LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association

What LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association does

LAIK (Biedrība "Latvijas Kosmosa Industrijas Asociācija") is a non-profit industry association founded in 2018 and headquartered in Riga, Latvia, whose mandate is to promote the development of Latvian space industry companies and facilitate Latvia's integration into the European Space Agency (ESA). The organization acts as a coordination node between 16 Latvian space-sector member companies, Latvian government bodies (Ministry of Education and Science, LIAA), and international space institutions including ESA, the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), the EU Satellite Centre (SatCen), EUSPA, Airbus, and ISRO. Its core deliverables are advocacy, networking, and event organization rather than proprietary technology products.

LAIK's commercial offering consists of a membership program (200 EUR annual fee plus a one-time 200 EUR joining fee) that provides members with access to ESA cooperation opportunities, policy-maker introductions, networking events, and visibility through LAIK's information channels. In parallel, it provides free 30-minute consultations for Latvian companies exploring entry into the space sector. Revenue is supplemented by project-based funding from EU/ERAF programs tied to specific events. The association does not develop proprietary software, hardware, or AI systems; its technology footprint is limited to its website (latvija.space), social channels, and event infrastructure.

Go-to-market is community- and event-driven: LAIK co-organized Big Data from Space 2025 in Riga (600+ participants from 30+ countries, 300+ B2B meetings, 20+ exhibiting organizations), runs CASSINI and Act in Space hackathons with partners such as Airbus and Riga City Council, and operates the CASSINI Space Camp 2025 youth program with YStreet. Distribution is direct to Latvian space and smart-specialization companies, with international visibility generated through tier-1 conference co-organization rather than outbound sales.

Name

LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association

Legal name

Biedrība "Latvijas Kosmosa Industrijas Asociācija"

Website

https://latvija.space

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LAIK is a non-profit Latvian industry association that promotes the country's space sector by connecting 16 member companies with ESA, EU institutions, and international partners through advocacy, consultations, and flagship events such as Big Data from Space 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (81393)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Business Services, Nec (7389)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Intergovernmental Affairs & Federal Grants Administration (BPAIAAAC)

Keywords

• Space industry association
• ESA cooperation programs
• Space industry events
• Industry membership services
• Space technology consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: LAIK generates revenue through annual membership fees (200 EUR per year) and one-time joining fees (200 EUR). Members receive benefits including access to ESA cooperation opportunities, policy maker connections, networking, discounts on events, and publicity in LAIK information channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LAIK is a non-profit industry association that promotes the development of Latvian space industry companies by providing a membership program, free 30-minute consultations for companies in smart specialization areas, and organizing international events such as conferences, hackathons, and educational space camps. The association acts as a bridge between Latvian space companies and European Space Agency (ESA) programs, Copernicus data, Galileo navigation data, and international space industry networks.

Product overview

LAIK is a Latvian Space Industry Association (an industry body, not a product company) that offers membership services, free consultations for space industry companies, and organizes space-related events. The association's services include membership programs providing access to industry information and ESA cooperation opportunities, advisory consultations for Latvian companies, and event organization including conferences, hackathons (CASSINI, Act in Space), and educational space camps.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LAIK Membership Program Membership program for legal entities supporting Latvian space industry development, providing access to industry news, ESA cooperation opportunities, policy maker connections, networking, discounts on events, and publicity in LAIK information channels. Annual fee of 200 EUR plus one-time joining fee of 200 EUR.
• Free Consultation Services Free 30-minute consultations for Latvian companies in smart specialization areas to explore opportunities in developing and exporting knowledge-intensive products or services to the European and global space industry.
• Event Organization Services Organization of space industry events including conferences (Big Data from Space 2025), hackathons (CASSINI hackathons, Act in Space), space camps for students, and educational programs to promote space technology awareness and innovation.

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting, major and strategic.

