Its aim is to promote the development of the sector, represent members' interests, exchange experience and cooperate with national and EU institutions.
From May 9 to 11, Latvia hosted its first EUDIS Defence Hackathon at RTU Rezekne Academy, where 17 teams developed solutions based on real defence sector needs. The winning team, EchoSentinel, created an artificial intelligence-based system capable of detecting potential battlefield threats within just 48 hours.
SAPRA, in close collaboration with the Riga Technical University (RTU) Science and Innovation Centre, is proud to support the EUDIS Defence Hackathon 2025, one of eight strategic defence hackathons taking place across Europe.
Edgars Zandmanis, Chairman of the Board of SAPRA, met with H.E. Eerik Marmei, Estonian Ambassador to Latvia, to discuss opportunities for enhanced cooperation between Latvia and Estonia in the defense sector and high-tech innovation, with a particular focus on the growing role of photonics.
A two-day series of meetings took place in Riga, bringing together SAPRA members and partners from several countries, including representatives from Theon Sensors (Greece) and Harder Digital. Discussions were held both in person and online, focusing on current trends in the defense industry, opportunities for technological cooperation, and available public support mechanisms for innovation projects.