“VitraLux” to Represent Latvia in the European BISC-E Final

On May 7, 2026, the team VitraLux won the Latvian final of the Bio-based Innovations Student Challenge Europe (BISC-E), earning the opportunity to represent Latvia in the European competition. The team’s idea was selected by the jury as the strongest among the national finalists and will now compete with teams from 18 European countries in the first round of the European final.

The VitraLux team consists of Anna Rēzija Āboltiņa, Daniela Kūla, and Ričards Varens. As part of the competition, they developed portable lighting objects made from recyclable bio-based vitrimer polymer, combining sustainable material innovation with sleep-supportive lighting design. The project aims to create a calmer evening environment while reducing the use of fossil-based plastics in lighting products. 

In preparation for the competition, the team was mentored by leading researchers from the Polymer Laboratory of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC): PhD Anda Fridrihsone, PhD Miķelis Kirpļuks, and researcher Mg. chem. Arnis Āboliņš, as well as Ilze Gūtmane, Scientific Assistant at the RTU Institute of Architecture and Design. They supported the team in strengthening the scientific foundation of the idea, developing the prototype, and preparing for the national final presentation.

“The VitraLux concept stood out for its innovation on a global scale, as vitrimers are an advanced and emerging class of polymers that has not yet been commercialised. The VitraLux team successfully combined the use of sustainable materials with a function that contributes to human well-being. Importantly, VitraLux is not just an idea – the team has already developed its first prototype. It is an excellent example of how bioeconomy innovations can become part of our everyday lives,” noted the team’s mentor, LSIWC Leading Researcher Anda Fridrihsone.

The teams’ ideas and presentations were evaluated by an international jury consisting of:

• Nelo Emerencia (Bio-based Industries Consortium (BIC));
• Henrique Rasera Raniro (EU Bioeconomy Youth Ambassador, University of Copenhagen);
• Ance Plavniece (Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry);
• Vladimirs Biziks (Surfactor Germany GmbH).

This year marked the fifth edition of the BISC-E competition in Latvia, bringing together student teams with innovative bioeconomy-based ideas. Two teams participated in the final – VitraLux and PLA-FiberLoop – presenting their innovation projects and pitch presentations to the jury. The evaluation considered not only the scientific and practical quality of the ideas, but also their potential for development into real business ventures.

Particularly valuable support for the teams came from BISC-E coordinator Nelo Emerencia, who provided participants with useful recommendations and insights from the perspective of the European competition organisers. The organisers also express their gratitude to Dr. Vladimirs Biziks and Surfactor Germany GmbH for their practical and professional support in organising the competition.