The Confluence pre-acceleration program, implemented by innovation management company Helve and supported by the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA), is launching its second cohort of 10 science-intensive startups from Latvia. The program will help teams develop and validate their solutions together with industry partners, offering a 12-week hands-on course, mentoring support, and funding for technology prototype development.
Startups accepted into the Confluence pre-acceleration program:
- AiSAT – an artificial intelligence-driven Earth observation platform with a planned constellation of 400 nanosatellites, providing global coverage up to once every 10 minutes. Satellites with hyperspectral sensors and local data processing allow for the detection of anomalies and provide user-ready decision-making data without the involvement of analysts.
- NavHome – develops an automated drone and data analysis solution to quickly assess the state of the ground after conflicts or disasters, combining satellite, drone, and multispectral data with artificial intelligence analysis.
- Level (OA Cooperation) – develops nano-catalytic coatings that replace precious metals in PEM electrolyzer electrodes, reducing costs, improving accessibility and making hydrogen technology more sustainable.
- ECOtechnologies – patented building construction technologies that allow the use of low-cost and recycled materials, significantly reducing heat loss in buildings, including through windows and exterior doors.
- TRAFOLO – simulation software for the design of magnetic components for micro- and power electronics that automates validation, reducing prototype costs and energy losses, and speeds up development.
- Adventum Tech – develops the Digital Bridge system, which provides digital bridge monitoring and prediction with patented sensors and AI software, allowing for early detection of damage and optimization of maintenance.
- PrintyMed – develops gloves made of spider silk that act as a protective mask for the hands, providing unique protective and biological properties, including skin regeneration.
- Spruceful – a smart sensor and data platform for monitoring the effectiveness of bark beetle traps, which automates maintenance alerts and provides data visualization at scale.
- Sharpen AI – develops custom voice, chat and WhatsApp AI agents that automate customer service, sales and data processing 24/7, improving efficiency and experience.
- Speenrgy – develops a modular device that can generate green energy on the move, adaptable to all electric vehicles, providing direct engine power or battery charging while driving.
Program participants will have access to a 12-week course on innovation commercialization and individual mentor support, funding up to 5,000 euros for prototype development, opportunities for collaboration with industry companies and a Demo Day in front of investors.
“This cohort is a strong testament to the fact that startups with high added value in science and technology are emerging in Latvia and the region. We see both space technologies and sustainable solutions in energy and construction, as well as applications of artificial intelligence in various industries. Confluence is designed to help these teams not only develop ideas, but also find a place in the global market,” says Marija Ručevska, co-founder of Helve.
The Confluence program provides an opportunity to turn scientific innovations into viable technology solutions that can compete in the international market. Over the course of twelve weeks, participants complete a practical pre-acceleration course with a focus on the commercialization of innovations, receive individual mentor support from Baltic Sandbox, BSV Ventures and Helve, and closely collaborate with industry experts and companies. During this time, teams have access to funding of up to five thousand euros for the development and testing of prototypes, and they also receive public communication and investor attraction support. The program concludes with a Demo Day, where teams present their progress to investors and partners.
The program is particularly suitable for science-based startups and teams in the early stages of development who want to bridge the gap between technology development and commercialization. The goal of “Confluence” is to support the development of innovative solutions at the very moment when an idea begins to take on a market shape, helping technologies to move out of the laboratory and find a place in the real economy.
The program is implemented by Helve in cooperation with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), the program is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and the Latvian state budget within the framework of the project “Support for the Improvement of the Technology Transfer System”. Application and detailed information: https://www.confluence-lab.eu