News

SAPRA – the International Association of Defence Products Manufacturers – participates in the work of the Defence Industry Consultative Council, representing the interests of Latvia’s defence, technology, and dual-use industrial ecosystem.
The Council serves as a coordinated platform for sector development, strategic alignment, and the exchange of expertise between industry and state institutions.

SAPRA - the International Association of Defence Products Manufacturers – and Baltic Photonics participated in the Germany-Latvia Defence Industry Days, representing the defence, technology, and innovation ecosystem and reinforcing the importance of cross-sector cooperation.

Head of Communications Ani Andronikashvili and representatives of the Administrative Department R&D visited the Latvian SOS Children’s Villages Association, where they met with Dace Straume, Corporate Partnership Manager, and Anita Vaivode, Head of the Valmiera SOS Children’s Village.

At the end of October, Riga hosted the Denmark-Latvia Defence Industry Days - an event dedicated to strengthening cooperation between the defence industries of both countries and promoting new initiatives in the field of defence and dual-use technologies.

The Defence Industry Advisory Council convened at the Ministry of Defence to discuss the use of the SAFE instrument, planned activities within the defence industry, and the latest developments in the sector.

As part of Latvia’s trade mission to Germany, Baltic Photonics participated in a programme in Hamburg, which included an introductory meeting with the PLATH Group.

The recently held Drone Summit 2025 in Riga brought together a wide range of experts — from leading drone developers and startups to defense policymakers, data security professionals, and aviation specialists.

On May 26, 2025, the Embassy of the Republic of Estonia in Riga hosted a key event for Latvian–Estonian cooperation — a visit from the Estonian business delegation, organized by the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LTRK) in cooperation with Estonian partners. The platform served as a strategic meeting point for those shaping the region’s industrial, technological, and security future.

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.