On December 14, Latvian export leaders and innovators were honored at the Export and Innovation Award 2022 ceremony at the renovated Riga Circus. According to the competition rules, prizes were awarded in 5 categories Export Newcomer, Export Leader, Export Champion, Innovation Champion and Most Exportable New Tourism Product. Two AmCham members are among expert leaders - Export Champion award went to Mikrotikls, a company whose value has exceeded one billion euros, and Export Leader to Latvijas Finieris.

Opening the ceremony of the Export and Innovation Awards, the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, emphasized that society benefits from companies that demand higher standards from themselves and their partners, that operate according to best practices and that value their people who dedicate knowledge, time and skills to help the company grow.

Two special awards were also presented during the event. The ‘Delfi’ Audience Choice Award went to ‘JA Travel’ from Liepāja, which won the readers' vote, with its product offering an authentic fishing experience and grilling of caught fish on the deck of a ship at sea. In the “Safe Exporter” category, the financial institution ‘Altum’ awarded the company ‘Valpro’.

Winners of the Export and Innovation Award 2022:

• Export Champion – Mikrotikls (telecommunications and technology company).
• Innovation Champion – LMT (telecommunications and technology company).
• Export Newcomer in the group of companies with an export turnover between 50 and 200 thousand euros – SMART AERO.
• Export Newcomer in the group of companies with an export turnover between 200 and 1 million euros – INT-SOL UNLIMITED.
• Export Newcomer in the group of companies with an export turnover from 1 million and above – KOHSEL.
• Export Leader in the knowledge-intensive bioeconomy in the woodworking sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – LATGRAN.
• Export Leader in the knowledge-intensive bioeconomy in the wood processing sector in the group of large enterprises – LATVIJAS FINIERIS.
• Export Leader in the knowledge-intensive bioeconomy – food manufacturing sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – KARAVELA.
• Export Leader in the knowledge-intensive bioeconomy – food manufacturing sector in the group of large enterprises – DOBELES DZIRNAVNIEKS.
• Export Leader in the biomedicine, medical technologies, pharmaceuticals sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – ICOTTON.
• Export Leader in the biomedicine, medical technologies, pharmaceuticals sector in the group of large enterprises – GRINDEKS.
• Export Leader in the photonics and smart materials, technologies and engineering systems sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – LIGHT GUIDE OPTICS INTERNATIONAL.
• Export Leader in the photonics and smart materials, technologies and engineering systems sector in the group of large enterprises – LEXEL FABRIKA.
• Export Leader in the smart energy and mobility sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – Liepāja Special Economic Zone company CALJAN.
• Export Leader in the smart energy and mobility sector in the group of large enterprises – BUCHER MUNICIPAL.
• Export Leader in the information and communication technologies sector in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises – ESTOTY.
• Export Leader in the information and communication technologies sector in the group of large enterprises – TIETO LATVIA.

In the category of the Most Exportable New Tourism Product in the group of small and medium-sized enterprises –Nepieradinātās naktsmītnes (Untamed Accommodation) and a sensory adventure in nature, Dont Panic in cooperation with Skudras Metropole (Ants Metropole).

In the category of the Most Exportable New Tourism Product in the group of associations, foundations, planning regions or local municipality governments: Museum ‘Madame Hoyer's Guest House’, a branch of the Liepaja City Municipal Institution ‘Liepaja Museum’, 17–19th century interior museum ‘Madame Hoyer's Guest House’.

The competition is organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) in cooperation with the Ministry of Economics, the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), the financial institution Altum and the Latvian Exporters Association ‘The Red Jackets’.

Source: LIAA