth Forum, Bioeconomy Forum, Teachers' Conference, etc.
We are involved in: the Knowledge-intensive Bioeconomy Ecosystem Steering Group, the State Chancellery Innovation Expert Network, the E³UDRES² University Cooperation Network, the Smart Specialization Plant-Based Food Innovation Platform Cooperation Group, the BSSSC Innovation Transfer Working Group, and in the Biorefinery Memorandum Cooperation.
Team
The Innovation Co-Creation laboratory (ICL) is an activity implemented by the Vidzeme Open Innovation Hub and is a professionally managed cooperation between researchers, entrepreneurs and students with the aim to create new ideas for products, services, processes or technologies.
Benefits for entrepreneurs:
- concepts of solutions or ready-made solutions for an identified problem;
- the opportunity to look at the activities of your company from different perspectives;
- new contacts for further cooperation with other entrepreneurs, researchers and students.
Benefits for researchers:
- more in-depth understanding of the problems of various areas of the national economy and their influencing factors;
- deeper understanding of the importance, necessity and practical applicability of research direction;
- the opportunity to strengthen the value of your current research work in the eyes of potential cooperation partners;
Benefits for students:
- practical experience of how to solve business challenges together with researchers and entrepreneurs;
- expanded contact window in both scientific and business environment;
- the opportunity to use and test your knowledge in a new context and format.
Event in 2024: November 1 online, November 8 and 15 in at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences
Participants: around 60
Challenges: 11
Number of teams: 6 (each team consists of a student, a researcher and an entrepreneur)
Students: 14, including 5 doctoral students
Researchers: 12, from six different research institutions in Latvia
Companies: 9, total of 19 representatives
Business and innovation support institutions: 5 representatives
Challenge Bank is a platform that:
- Accumulates and collects creative, innovative and socially significant needs, ideas and challenges of companies and society, which are used in Innovation Co-Creation Laboratories, Business Laboratories, Hackathons, Study works, etc.;
- Strengthens cooperation between the university, industry and society as a whole;
- Encourages students to work on meaningful projects and research;
- Strengthens the research capacity of Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, promoting the connection with issues important to the region, industry and the whole society.
You can register, view submitted challenges or submit a challenge here: Ideju Banka
