What Baltic Studies Centre does

Baltic Studies Centre (BSC) is a private non-profit research institute (Nodibinājums) headquartered in Riga, Latvia, with a primary office at Brīvības iela 40-48. The institute undertakes interdisciplinary and action-oriented research across five strategic specialisations: (i) agricultural and food knowledge and innovation systems, (ii) just urban, rural and regional development, (iii) food system transformation, (iv) sustainable land use, and (v) the circular (bio)economy. BSC operates with a core research team of approximately 18 members, including Director Emīls Ķīlis (Ph.D.), senior researchers, researchers, research assistants, and project administrative staff. Its methodology relies on transdisciplinary approaches, multi-actor co-creation, participatory research frameworks, and quantitative sustainability assessment (e.g., life cycle assessment, systems modelling) rather than on a proprietary technology platform.

BSC's primary offerings consist of academic publications, strategy documents, handbooks, and policy briefs produced through participation in EU-funded research projects. The institute has been involved in 30+ EU Framework Programme projects spanning FP5 (1997) through Horizon Europe, with active consortia led or co-led by partners such as Wageningen University, FiBL, Ruralis, INRAE, ILVO, SLU, and Aarhus University. Outputs include 100+ peer-reviewed publications (2010-2026) in journals such as Journal of Rural Studies, Global Food Security, Sociologia Ruralis, and Agricultural Systems. BSC distributes outputs through academic channels, EU CORDIS dissemination, conferences (European IFSA Symposium, European Food Systems Science Conference, European Rural Geographies Conference), and direct policy engagement workshops.

BSC's revenue model is research-grant-driven: it does not sell commercial products or services and applies no commercial pricing. Income is generated through competitive EU research grants (Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, and earlier FPs), with typical BSC sub-awards ranging from EUR 62k to EUR 248k within multi-million-EUR consortiums. Customer "segments" are essentially stakeholder groups served through projects: EU research consortiums (primary), policy makers (EU, national, regional), municipalities, SMEs in the agri-food sector, and research and advisory organisations. Its GTM motion is community-led — participating in competitive EU calls, forming international research consortiums, engaging policy makers and SMEs to surface societal challenges, producing actionable research, and disseminating findings through academic and stakeholder channels.

Name

Baltic Studies Centre

Legal name

Nodibinājums "Baltic Studies Centre"

Website

https://bscresearch.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Baltic Studies Centre is a Riga-based non-profit research institute delivering interdisciplinary, action-oriented research on agricultural and food knowledge systems, food system transformation, rural development, sustainable land use, and circular bioeconomy, serving EU research consortiums, policy makers, municipalities, and agri-food SMEs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Science Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

akta.pro primary industry

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

Keywords

• Social science research
• Agricultural innovation systems
• Food systems research
• Rural development studies
• Circular bioeconomy research

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Research Grants and Project Funding: As a non-profit research institute, BSC generates revenue primarily through competitive EU research funding programs including Framework Programmes (FP5, FP6, FP7), Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe. Projects include specific grant amounts (e.g., FOODLINKS: EUR 1,879,736.40 total, EUR 62,240.00 for BSC; SOLINSA: EUR 3,153,275.00 total, EUR 247,816.00 for BSC; PUREFOOD: EUR 2,886,380.00; SUPURBFOOD: EUR 1,858,114.60 total, EUR 80,320.00 for BSC). Revenue is project-based with defined implementation periods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Baltic Studies Centre is a private non-profit research institute that conducts interdisciplinary, action-oriented social science research on agricultural and food knowledge and innovation systems, just urban/rural/regional development, food system transformation, sustainable land use, and the circular (bio)economy. It delivers research services under EU Framework Programme grants (Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, FP7, FP6, FP5) and institutional partnerships, producing peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, strategy documents, and project deliverables for governments, municipalities, SMEs, and research organizations across Europe.

