Startup Awards 2026
Latvian Startup Awards
Winners announced
Until the ceremony 00d 00h 00min 00s
The awards have been presented. Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate the founders who went for it, the teams who kept going, and the ideas that made us stop and think, damn, that’s good.
Results
2026 winners
Announced at the ceremony on 6 November 2026. Congratulations to the winners and every finalist.
Newcomer
Winner: Amorphous Health
Finalists: HoneyB, anna app
Breakthrough
Winner: Origin Robotics
Finalists: Giraffe360, Swotzy
DeepTech
Winner: Deep Space Energy
Finalists: Cellbox Labs, P-Agro Minerals
Defense Tech
Winner: SUBmerge Baltic
Finalists: Rannon, Hope Industries
FinTech
Winner: Convershake
Finalists: Handwave, Nodu
Founder-Hero
Winner: Kristofs Blaus (Nutrameg)
Finalists: Emīls Sjundjukovs (Longenesis), Sigvards Krongorns (Connor)
Community Choice
Winner: Outvoicer
Finalists: InPass, HoneyB
Results as published by the organisers, checked 10 November 2026.
2026 process
Nominations and judging
The process is simpler this year. It runs in five stages, from nominations opening on 30 September to the ceremony on 6 November.
- 01
30 September to 9 October
Nearly 20 organisations and representatives of Latvia's startup ecosystem are invited to nominate candidates.
- 02
2 to 16 October
Public nominations open, including the option to nominate yourself in one of the categories.
Nominations closed on 16 October.
- 03
19 October
Nominations are compiled and Community Choice goes to a public vote.
The public vote closed on 27 October.
- 04
Shortly before the Startup Awards ceremony
The jury evaluates the nominees against the set criteria and selects the winners.
- 05
6 November
Startup Awards 2026 ceremony and announcement of the winners.
Categories
Seven categories for 2026
What each award recognises, as described by the organisers.
- 01
Newcomer
A promising newcomer (the company was incorporated within the last 2 years) to the Latvian startup scene, demonstrating high potential for growth and market demand.
- 02
Breakthrough
A startup that has accomplished remarkable goals in the past year, e.g. unicorn, exit, IPO, big investment deal, exponential growth, new significant market.
- 03
DeepTech
Supported by EIT Community Latvia / RTU
A startup developing breakthrough technology based on significant scientific or engineering innovation, with the potential to solve complex real-world challenges and create substantial market impact.
- 04
Defense Tech
A startup developing technologies that strengthen national security, defence and societal resilience (from military and dual-use solutions to cybersecurity, critical infrastructure protection and civil preparedness), with proven relevance and traction among defence or security end-users.
- 05
Founder-Hero
Recognises the exceptional leadership and vision of an individual who has made a significant impact in the startup ecosystem.
- 06
Community Choice
Public vote from 19 OctoberA startup which, whatever the reason, inspires you. Perhaps it’s their work ethic and team culture that resonate with you? Or maybe it’s the can-do mentality and the bravery to go where no one else is heading? This category is a carte blanche, so use this opportunity to voice your choice!
The public vote closed on 27 October.
- 07
FinTech
A startup that uses technology to make financial services such as payments, savings and investments more accessible, secure and convenient, and has successfully taken its solution to international markets.
Until the ceremony
00 days 00 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds
Ceremony
Latvian Startup Awards 2026 ceremony and announcement of winners
- Date
- Friday, 6 November 2026
- Time
- 17:00 to 22:00
- Venue
- Latvian Railway History Museum, Uzvaras bulvāris 2A, Riga
Programme
- 17:15Doors open and networking
- 18:00The Year Wrapped: the highs, the lessons and everything in between
- 18:30Latvian Startup Awards ceremony
- 20:00DJ, drinks and networking until 22:00
Event details from the organisers, checked on 14 October 2026.
Jury
Who picks the winners
Ieva Felman
Senior Startup Ecosystem Project Manager at Riga Investment and Tourism Agency
LinkedInAnda Asere
Startup media expertCo-founder of Finday
LinkedInAnna Andersone
Co-founder and CEO of StartSchoolChairperson of the Board of Riga TechGirls
LinkedInArta Abasina
Head of Business Operations at FYUL
LinkedInAndris K. Berzins
Partner at Change Ventures
LinkedIn
Archive
Winners and finalists from earlier years
2025
- Breakthrough, Winner: Aerones
- Newcomer, Winner: BirdyChat
- Scaleup, Winner: HackMotion
- Impact, Winner: Protium Technologies
- Hardware, Winner: Azeron
- Digital, Winner: Handwave
- Community Choice, Winner: The Crowd
- DefenceTech Special Award, Winner: Ascent Lumina
The organisers have not yet published the Founder-Hero winner’s name or the 2025 finalists.
2024
- Breakthrough, Winner: Supliful, Other finalists: AM Craft, Viangoo
- Newcomer, Winner: RivalSense, Other finalists: Affire, Blossom Reads
- Scaleup, Winner: Prime Prometics, Other finalists: Aerones, HackMotion
- Impact, Winner: PrintyMed, Other finalists: Longenesis, Spirulina Nord
- Hardware, Winner: HackMotion, Other finalists: Adventum Tech, Bruntor
- Digital, Winner: Abillio, Other finalists: RivalSense, ZOLT
- Founder-Hero, Winner: James Berdigans, Other finalists: Kristofs Blaus, Roberts Bernans
- Community Choice, Winner: Spirulina Nord
Results as published by the organisers, checked 19 October 2026.
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