Can your idea beat the clock? COUNTRIES COVERED: POLAND, GERMANY, LITHUANIA Five minutes can make or break a brilliant idea Five minutes. That’s all the time you have to convince a room full of strangers that your idea deserves a chance. For many students and young researchers, the hardest part isn’t necessarily inventing something new. It’s explaining why anyone should care. A brilliant idea can disappear in five minutes if the pitch falls flat. But what if those five minutes could be practised before they really matter? That’s where the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project BSR DeepTech Launch comes in. Partners from Poland, Germany and Lithuania created a pitching app that gives young STEM (mathematics, science, technology and engineering) innovators a chance to rehearse their presentations, receive instant feedback and refine their pitch until the message is clear, memorable and convincing to investors and partners. Because sometimes the difference between an idea staying in a notebook and becoming a business isn’t the idea itself. It’s knowing how to tell its story. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

Potatoes with Baltic passports COUNTRIES COVERED: LATVIA, ESTONIA, FINLAND Old potato varieties reveal the Baltic Sea region's shared history Some of the most valuable clues to the Baltic Sea region’s history are still growing in people’s gardens. Partners in the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project MainPotRe discovered that heritage potatoes preserved in Latvia, Estonia and Finland reveal stories about the region’s past. Using DNA analysis alongside historical records, the team compared potatoes from home gardens with samples held in Nordic gene banks. The results revealed some unexpected connections. Some Latvian potatoes turned out to be genetically identical to varieties found in Estonia, yet matched none of the known collections in the Nordic gene bank. Finnish potatoes, on the other hand, were genetically different from most Latvian and Estonian varieties, showing that potatoes have travelled across the Baltic Sea region for centuries, adapting to local conditions and becoming part of each country’s heritage. Long before modern transport connected the Baltic Sea region, potatoes were already making the journey. Today, preserving these heritage varieties means preserving the stories they still carry. Partners from Latvia, Estonia and Finland are working together to keep these unique potatoes in cultivation, protect biodiversity, support local food production and strengthen food security for future generations. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

When a bandage isn't enough COUNTRIES COVERED: SWEDEN, FINLAND, LATVIA, ESTONIA, POLAND, NORWAY / IN FOCUS: ESTONIA First Aid Kit for mental health When people think of first aid, they picture bandages, ice packs and emergency treatment. But one of the most important workplace emergencies often can’t be seen. Stress, burnout and other psychosocial risks affect millions of employees every year. That’s why the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project MentalHealthMatters has developed a different kind of First Aid Kit: a free digital tool that helps employers recognise risks early and build healthier workplaces before problems escalate. “The employer should find the motivation to tackle mental health at work. But we cannot rely on every employer acting proactively. We cannot rely on their inner motivation,” says Karin Reinhold, Associate Professor in the Management of Well-being at Work at Tallinn University of Technology. That is exactly the gap experts from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Norway, Poland and Sweden set out to close. An online First Aid Kit makes supporting mental well-being less daunting by offering practical, easy-to-use guidance for everyday workplaces, especially in smaller businesses. Today, the tool is already reaching the people it was designed for. In Estonia, it has been integrated into management and occupational safety education at Tallinn University of Technology, while the Labour Inspectorate actively recommends it to companies seeking guidance. The shared solution is also being adopted by universities and occupational safety organisations in Latvia and Finland, extending its impact across the region. It is a reminder that creating healthier workplaces does not always require sweeping reforms – sometimes it starts with giving people the confidence to take the first steps. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The invisible workplace safety COUNTRIES COVERED: SWEDEN, FINLAND, LATVIA, ESTONIA, POLAND, NORWAY / IN FOCUS: NORWAY Why labour inspectors are looking beyond physical hazards When labour inspectors visit a workplace, they usually look for visible hazards: unsafe machinery, missing protective equipment or dangerous working conditions. But what about stress, excessive workloads or isolation? In Trondheim, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority is helping broaden the understanding of workplace safety. Through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project MentalHealthMatters, they check how employers can better recognise and prevent psychosocial risks before they lead to burnout, long-term sickness absence or staff turnover. The work paid particular attention to Norway’s cleaning sector, where many employees work alone and migrant workers can face additional challenges. The Norwegian experience is part of a wider cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, involving labour authorities, researchers and occupational health experts from Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Poland and Sweden. By comparing national approaches and testing solutions in different workplace settings, partners developed practical guidance to help employers address mental wellbeing alongside physical safety. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

