B-Space Incubation Programme concludes with Demo Day

Photos: Courtesy of RSU

On 12 June, the RSU B-Space business incubator held its final event of the 2024/2025 incubation programme – Demo Day – at the Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) Innovation Centre. During the event, five incubation programme teams and one vertically integrated project team presented their developed business ideas to a jury of experts.

First place and the main prize of 2,500 EUR for further development was awarded to the team PalLink, whose digital solution is designed to significantly ease the daily workload of medical professionals by enabling real-time access to patient data and supporting faster clinical decision-making.

At Demo Day, the teams’ ideas were evaluated by Indra Treija, Director of the RSU Academic Affairs Department; Kristīne Blumfelde-Rutka, Lecturer at the RSU Faculty of Social Sciences; Līga Žūka, Director of the RSU Innovation Centre; Mārtiņš Pakalniņš, Senior Project Manager at the Investment Promotion Division of the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency; and Anda Penka, Founder of the startup Fermentful.

PalLink: a digital alternative to mountains of paperwork

PalLink’s digital solution harnesses artificial intelligence and a custom-built algorithm to allow medical staff real-time access to patients’ clinical data. This technology aims to accelerate the decision-making process while also reducing the administrative burden. This autumn, the team plans to launch a pilot project at the Children’s Clinical University Hospital to test the algorithm in practice. According to the team, the current healthcare system in Latvia still heavily relies on paper documentation and manual workflows, which hinder efficiency and impact the quality of patient care.

The winning team, PalLink

‘In an ideal care model, one healthcare specialist manages two patients at a time. In Latvia, this number can sometimes exceed 80 – resulting in burnout, long waiting lists, and delayed treatment decisions. Our goal is to develop a digital solution that integrates artificial intelligence and an evidence-based algorithm to

help doctors more effectively monitor patient recovery, reduce administrative overload, and enhance the overall patient experience,’ the team explains.

The PalLink team consists of three RSU medical students and an IT industry specialist. The team was formed during the EIT Health i-Days hackathon, where the initial concept – a unified digital tool for children palliative care – was developed. Throughout the incubation programme, the team conducted in-depth research into hospital operations, shadowing nurses and analysing real-life workflows to increase the scope of the solution and ensure it’s applicable within the everyday healthcare environment.

TackStore: promoting equestrian sport in Latvia

TackStore received second place and a 1,500 EUR prize for their idea – an e-commerce platform tailored for equestrian sports enthusiasts.

The platform offers a wide range of affordable, high-quality tack and equipment, paired with value-added services designed to improve riders’ understanding of how gear affects horses’ well-being and performance.

The team TackStore and Indra Treija, Director of the RSU Academic Affairs Department (first from the left)

In addition to online shopping, the platform will offer on-site consultations at stables, helping riders select equipment best suited to individual horse’s needs. This includes precise selection of the bit – one of the most important components of the bridle – which plays a critical role in the horse’s comfort, responsiveness, and long-term health.

TackStore will also provide educational masterclasses and lectures, especially useful for young riders, trainers, and equine care professionals. Team representative Anastasija shared that the idea is rooted in her personal experience and childhood dream of becoming an Olympic equestrian, as well as a strong desire to foster equestrian sports culture in Latvia.

CookingLab: personalised nutrition solutions for the workplace

CookingLab, which took third place and received a 1,000 EUR prize, offers an innovative approach to workplace wellness through personalised healthy eating solutions. The team, consisting of two RSU nutrition science students, has developed a service combining on-site cooking workshops with customised nutritional planning.

Team CookingLab

Prior to each session, the team conducts an assessment of participants’ current eating habits to design tailored meal plans and dietary recommendations for employees. During the workshops, participants learn how to prepare healthier and more cost-effective meals and receive digital recipes and practical guidance to help sustain improved habits over time.

CookingLab emphasises that unhealthy eating habits can significantly impact employee well-being, productivity, and motivation, while many currently available workplace nutrition solutions are too general or unsustainable in the long term.

Their approach offers a flexible, science-based alternative adapted to the specific needs of each organisation.

B-Space – a key part of RSU’s innovation ecosystem

The B-Space incubation programme has been running for five consecutive years, providing RSU students, staff, and alumni with opportunities to acquire foundational entrepreneurial knowledge and to develop their ideas with the support of experienced mentors. Participants gain practical skills in business model development, market analysis, legal structuring, and presentation techniques.

Innovation is one of the strategic priorities of RSU, and B-Space plays an essential role in fostering this direction. By encouraging student entrepreneurship and offering a safe environment for experimentation and growth, RSU continues to support the development of future leaders in health, science, and society.