• European Space Agency (ESA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025ESA co-organized Big Data from Space 2025 conference with LAIK in Riga. LAIK facilitates Latvian companies' cooperation with ESA as part of Latvia's associate membership status. ESA is the primary international partner for LAIK's mission of advancing Latvian space industry.
• European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025JRC was one of the co-organizers of Big Data from Space 2025 conference held in Riga. The conference brought together scientists, industry representatives, and policymakers from across Europe.
• EU Satellite Centre (SatCen)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025SatCen co-organized Big Data from Space 2025 conference with LAIK, ESA, and JRC in Riga.
• Ministry of Education and Science of LatviacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025The Ministry was a key co-organizer of Big Data from Space 2025, supporting LAIK in bringing this major international conference to Latvia.
• Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025LIAA co-organized Big Data from Space 2025 and supports LAIK's export promotion activities. LIAA provides export support services to Latvian space companies.
• Riga Technical University (RTU)supportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025RTU's Science and Innovation Center served as the venue for Big Data from Space 2025 conference. RTU has also supported previous hackathons organized by LAIK.
• YStreetsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 July 2025YStreet co-organized the CASSINI Space Camp 2025 with LAIK in Jūrmala, a summer camp for students aged 14-18 focused on space, satellites, AI, and astronomy.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 March 2025LAIK initiated cooperation discussions between Latvian companies and ISRO during Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže's official visit to India. Key areas include satellite data processing for forest management, radioisotope energy source technologies, and quantum communication. LAIK authorized representative Mihails Ščepanskis (Deep Space Energy CEO) and Pavels Razmajevs (Eventech) participated in the delegation.
• DAIF Latvija (Latvian Security and Defense Industry Federation)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2025LAIK and DAIF Latvija signed a cooperation agreement on Pi Day 2025 to strengthen collaboration between Latvia's space and security industries. The agreement aims to promote innovation, technology transfer, and enhance national and international security capabilities. Joint projects will enable Latvian companies and research institutions to engage more actively in international initiatives.
• NATOstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2025The cooperation agreement with DAIF Latvija envisions closer cooperation with NATO agency as part of joint projects to enhance international security and competitive edge.
• European Defense AgencystrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2025The DAIF Latvija cooperation agreement includes provisions for collaboration with the European Defense Agency to promote Latvian industry's contribution to international security.
• AirbussupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2024Airbus partnered with LAIK for the 7th CASSINI Hackathon, providing access to commercial high-resolution Earth Observation data for hackathon participants in addition to freely accessible Copernicus data.
• European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEUSPA presented EU Space Programme opportunities for business and science during the CASSINI Hackathon Demo Day event organized with LAIK support.
• Riga City CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiga City Council was a challenge owner at the 7th CASSINI Hackathon, inviting participants to develop digitalization ideas for smart cities.
• Latvian National Peat SocietysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge owner at CASSINI Hackathon 2024, looking for ways to use satellite data in peatland management and greenhouse gas emission calculations.
• Private Forest (Privātais mežs)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerChallenge owner at CASSINI Hackathon 2024, seeking ideas for using satellite data to support sustainable and efficient forestry business.
• Gravity TeamsupportingTechnology or IntegrationChallenge owner at CASSINI Hackathon 2024, challenging participants to use blockchain for satellite data verification and tracking in sustainable development, providing technical support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Aerospace Valley: Aerospace Valley is a French aerospace and space industry cluster focused on Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions, providing networking, event organization, and SME support similar to LAIK's member-services and event-organization roles, but anchored in a specific French regional ecosystem.
• UK Space: UK Space is the trade association of the UK space industry, focused on advocacy, networking, and policy engagement for UK space companies. It mirrors LAIK's national-association model but operates in a far larger and more mature UK space ecosystem.
• Polish Space Industry Association (SPACE PL): SPACE PL is Poland's national space industry association, comparable to LAIK as a member-driven body promoting domestic space companies' access to ESA and EU programs. It serves a much larger member base in a different national market, making it a close functional peer despite geographic non-overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Eurospace: Eurospace is the pan-European association of the space industry, representing major primes and integrators across the continent. It is comparable to LAIK as an industry-association model but operates at a vastly larger scale with fundamentally different (large primes) membership profile.
• BDLI (German Aerospace Industries Association): BDLI is Germany's aerospace industry association, providing advocacy, networking, and policy representation for its members in a comparable model to LAIK. As a much larger, longer-established organization representing a major industrial base, it functions as a broad incumbent in the same category.
• SME4SPACE: SME4SPACE is the European-level association representing SMEs in the space industry. Like LAIK, it focuses on connecting smaller space companies to ESA and EU programs, and advocating for SME-friendly policy, but operates at pan-European scale rather than a single-country national scope.

Others

• NEREUS (Network of European Regions Using Space Technologies): NEREUS is a network of European regions that promotes the use of space technologies for regional policy and economic development. It overlaps with LAIK's space-data and Earth-observation advocacy mission and works with similar public-sector partners, though structured as a regional-network rather than a company-membership association.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Latvija.space
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/latvian-space-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about LAIK - Latvian Space Industry Association