On Wednesday, 22 April, the winners of the Latvian Intellectual Property Awards “Trademark of the Year 2025” and “Visionary” were honoured at a special awards ceremony. The awards were presented to recognise Latvian entrepreneurs and institutions that respect and make use of the advantages offered by the system of intellectual property protection, as well as for their contribution to the development of intellectual property field at both national and international levels.
Overall, three Latvian Intellectual Property Awards were presented – “Trademark of the Year for Latvia”, “Trademark of the Year for the European Union”, and “Visionary”.
The winners of the “Trademark of the Year 2025” award were determined among 30 trademarks nominated by an expert commission of the Latvian Patent Office. The trademarks selected at the beginning of 2025 were assessed by a second-round jury composed of experts from the Latvian Patent Office, the European Union Intellectual Property Office, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Latvian Designers’ Society, the Register of Enterprises, VSIA Latvian Public Media, and the basketball club Rīgas Zeļļi.
Director of the Latvian Patent Office Agris Batalauskis stressed that the Intellectual Property Awards are about creativity, courage and the ability to look beyond the present day. It is gratifying to see that there are people who perceive intellectual property as more than merely a complex, legal and formal registration process. There are companies that use registration of intellectual property as a support instrument for further growth, allowing them to feel more confident in both national and international markets. Entrepreneurs increasingly recognise its value in business development, and it is important to remember that every idea has value – but a protected idea has even greater value.
The award in the category “Trademark of the Year for the European Union” was given to the word trademark “PERKONS ENERGY” owned by SIA Perkons Energy. The award was presented by Sven Stürmann, President of the EUIPO Boards of Appeal.
Mr. Stürmann emphasised that in today’s world, ideas, brands and creativity are among our most valuable assets and protecting them is an essential prerequisite for turning inspiration into sustainable success. Trademark registration is an integral stage in business development. It reflects entrepreneurs’ growing awareness that taking care of intellectual property is not a one-time action, but a deliberate and forward‑looking investment that builds recognition, trust and resilience in an increasingly competitive market.
The award in the category “Trademark of the Year for Latvia” was given to the figurative trademark of SIA VAIDAVA CERAMICS.
The award was presented to the company by Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa‑Egnere, who stated that in today’s economy, intellectual property is an important basis for development. It helps protect creative ideas, promotes fair competition and encourages the creation of new and bold solutions. The role of the state is to ensure a clear and stable environment in which these ideas can grow and become successful. The award winners and nominees are truly inspiring – they demonstrate that protected and purposefully developed ideas become a powerful economic driver.
In cooperation with the LSM Latvian Public Media portal, a public vote was organised for the second consecutive year to determine which of the 30 trademarks deserved recognition. The European Union registered figurative trademark of SIA Skrīveru saldumi received the highest number of votes and the Public Choice Award.
A number of trademarks registered in 2025 also received Special Recognition Awards. The award of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was presented to the trademark “RORA” of the company Liepkalni. The award of the basketball club Rīgas Zeļļi was given to the figurative trademark of the company CENTRS – MANS PSIHOLOGS. The Register of Enterprises presented its award to the trademark owned by the company BeTRITON and having the same name. The Latvian Designers’ Society gave its prize to the trademark “VEF Kvartāls”, while the Latvian National Group of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property presented its award to the company VAIDAVA CERAMICS.
The “Visionary” award was presented to the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia. The institute received the highest score from the jury out of nine applicants, who were evaluated in two rounds – first by assessing the information and justification provided in the applications, and subsequently by meeting with the three applicants who had received the highest scores in the first round.
The jury comprised experts from the Latvian Patent Office, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Riga Technical University, the Central Statistical Bureau, the Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, the Latvian Council of Science, and the news portal Delfi.
Photo: Kristaps Hercs
