On 19 March the annual international scientific conference "Radar of Entrepreneurship Development 2025" was successfully held at Turība University, gathering leading Latvian and foreign experts, entrepreneurs and academics to discuss the trends of entrepreneurship development and opportunities for economic growth.

Opening the conference and presenting the results of the Turība Business Index, the Rector of Turiba University, Professor Zane Driņķe emphasised the importance of security in the world, Europe and Latvia, stating that the private and public sectors must be united in strengthening the economy and reducing the risks of national threats. The Rector also mentioned that scientific discoveries, research and results that can be applied today play an important role in strengthening the economy and promoting competitiveness.

For his part, Minister of Economy Viktors Valainis stressed: "The current economic situation is facing many challenges due to various external conditions, which require us to adapt and act more efficiently than before. This is an opportunity for us to become stronger, to strengthen our economic security and sustainability".

Aigars Rostovskis, Vice President of Eurochambres, the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry, stressed the importance of the Single Market: 'The Single Market is a key factor for European businesses to develop, but it is difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises to achieve. It is therefore necessary to continue on the path towards a more unified European business environment to help companies of all types to reduce the barriers to reaching international space".

Speaking about Latvia's position in the global economic space, the President of the Bank of Latvia, Mārtiņš Kazāks, said that this is an important moment for Europe in shaping its future, calling for unity, high ambition for common goals and action to promote a strong and dynamic economy.

The Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration of Turiba University, Associate Professor Evija Kļave, highlighting the theme of the conference and presenting the synergy between entrepreneurship and science in the field of education, stressed that the entrepreneurial spirit is essential in business education in order to develop innovations and new businesses. To achieve this, it is necessary to create interaction between professionals and scientists in the sectors, which will contribute to the development of business education for leadership development.

The results of the Turiba Business Index survey were presented during the conference. Arnis Kaktiņš, Director of the market and public opinion research centre SKDS, informed that 63% of the respondents have a negative opinion of the business environment in Latvia, with particular emphasis on the problems of administrative burden and access to labour. At the same time, the availability of scientific resources and the public attitude towards entrepreneurs are among the positive aspects that give hope for further development. The results of the study can be found here.

"Edward Haarmans, founder of The Purpose Company and lecturer in Personal and Professional Development at TIO Business School in the Netherlands, stressed the importance of purpose as a strategic element in international business.

One of the central discussions of the conference was the expert panel discussion "Knowledge Transfer in the Public and Private Sectors to Increase Latvia's Competitiveness". The panellists were Mārtiņš Kazāks, President of the Bank of Latvia, Raivis Kronbergs, Head of the State Chancellery, Normunds Bergs, President of the Latvian Confederation for Industrial Development, and Zane Driņķe, Rector of Turiba University. The experts discussed the effectiveness of the policy in knowledge transfer and compared Latvia's situation with other European countries.

At the end of the panel discussion, the participants were invited to the launch of two important books. The Rector of Turiba University, Professor Zane Driņķe and Turiba lecturer, Dr Aleksandrs Popovs presented the book "Business Architecture Framework for Digital Transformation", which provides a structured approach to the digital development of companies. The book "Security Risk Management", which offers practical guidelines and best practices in the field of security, was also launched within the ERASMUS+ SECUREU project.

The recording of the international scientific conference "Business Development Radar 2025" can be watched in Latvian or English on Turiba's Facebook page.

The conference also included a number of scientific sessions in various fields, including entrepreneurship, justice and security, communication, healthcare and information technology. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the latest academic research and practical solutions that can help entrepreneurs and policy makers to promote the development of the sector.