InnoCom partners and selected stakeholders met in June for an international experience exchange visit held in Latvia, where the Zemgale Planning Region and the advisory partner University of Latvia hosted a two-day visit.

On the first day the partners visited Jelgava Business Incubator, where, its manager Agnese Oļševska presented the functions of the incubator and the development of a successful working model, Daina Cinovica informed about the financial institution ALTUM, its programmes and available support, and Videga Strautniece from the rural partnership "Lielupe" explained the activities implemented by the partnership.

Partners then met with a local entrepreneur who described her experience developing an innovative method to improve learning by children with different abilities. The Barboleta method uses a balance platform, and the technique is used in a Jelgava kindergarten and development centre. The final visit of the day was to the Youth Entrepreneurship Activity Cocreation Space, where partners learned about the creation of the space, its goals and the future plans of the team.

On the second day, the partners went to the University of Latvia for a workshop and practical exercises on co-creation and design thinking, with a series of activities to support the creative generation of ideas and solutions to the problems identified in the project.

“The study visits in Jelgava introduced us to some interesting activities, including ones to support small businesses that could be easily transferred to our region. The co-creation exercise prepared by the University of Latvia was stimulating and left us with ideas we can apply to our policy improvement. We were completely charmed by Jelgava and by the people we met there. It was an entirely successful interregional learning event and we are grateful to the ZPR team and their stakeholders for a great visit,” said one participant.

Zemgale Planning Region 

As the organiser of the experience visit, the Zemgale Planning Region considers the event a success. "We all took this event very responsibly as it was the first time that InnoCom project partners visited Latvia and got to know our stakeholders and gain experience. We are very pleased that the partners had the opportunity to get to know not only the business environment, but also the support providers such as Jelgava Business Incubator, financial institution ALTUM and others," says Anna Builo-Hoļme, ZPR Project Manager.