CONFERENCEIcebreakers Festival
The Icebreakers business opportunities festival is a platform that brings together students, researchers, and entrepreneurs, fostering the exchange of ideas, innovation, and collaboration between the academic, public, and private sectors. Icebreakers is more than just an event – it is an opportunity to break the ice, open doors to new opportunities, and meet people who want to create, inspire, and make a difference.
Icebreakers is an annual, one-day festival that serves as a launch platform for students and anyone interested in engaging in entrepreneurship and innovation. The event is designed to connect academia, industry, and the public sector, encouraging networking, knowledge exchange, and providing practical tools for idea development. It is an important instrument for strengthening the LU innovation ecosystem, where theoretical knowledge is transformed into practical skills and the confidence to bring ideas to life.
The festival offers a diverse programme, including:
Panel discussions and inspiring talks
Practical workshops and masterclasses in collaboration with Latvian higher education institutions
An Expo area showcasing innovation and support opportunities
The LU OpenLab open laboratory, where participants can learn to use equipment (such as 3D printers, CNC milling machines, etc.) and create prototypes
A business idea competition, offering the opportunity to present solutions, gain experience and contacts, and receive financial support
The main objective of the festival is to encourage student and public engagement in entrepreneurship by providing inspiration, knowledge, and practical tools. It serves as a bridge between academia, the business sector, and public institutions, creating a platform for meaningful collaboration and a pathway towards real action.
The festival brings together students, entrepreneurs, researchers, business experts, and enthusiasts in one place to discuss business opportunities, available support instruments for starting a business, and innovation development. It promotes cross-sector collaboration and provides students with information on opportunities to form interdisciplinary teams and make use of partner infrastructure, opening up broader possibilities for the implementation of innovative projects.
More information about the festival is available here.
The event is organized by the University of Latvia Innovation and Acceleration Center within the ERDF co-funded project No. 1.1.1.7/1/25/A/005 “Innovation Grants for Students of the University of Latvia.”
