What BioPhoT does

BioPhoT (formal name: Biomedicīnas un fotonikas pētniecības platforma inovatīvu produktu radīšanai) is a state-funded national research and innovation platform launched on January 29, 2025, under Latvia's Ministry of Economics' Innovation Fund – Long-Term Research Programme. It is coordinated by the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute (OSI) and operates through a consortium of nine Latvian research institutions, including Riga Technical University, University of Latvia, Riga Stradiņš University, the Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre (BMC), and the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry. BioPhoT is not a commercial entity; its function is to allocate non-dilutive public grant funding—up to €200,000 per project over a 12-month implementation period—to academic researchers, PhD candidates, and young scientists from the consortium institutions in order to advance early-stage (TRL 1-4) biomedical, photonics, and smart-technology innovations toward commercialization.

The funded research portfolio spans at least six discrete technology areas: EVBoost (an electromagnetic stimulation module for hollow-fiber bioreactors producing therapeutic extracellular vesicles), FreshWave (a colorimetric seafood-freshness sensor), OsteoWood (birch-wood-based bone fixation implants), FLUID-C (a liquid-biopsy test for tumor diagnostics and monitoring), U-TEST (a neonatal sepsis detection method via urinary biomarkers), and POLYCLAY-UV (polyphenol-clay UV-protection composites from coffee and tea by-products). One patent has been granted (an antimicrobial-resistance device developed by RTU scientists) and a second patent application is pending (EVBoost module at BMC). By 2032 the programme targets 35 new technologies reaching TRL 3-4, at least 23 advancing to TRL 5-6 (validation/demonstration in real conditions), and at least 4 reaching the commercialization phase.

The business model is grant allocation rather than product commercialization. Approximately €12.8 million of state budget funding is available through end of 2026—roughly €12 million for innovation project work and nearly €5 million for researcher skills training including IP protection. The first competition round funded 40 projects (€8 million); the second round, with €4.8 million available, attracted 99 submissions and awarded 26 projects. Distribution is direct to researchers through the nine consortium institutions, with outreach via LinkedIn, YouTube, industry days, webinars, and international deep-tech forums including the Hello Tomorrow Global Summit 2026 and partnership with EIT Health, EIT Community Latvia, and the EUREKA Network. Coordination of the platform is scheduled to transfer from OSI to the newly established National Institute of Research and Innovation (NIRI) from June 2026.

Name

BioPhoT

Legal name

Biomedicīnas un fotonikas pētniecības platforma inovatīvu produktu radīšanai (BioPhot)

Website

https://biophot.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BioPhoT is a Latvian state-funded research and innovation platform that distributes non-dilutive grants of up to €200,000 per project to academic researchers developing biomedical, photonics, and smart-technology innovations, operating through a consortium of nine national research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Funding and Innovation Platform

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF), Proteomics & Biomarker Analytical Testing (HLAGADAG)

Keywords

• Biomedical research funding
• Photonics innovation platform
• Deep tech research
• State-funded research grants
• Technology commercialization

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. State Research Funding Program: BioPhoT is a state-funded research and innovation platform financed by Latvia's national budget under the 'Innovation Fund - Long-Term Research Programme'. It provides grant funding to researchers for developing biomedical and photonics technologies with commercialization potential. The platform does not generate commercial revenue but allocates public funds to support innovation projects.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BioPhoT is a state-funded national research platform that provides non-dilutive grant financing (up to €200,000 per project) to researchers and scientists at Latvian research institutions for developing innovative biomedical, photonics, medical technology, pharmaceutical, smart materials, electronics, and engineering system technologies. The platform coordinates 9 research institutions, runs competitive funding calls, provides mentorship and commercialization support, and aims to advance 35 new technologies to TRL 3-4 by 2032.

