A trade mission of Latvian entrepreneurs, organized by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA), has begun in the United States (U.S.). It will take place during President Edgars Rinkēvičs’ working visit to the U.S. and will run through September 27. The mission’s itinerary includes New York, Los Angeles, and San Diego, bringing together representatives from startups, the film industry, defense and dual-use technologies, as well as biomedical and pharmaceutical companies across four sector-specific tracks.
“The U.S. is Latvia’s strategic partner and a trusted ally, and this September marks the 35th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations. The ability to successfully collaborate with U.S. partners, including those in California, demonstrates the international competitiveness of Latvian companies. The delegation includes representatives from the defense and dual-use sectors, the biomedical sector, startups, and the film industry. I hope that this visit will inspire Latvian entrepreneurs to establish valuable contacts in the U.S., thereby promoting Latvia’s economic growth,” said President Edgars Rinkēvičs.
The first business meetings will take place on Wednesday, September 23, in New York and Los Angeles. In the coming days, Latvian entrepreneurs will meet with global U.S. companies, investors, universities, and technology transfer centers to establish new export deals, joint technology projects, and investment partnerships.
“Trade turnover between Latvia and the U.S. reached 1.63 billion euros in 2025, growing by 13% over the course of the year. This is not just a positive statistical indicator—it is the foundation for a much higher ambition. We must ensure that Latvian companies integrate into U.S. supply chains, become partners in joint product development, and that U.S. capital flows into new projects in Latvia. The U.S. is a strategically important economic and security partner for Latvia, and the President’s visit lends additional weight to the economic talks. The goal is clear: new projects, orders, and investments,” emphasizes Raivis Bremšmits, State Secretary of the Ministry of Economics.
Three Cities and Four Industry-Specific Itineraries
In New York, representatives of Latvia’s startup ecosystem will meet with U.S. investors and representatives of “ServiceNow,” a global developer of artificial intelligence and digital workflow platforms. Latvian startups will present their solutions at the “Pitch to a President” event, receiving feedback and recommendations from U.S. investors for further development in this market.
In Los Angeles, the program for film industry companies will begin with a meeting at Paramount. In the coming days, separate programs in Los Angeles are also planned for Latvian defense and dual-use technology, biomedical, and pharmaceutical companies.
“Three cities, four industry-specific itineraries, and dozens of carefully arranged meetings over the course of a few days—this is one of the most ambitious and logistically complex trade missions organized by the LIAA. This pace and scale reflect the ambitions of Latvian companies in the U.S. Last year, Latvia’s exports of services to the U.S. grew by 10% and reached 510 million euros, with information and communication technology services accounting for more than 40% of that total. Latvian companies have the knowledge and technology to sit at the same table with global leaders as equal partners. “We will evaluate the mission’s results based on the deals, joint technology projects, and investments that follow these discussions,” notes LIAA Director Ieva Jāgere.
The Latvian delegation consists of 44 companies and organizations
Forty-four Latvian companies and organizations are participating in the trade mission. Defense and dual-use technology programs are represented by “Aumeux,” “SAF North America,” “Origin Robotics,” “Raw-tech,” SIA “Ardlat,” “Perkons Energy,” LMT, “LMT Defense,” “VIC TEC,” and “LAT Security,” as well as the Latgale Special Economic Zone, the Latvian Exporters Association “The Red Jackets,” the Latvian Security and Defense Industry Federation, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the University of Latvia, and Riga Technical University. Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Program – National Research and Innovation Institute (NIRI), “Double Helix Technologies,” Riga Stradiņš University, Riga East University Hospital, Daugavpils University, and the University of Latvia. Participants in the film industry program include “Nafta Films,” “RED DOT MEDIA,” “Mistrus Media,” “Trickster Pictures,” “Baltic Pine Films,” “CINEVILLA FILMS,” “Ierakstu Māja,” and the Latvian Film Services Producers Association. The trade mission delegation also includes “BDO Latvia” as well as representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, the startup program features “BirdyChat,” “Monetizr,” “Engycell,” “Submerge,” “Spotwise,” “Supliful,” “Tournated,” “Capture Study,” “HoneyB AI,” “Cellbox,” and “Crowdable.”
Los Angeles – From Film Studios to Autonomous Defense Systems
On September 24, participants in the film industry program are scheduled to visit the Warner Bros. and HBO studios, as well as meet with representatives from Disney and Netflix. Discussions will focus on Latvia’s capabilities in film production, post-production, animation, and international co-productions.
Defense and dual-use technology companies will participate in a roundtable discussion with representatives of the Southern California defense industry and visit “Anduril” —a U.S. defense technology company that develops autonomous systems and artificial intelligence-based solutions. Discussions will center on the use of Latvian technology in joint solutions, the development of new products, and opportunities for Latvian companies to integrate into U.S. supply chains.
Representatives of biomedical and pharmaceutical companies will meet with Los Angeles County economic development and life sciences organizations, as well as 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 focus on the commercialization of research results, joint product development, and opportunities for collaboration between Latvian companies and U.S. universities.
The day will conclude with a business event hosted by the U.S. Ambassador to Latvia at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, bringing together the Latvian delegation and representatives of the U.S. business community.
San Diego – Semiconductors, Unmanned Systems, and Genomics
On September 25, the program for defense and dual-use technology companies will continue in San Diego—one of the most important U.S. hubs for defense, aviation, and unmanned systems technologies.
Latvian companies are scheduled to meet with “Shield AI,” a developer of autonomous aircraft and artificial intelligence piloting technologies, as well as “Kratos,” a national security technology company active in the fields of unmanned systems, space, hypersonic, and rocket engine technologies. Discussions are also planned with “Qualcomm,” a global communications, connectivity, and semiconductor technology company, as well as public safety technology companies “Axon” and “Starling Systems.”
Representatives from SAF Tehnika and Riga Technical University will meet with senior management at Analog Devices. “Analog Devices” is a global semiconductor technology company with over 100,000 customers and revenue of 11 billion U.S. dollars in fiscal year 2025.
“SAF Tehnika regularly participates in trade missions to the U.S. organized by the LIAA, as they allow us to meet with top-level executives from our partners and clients and strengthen our company’s reputation in their eyes. For example, during this September’s mission to California, we will meet with the top management of a major U.S. microchip manufacturer together with Riga Technical University. Such opportunities offered by the LIAA yield results only if the company has done its homework and is able to clearly state who it wants to meet and what it hopes to achieve. “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will do,” says Jānis Bergs, board member and vice president of sales and marketing at AS “SAF Tehnika,” commenting on the importance of trade missions.
Biomedical and pharmaceutical companies in San Diego will meet with “Thermo Fisher Scientific”—one of the world’s largest suppliers of laboratory, life sciences, and pharmaceutical technologies, with annual revenue exceeding 45 billion U.S. dollars. The program also includes meetings with “Illumina,” one of the world’s leading companies in genomics and DNA sequencing technologies, and “Element Biosciences,” a developer of DNA sequencing technologies.
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 cooperation in research, technology transfer, and the market launch of new biomedical products.
Participation in the overseas trade mission is organized by the LIAA as part of the European Union-co-financed Program for the Development of Innovative Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), with support from the European Regional Development Fund and state funding. A company may participate in a trade mission either by paying a fee or by receiving support to cover eligible costs.
