Riga IT Demo centre as industry promotion instrument in local and international level
Published on 25 June 2018
Latvia
Latvija
This is the good practice's implementation level. It can be national, regional or local.
About this good practice
Latvian IT cluster is an IT company community and one of the oldest clusters in Latvia with roots dated back to Year 2000. Its goals are to:
1) create a value network of Latvian IT companies;
2) strengthen the development of the Latvian IT sector and help it grow through internationalization and cross-sectoral collaboration;
3) advocate the development of sustainable industries through digital tools;
4) promote the Latvian IT story and showcase the success stories.
In Year 2012 Riga IT Demo centre was initiated by the cluster and its members as a platform for experience exchange and building partnerships, and it soon became a place of the Latvian IT story. If there was not enough information on Latvian IT achievements and how they worked before, then Riga IT Demo centre was the showroom that brought the biggest Latvian IT successes under one roof and presented a niche know-how that helped our companies grow global.
Today, it’s a chance for the visitors to learn the Latvian IT experience story and – the best of it – try out the products and solutions on the spot. The demo centre is built for the society to see, evaluate and learn the best examples of the Latvian tech scene.
Obviously in the end all these activities help to develop national ICT sector in more efficient way by strengthening collaboration between different players of the ecosystem.
1) create a value network of Latvian IT companies;
2) strengthen the development of the Latvian IT sector and help it grow through internationalization and cross-sectoral collaboration;
3) advocate the development of sustainable industries through digital tools;
4) promote the Latvian IT story and showcase the success stories.
In Year 2012 Riga IT Demo centre was initiated by the cluster and its members as a platform for experience exchange and building partnerships, and it soon became a place of the Latvian IT story. If there was not enough information on Latvian IT achievements and how they worked before, then Riga IT Demo centre was the showroom that brought the biggest Latvian IT successes under one roof and presented a niche know-how that helped our companies grow global.
Today, it’s a chance for the visitors to learn the Latvian IT experience story and – the best of it – try out the products and solutions on the spot. The demo centre is built for the society to see, evaluate and learn the best examples of the Latvian tech scene.
Obviously in the end all these activities help to develop national ICT sector in more efficient way by strengthening collaboration between different players of the ecosystem.
Resources needed
Riga IT Demo centre was created with a support of Cluster members, they invested both their money and content to set it up (approximately costs to set it up were about 100 000 EUR). Since then the running costs are ~ 30 000 EUR per year including administration, 1-person staff and marketing costs.
Evidence of success
Demo centre provided the possibility to host delegations in the more efficient way and it resulted in the great local and international collaborations between different kind of ICT players. Also Demo centre provided the possibility to set up a learning and workshop platform for students, so they could develop their knowledge to ICT related aspects. This is the long-term activity where we will be able to measure the results afterwards but definitely it will affect positively the ICT ecosystem.
Potential for learning or transfer
The driving force behind the success is the community power. For example, Latvian IT Cluster is proud that during the Presidency the IT industry – through Demo centre – was the closest industry to the events of the Presidency, no other industry was represented that much, and no other industry hosted that many side events. That was done with the help of the community members and their dedication.
Also, thanks to members' content and support Riga IT Demo centre can share the story of the Latvian IT, free of charge. That makes it one of the most unique examples in the European tech scene.
Other regions with their cluster support mechanisms definitely should try to include similar kind of activity (setting up the Demo centre) into their policy documents because it shows the both - the short-term goals where players of concrete sector begin to collaborate in the more efficient way and also its provide the chance to aim for a long-term goals by developing the sector and related aspects.
Also, thanks to members' content and support Riga IT Demo centre can share the story of the Latvian IT, free of charge. That makes it one of the most unique examples in the European tech scene.
Other regions with their cluster support mechanisms definitely should try to include similar kind of activity (setting up the Demo centre) into their policy documents because it shows the both - the short-term goals where players of concrete sector begin to collaborate in the more efficient way and also its provide the chance to aim for a long-term goals by developing the sector and related aspects.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Ministry of Economics
Latvia
Latvija
Contact