Product overview

BioPhoT (Biomedicīnas un fotonikas pētniecības platforma inovatīvu produktu radīšanai) is a national research and innovation funding platform that supports the development of biomedical, photonics, and smart materials technologies in Latvia. The platform functions as a coordination mechanism connecting research institutions with industry, providing funding up to €200,000 per project for innovation initiatives. The platform does not develop a single unified product but rather funds and coordinates multiple independent research projects across various technology areas including regenerative medicine (EVBoost), food safety sensors (FreshWave), medical implants (OsteoWood), cancer diagnostics (FLUID-C), neonatal diagnostics (U-TEST), and UV protection materials (POLYCLAY-UV). The platform operates under the Ministry of Economics and coordinates with institutions including the Latvian Organic Synthesis Institute, University of Latvia, Riga Technical University, and other research organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 new technologies targeted for development by 2032
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EUREKA NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026BioPhoT organized seminar on EUREKA Network Eurostars program, preparing researchers for international innovation project applications. Next call opens July 9, 2026, with submission deadline September 2026.
• Latvijas Investīciju un attīstības aģentūra (LIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Collaboration with LIAA to organize unified Latvian deep tech delegation to Hello Tomorrow Global Summit 2026, connecting Latvian researchers with international investors and innovation experts.
• Rīgas investīciju un tūrisma aģentūra (RITA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Joint organization of Latvian deep tech delegation participation at Hello Tomorrow Global Summit 2026, supporting innovation showcase and investor networking.
• PMNET Forum PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 October 2025BioPhoT participated in PMNET 2025 precision medicine networking forum, collaborating with organizers including Children's Hospital Fund, Children's Clinical University Hospital, Riga Stradins University, Latvian Children's Oncology Foundation, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Health, LIAA, and patient organizations.
• EIT HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2025Collaboration with EIT Health network to help Latvian researchers and startups become part of the European health innovation community, learning from industry professionals and gaining international experience.
• EIT Community LatviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2025EIT Community Latvia operates at Riga Technical University with support from Ministry of Education and Science and Latvian Research Council, connecting scientists, entrepreneurs and startups with European innovation networks.
• Latvijas Zinātnes padomecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 October 2025Latvian Research Council supporting EIT Community Latvia and BioPhoT activities, represented by senior expert Laura Kunga-Jēgere for international program guidance.
• Latvijas Organiskās sintēzes institūts (OSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSI serves as the coordinating institution for the BioPhoT platform. Leading drug discovery and development center in the Baltics with 18 drugs created and introduced into clinical practice, decades of experience, and full-cycle competence from molecule design to preclinical studies.
• Elektronikas un datorzinātņu institūtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution participating in BioPhoT consortium, contributing expertise in electronics and computer science for technology development.
• Latvijas Biomedicīnas pētījumu un studiju centrs (BMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBMC is where the EVBoost project is implemented, focusing on extracellular vesicle research and regenerative medicine technologies.
• Latvijas Universitāte (LU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor research university participating in BioPhoT, hosting venues for platform events at Academic Centre Science House.
• Latvijas Universitātes Cietvielu fizikas institūts (LU CFI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLU CFI is an internationally recognized leader in materials science with state-of-the-art infrastructure. Modern 10,000 m² research complex with 650 m² of ISO 4-8 cleanroom facilities. Research areas include photonics microchips, quantum photonics, battery research, smart windows, microfluidics, and sensors.
• Rīgas Stradiņa universitāte (RSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical university contributing to BioPhoT, hosting ethics and inclusion guidelines seminars with researchers Dr. Uldis Vēgners, Laura Bitiniece, and Diāna Kiščenko.
• Rīgas Tehniskā universitāte (RTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical university contributing engineering expertise to BioPhoT. Home of EIT Community Latvia. RTU scientists developed and patented device for antimicrobial resistance.
• Latvijas Valsts koksnes ķīmijas institūtscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWood chemistry research institute contributing to BioPhoT's sustainable materials research including the OsteoWood project.
• Pārtikas drošības, dzīvnieku veselības un vides zinātniskais institūts BIORcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood safety, animal health and environment research institute participating in BioPhoT consortium.
• Nacionālais pētniecības un inovāciju institūts (NIRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNewly established National Institute of Research and Innovation taking over BioPhoT coordination from June 2026.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Danish National Research Foundation: Denmark's national foundation funding cutting-edge basic and applied research through Centers of Excellence. Comparable to BioPhoT in its national-mandate research funding model targeting breakthrough research, though with a focus on academic excellence rather than direct commercialization pathways.
• Business Finland (formerly Tekes): Finland's national innovation funding agency, which provides grants, loans, and equity investments to early-stage research and deep-tech projects. Most directly comparable to BioPhoT as a state-funded platform funding translational research, but at a much larger scale and with a broader mandate across industries.
• Research Council of Norway (Forskningsrådet): Norway's national research funding council distributing government and EU funds across sectors. Peer to BioPhoT as a national-state-funded platform funding translational research with industry impact expectations, though operating with substantially larger capital pools and a longer history.
• VINNOVA (Swedish Innovation Agency): Sweden's national innovation funding agency funding research and development with commercialization potential. Similar model to BioPhoT — government-funded research grants targeting TRL advancement — though operating at greater scale and longer history in Sweden's innovation ecosystem.
• European Innovation Council (EIC): EU's flagship deep-tech and breakthrough innovation funding instrument with grants and equity for early-stage research with high commercialization potential. Highly comparable to BioPhoT's model of funding high-risk, high-impact research projects, but operating at pan-European scale with significantly larger budgets.

Regional players

• Research Council of Lithuania (LMT): Lithuania's national research funding council supporting competitive research across science and technology. Peer to BioPhoT as a Baltic-state R&D funding body with similar early-stage research support mission, though typically funding broader academic research rather than commercial-pathway focused biomedical/photonics specifically.
• Estonian Research Council (ETAG): Estonia's national R&D funding agency providing grants and managing EU programs for research and innovation. Directly comparable as a Baltic-region national research funding platform serving the same geographic and policy ecosystem as BioPhoT, with similar grant-making mechanisms and translational focus.
• Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TAČR): Czech national agency funding applied research and innovation with strong commercialization focus. Comparable as a Central European state-funded research platform supporting TRL advancement and industry-research collaboration, with similar grant-making instruments and translational priorities to BioPhoT.
• National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH, Hungary): Hungary's national R&D funding authority managing state research programs and EU framework participation. Functions as a Central European analogue to BioPhoT — a state-funded body channeling public money to research institutions with commercialization expectations, though operating at larger scale and broader mandate.

Direct peers

• EIT Health: Pan-European health innovation network connecting research, industry, and investors to accelerate health-tech commercialization. BioPhoT has an established strategic partnership with EIT Health and shares a similar mission of bridging academic biomedical research with commercial pathways, though EIT Health operates across Europe rather than a single country.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BioPhoT
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/showcase/biophot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BioPhoT