Latvia’s investment agency has registered investment projects worth a total of €887 million this year, according to its director Ieva Jāgere. The figure is almost 90% of the annual target of €1 billion, and the agency expects the target to be reached or potentially exceeded.
Registration is based on commitments and visible milestones
The Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) counts projects on the basis of investors’ promises to make specific investments in Latvia. For a project to be registered as successful, a company must be registered, the investor must have hired employees and the planned investment must have been announced publicly. This means the figure is an agency measure of projects meeting defined registration conditions, rather than a claim that every planned euro has already been spent. LIAA follows registered projects and assesses how far investors implement their plans.
Nineteen projects span 15 countries and priority sectors
LIAA has registered 19 successful projects from 15 countries. Investors from the Netherlands are currently the most active, with three projects, while Israel and Estonia have two each. Five projects concern digital technologies, one of the agency’s priorities. Energy systems account for four projects and sustainable bioeconomy for three. Jāgere said investors are putting money into sectors where LIAA works proactively with companies and investors, linking its investment-promotion activity to areas identified as priorities.
Economic effects may take years to become visible
LIAA bases the investment amount on information supplied by investors about assets and costs incurred in Latvia. Jāgere said not all investment is visible in companies’ annual reports because funds may arrive from parent companies or other group entities. She also cautioned that the value of a project should not be judged only by its investment size. An environmental impact assessment procedure can sometimes last three years, delaying the economic effects. Jobs can also matter: an international IT office might involve investment of a few hundred thousand euros while creating 20, 50 or 100 comparatively well-paid jobs.
US discussions point to possible defence supply-chain work
A recent visit to the United States focused on defence, bioeconomy and film. Economics Ministry state secretary Raivis Bremšmits said US companies were interested in replacing components made in China, creating potential opportunities for Latvian suppliers of batteries, communications and optical-fibre components. Discussions included Starlink, Anduril, Kratos Space and Qualcomm. Potential defence projects involving explosives, rocket artillery and drone components could represent almost €300 million in total investment and approximately €200 million in annual exports, although these are potential figures rather than completed projects.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Registered investment projects | 19 |
| Countries represented | 15 |
| Registered project value | €887 million |
| Annual target | €1 billion |
| Digital technology projects | 5 |
| Energy systems projects | 4 |
| Sustainable bioeconomy projects | 3 |
The investment amount is not the only measure of a project’s significance; its economic potential also matters, LIAA director Ieva Jāgere said.
WHY IT MATTERS
Investment-project totals can inform expectations about future business activity and public revenue, but registration is tied to investor commitments and milestones. Delivery may take time, particularly where environmental assessment is required, so the headline value should be read alongside implementation, jobs and economic potential.
Reported from pmo.ee, 2026-10-02. The Tender Wire is published by Otnox.
