# Latvia Opens Defence Innovation Centre

Latvia’s Ministry of Defence established the Autonomous Centre about 18 months ago to let military personnel and industry collaborate on defence innovation and intellectual property before a contract is in play. Participation does not disqualify firms from later competitions. The Centre is not a tender or funded award, but it signals Latvia’s interest in flexible industry engagement, interoperable data-centric command-and-control systems, and system-accreditation expertise.

- Companies should distinguish this early collaboration model from a funded procurement: the signal identifies no active solicitation or award.
- Defence firms can assess whether their interoperable command-and-control capabilities or system-accreditation expertise align with the needs indicated by the initiative.
- Because participation does not bar later competition, interested firms may evaluate early engagement while reviewing the Centre’s intellectual-property arrangements before sharing proprietary material.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Digital Infrastructure
**Published:** October 09, 2026

### Government Entities
- Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia
- Autonomous Centre
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- NATO Multinational Division North

### Sources
- [Latvia builds a safe space for defence innovators](https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/latvia-builds-a-safe-space-for-defence-innovators) - UK Defence Journal