Precision Horticulture, Automation & CEA Demonstrations at the Latvian Digi-Garden Testbed
Time: 2-3 Oct, 2026
Place: Bulduri Technical School, Viestura iela 6, Jūrmala, LV-2010, Latvia
Sign up
Deadline Sept 10
The event is free of charge!
Bulduri Biotechnology Center invites you to a Field Day at Latvia’s Digi-Garden testbed, hosted at Bulduri Technical School in Jūrmala. The purpose is to showcase how precision agriculture and controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) are integrated with horticulture, nursery production, education and R&I, and to connect Nordic-Baltic testbed members, startups, end-users and advisors for joint testing and matchmaking. This is the first Nordic Testbed Network Field Day hosted in the Baltic region.
What to expect: hands-on demonstrations of sensing, automation, robotics and data-driven crop management; a startup corner with short pitches; a co-creation lab for joint test campaigns; and direct networking with growers and producers. An optional second day offers the Bulduri plant and crafts fair in the school park, with time to explore the seaside resort city of Jūrmala.
Target group: agri-/food-tech and bioeconomy startups (automation, sensors, robotics, lighting, decision support); end-users such as horticulture farms, nurseries, greenhouse and CEA operators; researchers and testbed managers (Nordic Testbed Network members); advisors and public-sector innovation intermediaries; and VET teachers, trainers and students in digital horticulture and STEM.
Practical information
Nordic Testbed Network members can apply for travel grants.
How to get there: about 15 minutes from Riga International Airport (RIX), ~30 minutes from central Riga, and a 20-minute walk from the Baltic Sea. MAP
Accommodation: we recommend the on-campus Hotel Ozols (favourable rates; indicate your needs when registering) or Semarah Hotel Lielupe.
Program
2 October, 2026
9:00 Welcome and coffee
9:30 Opening keynote, Testbeds introduction and networking coffee
10:30 Demo 1: Precision irrigation and fertigation: automatic irrigation and lighting control, subsurface capillary fertigation, monitoring and data logging
11:30 Demo 2: Field/lab phenotyping: phenotyping robot (navigation, imaging, trait extraction); data quality and interoperability
12:30 Lunch, startup corner (5-minute pitches / posters)
13:30 Project’s presentations, startup corner (5-minute pitches / posters)
14:00 Demo 3: CEA systems: aeroponics and hydroponics/NFT, environmental control and crop monitoring
15:00 Demo 4: Plant biotech: micropropagation and Temporary Immersion Bioreactors (TIB) for scalable propagation; quality control
16:00 Demo 5: Agrochemistry in Action: soil and plant-tissue analysis and ion chromatography to guide precision fertilization.
16:45 Wrap-up: next steps, joint call opportunities and evaluation
18:00-21.30 Transfer to Networking dinner at restaurant “Kūriņš”, Kauguri, Jurmala
3 October, 2026
Plant and crafts fair in the Bulduri Technical School park, networking with local growers and producers, and time to explore Jūrmala on the Baltic coast and Kemeri Mire
Contact
Anta Sparinska, Bulduri Biotechnology Center
anta.sparinska@bulduri.lv
The Nordic Testbed Network Roadshow
The Roadshow is a series of events held at various testbeds, aimed at engaging a target audience through presentations, demonstrations, and networking opportunities. The purpose is to connect the testbed members with relevant startups, end-users, other testbeds and other important stakeholders focusing on digitalisation in the bioeconomy sectors throughout the Nordic and Baltic region.