On Saturday, 23 March 2024, the traditional “OTHER BAZAAR” trade fair of Latvian student enterprises organised by the educational organisation “Junior Achievement Latvia” took place at the “Domina Shopping” mall, where the Latvian Patent Office awarded two enterprises - "BioVe" and "Kokmeistari" - in the category "Knowledge-based product/service".
270 best student enterprises from all over Latvia participated in the fair, offering goods and services in ten different categories, such as accessories and imitation jewellery, electrical goods and accessories, foodstuffs, IT solutions and products, souvenirs, home and interior design products, etc.
The enterprises' performance was evaluated by the jury including Director of the Latvian Patent Office Agris Batalauskis who was to determine the best enterprise in the category "Knowledge-based product/service". Having listened to the students’ stories about their products, the jury announced the winners:
- in the primary school group – "Kokmeistari" from Tukums Secondary School No. 2 for home and interior design items made of wood - games, candlesticks, bowls, meat boards and honey spoons;
- in the secondary school group – "BioVe" from Madona State Gymnasium for a sensor that uses acid and gas fluctuations to assess the freshness of food.
Awarding the winners, the Director of the Latvian Patent Office admitted that it was not an easy task to choose the best enterprise, because of the wide range of different goods and services offered by the young people who were very creative in setting up their businesses. However, the decisive factor was whether the outcome was knowledge-based. During the fair, its participants and visitors of the shopping mall could get a consultation at the Patent Office’s stand on the possibilities of protecting their intellectual property.