Product overview

Baltic Studies Centre is a private non-profit research institute that does not offer commercial software products. Its primary offerings consist of research publications, strategy documents, and handbooks. The organisation produces academic publications covering topics such as agricultural knowledge systems, food system transformation, circular bioeconomy, rural development, and sustainability transitions. Key publications include academic articles from 2010-2026, strategy documents (including the 2025-2029 institutional strategy), and a handbook on cooperation for sustainable territorial development. The institute also coordinates and participates in numerous EU-funded research projects spanning agriculture, food systems, and rural development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ EU-funded research projects completed or ongoing across multiple Framework Programmes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• FiBL (Forschungsinstitut für biologischen Landbau)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss research institute for organic agriculture. FiBL has served as coordinator for the SOLINSA project (EUR 3,153,275 total funding). Long-standing partner in European agricultural knowledge system research.
• Wageningen University (Netherlands)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading agricultural university in Europe. Coordinator of PUREFOOD (EUR 2,886,380), SUPURBFOOD (EUR 1,858,114.60), and FOODLINKS (EUR 1,879,736.40) projects. Primary academic partner in multiple EU Framework Programme collaborations.
• Ruralis (Norway)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorwegian institute for rural research. Partner in multiple EU-funded research projects on rural development and agricultural innovation systems.
• ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw- en Visserijonderzoek, Belgium)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish Institute for Agricultural, Fisheries and Food Research. Partner in agricultural innovation and food systems research collaborations.
• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, la alimentation et l'environnement, France)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench national research institute for agriculture, food and environment. Major European partner in agricultural knowledge system and food systems research.
• Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey national academic partner in Latvia. Collaboration on doctoral studies strengthening project and various research initiatives. Local academic anchor for agricultural research.
• University of Latvia (LU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational university partner. Collaboration on Strengthening of Doctoral Studies project and climate change research initiatives including media monitoring.
• Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre (LLKC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational agricultural advisory organization. Partner in agricultural knowledge system and innovation research bridging academic research with practical farming advisory services.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading Swedish agricultural university. Partner in multiple European research projects on agricultural innovation, food systems, and sustainability transitions.
• Lund University (Sweden)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean university partner in FoSSNet project (Food Systems Science Network). Contributes to European food systems science conference organization.
• James Hutton Institute (UK)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScottish research institute specializing in land, crop, water and environmental sciences. Partner in European rural development research including RETHINK project.
• CNR (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian National Research Council. Major European research partner in agricultural and food system studies across multiple projects.
• University of Bologna (Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric European university. Partner in agricultural knowledge system and food system transformation research.
• CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Italy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian research agency focused on agricultural and food economics. Partner in small farms and food security research.
• AUA (Agricultural University of Athens, Greece)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGreek agricultural university. Partner in European agricultural research networks.
• Hnee (Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde, Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman university for sustainable development. Partner in circular economy and bioeconomy research.
• University of Gloucestershire (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK university partner in rural development and agricultural innovation research.
• Luke Natural Resources Institute FinlandmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish research institute for natural resources. Partner in agricultural and forestry research within Baltic and Nordic collaborations.
• Ghent University (Belgium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgian university partner in European agricultural and food systems research.
• Crop Research Institute (Czech Republic)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in Central European agricultural research collaborations.
• University of Évora (Portugal)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese university partner in Mediterranean and European agricultural research.
• ITU Copenhagen (Denmark)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT University of Copenhagen. Partner in digitalization and predictive policing research (CUPP project).
• Aarhus University (Denmark)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Danish university partner in agricultural systems, farming resilience, and food systems research.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• INRAE (Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement): French national research institute for agriculture, food, and environment. Major EU partner of BSC; comparable scope across food systems, rural development, and circular bioeconomy research, but at substantially larger scale.
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU): Leading Swedish agricultural university and core BSC partner on EU food systems and sustainability projects. Overlapping research scope (agricultural innovation, food systems, sustainability transitions) with much larger scale.
• CREA (Council for Agricultural Research and Economics): Italian research agency focused on agricultural and food economics. Partner of BSC on small farms and food security research; comparable as a national research agency competing for similar EU framework programme funding in adjacent domains.
• Aarhus University (Department of Agroecology): Major Danish university with significant agricultural systems and food systems research. Partner of BSC on EU projects; comparable research themes (farming resilience, food systems) but at substantially larger scale with broader mandate.
• Wageningen University & Research: Leading European agricultural and food systems research university. Direct partner and frequent coordinator of projects in which BSC participates (FOODLINKS, SUPURBFOOD, PUREFOOD); operates in the same food systems, rural development, and agroecology research domain.

Direct peers

• James Hutton Institute: Scottish research institute for land, crops, water, and environmental science. EU partner of BSC on rural development and land use research (e.g., RETHINK project); comparable as a mission-driven applied research institute in a small country context.
• ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw- en Visserijonderzoek): Flemish agricultural, fisheries, and food research institute. Partner of BSC on multiple EU projects in agricultural innovation and food systems; comparable as a sub-national applied research institute competing for similar EU framework funding.
• FiBL (Research Institute of Organic Agriculture): Swiss research institute for organic agriculture and long-standing BSC partner. FiBL coordinated the SOLINSA project with BSC participation and shares BSC's specialisation in agricultural knowledge/innovation systems and agroecology.
• Luke Natural Resources Institute Finland: Finnish natural resources research institute. BSC partner in Baltic/Nordic agricultural and forestry research; comparable Nordic applied-research positioning, specialisation in sustainability and bioeconomy, and reliance on EU/national competitive funding.
• Ruralis – Institute for Rural and Regional Research: Norwegian institute for rural and regional research. Direct EU-funded partner of BSC on agricultural innovation and rural development projects; closely comparable in size, scope, and Nordic/Baltic regional positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baltic-studies-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Baltic Studies Centre