Jānis Vītoliņš, the 1^st vice-chairperson of Ventspils city council and vice-chairperson of Ventspils Free Port Authority, explained that Ventspils High Technology Park (VHTP) was founded within a project financed by PHARE programme.

The initiator and leading partner of this project was Ventspils local government. Project’s partners were – Ventspils University College, Riga Technical University, Latvian Electrical Engineering and Electronics Industry Association, the local government of Ogre county. Within the project we created infrastructure for the Technology Park in the Ventspils Free Port, in the intersection of Kaiju and Celtnieku Street, and purchased equipment for launching the Electronics study programme at Ventspils University College. Among the founders of VHTP were Ventspils Free Port Authority and Ventspils University College. Technology Park offers premises and services for entrepreneurs, and attracts export-oriented investors in the fields of high technology thus developing high value production.     

One of the first strategic leaseholders was Ltd. Hanzas elektronika, which is one of the leading companies in the field of electronics in Latvia, creating a subsidiary company in VHTP - Ltd. Ventspils Electronics Factory (VEF). Currently, VEF is successfully carrying out its activity, and provides jobs for inhabitants of Ventspils and professional practice for students, in the following year is planed further expansion. The Technology Park leases premises to other companies and Engineering Research Center of Ventspils University College as well.

VHTP together with free port actively works on attracting new investors. Currently, negotiations are carried out with investors from Sweden and Spain that plan to create new production units in the territory of VHTP in two year time.

In order to implement city’s development programme and coordinate different fields, a few years ago the Ventspils Technology Development Board was created, having  the status of consultative institution. The Board is composed of representatives of Ventspils City Council, Ventspils Free Port Authority, Ventspils High Technology Park, Ventspils University College, Ventspils Vocational Secondary School, and several companies. Ilmārs Osmanis, the Chairperson of the Board of Ventspils Electronics Factory, is The Head of the Board. Creation of the Board leaded to collaboration that provides necessary development in infrastructure, study programmes, marketing, and effective use of investment.

Photo: Ventas Balss

Full article: http://www.ventasbalss.lv/news/read/6971