The first regional intellectual property (IP) Youth Camp in the Baltic States brought together thirty-two young innovators from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in Ratnieki, Latvia, from August 19 to 22, 2025. The camp was organized by the WIPO Academy, the Patent Office of the Republic of Latvia, the Estonian Patent Office, and the State Patent Bureau of the Republic of Lithuania.
The four-day residential camp focused on creativity, innovation, IP, and entrepreneurship. Participants learned how IP helps protect ideas, encourages creativity, and supports the journey from an idea to a finished product. The camp provided a shared space for learning, teamwork, and exchange among young people from the three countries.
Young innovators learn to link creativity and IP
The program followed a learn-as-you-play format that combined design thinking, problem-solving, and entrepreneurship exercises. Participants explored how IP supports innovation through practical hands-on learning.
Sessions included:
- a copyright challenge where participants reimagined Baltic poems and stories to create something new, learning how copyright protects creative work and gives credit to authors;
- a biomimicry exploration where participants studied how nature solves challenges such as how plants store water or how insects build strong structures and used those lessons to design new ideas for products or systems; and
- an entrepreneurship challenge that took teams from an idea to a market plan, showing how IP tools such as patents and trademarks can help develop ideas into real projects.
Group discussions and case examples of Baltic innovations illustrated how IP can be used from the early stages of idea generation through product preparation.
Strengthening regional innovation and collaboration
Sessions also examined innovation priorities relevant to the Baltic region, including sustainability, environmental protection, digital development, and creative industries. Participants worked in mixed teams representing all three countries and shared approaches to addressing these themes.
Participants present innovation projects
The 2025 Baltic Regional IP Youth Camp concluded with participants presenting innovation projects to experts from the three national IP offices. The presentations summarized what was learned about IP in creative and business contexts. The event formed part of the ongoing cooperation between the Baltic IP offices and the WIPO Academy to strengthen regional youth learning initiatives.
What participants are saying?
The Regional IP Youth Camp in Ratnieki exceeded all my expectations — it was an unforgettable experience filled with learning, creativity, and collaboration. I discovered that creativity is a skill that can be developed, and that even complex challenges can be solved with simple, innovative ideas. The sessions truly transformed the way I think about design, invention, and intellectual property. As an Industrial Design student, I gained valuable practical knowledge on how to protect my ideas and creations. I would highly recommend this camp to anyone eager to grow both personally and professionally.