What if your city hall never closed? COUNTRIES COVERED: FINLAND, POLAND, LITHUANIA, LATVIA / IN FOCUS: POLAND Public services reimagined for a new digital era For many people, taking part in local decision-making ends where the paperwork begins. In Radom, Poland, that is changing. Using the AI-powered CITYA! platform, residents can explore planned investments, visualise projects and vote in the city’s participatory budgeting process: all from their phone or computer. The result is a simpler, more engaging way to connect people with the decisions shaping their neighbourhoods. CITYA! was developed through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project 3I Solutions for PS, bringing together municipalities and technology experts from Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. While Radom tested the platform for participatory budgeting, for example, Latvian Smiltene used it to enhance tourism services. By combining technological expertise with the everyday needs of local authorities, the partnership created a practical digital platform now inspiring other municipalities across the Baltic Sea region. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The murder in the library COUNTRIES COVERED: GERMANY, LATVIA, DENMARK, NORWAY / IN FOCUS: DENMARK How a murder mystery teaches students to search smarter At first glance, it looks like a crime game. But at the Copenhagen University Library, solving a fictional murder is helping students build a very real skill: finding relevant information. Developed through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project BALTIC UKH, an interactive game challenges players to identify a suspect using Boolean search techniques: the same methods researchers rely on to search academic databases. By turning information searching into a mystery, the library makes complex concepts easier to reach. The idea grew from a simple observation: students who struggle most with academic research are often the least likely to seek help. Instead of expecting them to come to the library, the library brought learning to them through an on-demand digital game, complemented by informal 20-minute talks on practical research skills. The approach reflects the wider ambition of the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project BALTIC UKH. Bringing together partners from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, and Norway, the project is reimagining libraries across the Baltic Sea region as inclusive knowledge hubs where learning, digital literacy, and reliable information are shaped around people’s needs rather than traditional formats. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The giraffe in hospital COUNTRIES COVERED: FINLAND, POLAND, SWEDEN / IN FOCUS: FINLAND<br /> How a virtual app prepares children for real-life hospital visits A hospital visit can be filled with uncertainty. But for many children at Tyks Lighthouse Hospital in Turku, Finland, it is no longer the case. Before they even arrive, a friendly animated giraffe guides them on a virtual tour of the hospital, introducing them to the people, rooms and procedures they will encounter. “It’s funny, interesting, amusing – it’s fun to use!” say young patients, who arrive feeling less anxious and more confident about what lies ahead. The playful Mobile Hospital app is the result of joint work of project partners in Finland, Poland and Sweden through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme. The app presents different hospital scenarios, such as pneumonia, a broken leg or diabetes, and explains in a simple, child-friendly way what young patients can expect – with the cheerful giraffe as their guide. By making the hospital feel more familiar, the app helps children and parents in Finland, Poland and Sweden prepare for a visit, while making it easier for healthcare professionals to provide care in a calmer and more reassuring environment. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

Can a boat save a lake? COUNTRIES COVERE: LATVIA, ESTONIA, SWEDEN, LITHUANIA / IN FOCUS: LATVIA, SWEDEN 500 kilometres to carry a solution Lake Velnezers in Riga, a popular recreation area, was turning greener and murkier every year. An excess of nutrients trapped in the lakebed was fuelling algae blooming. But it was more than an aesthetic problem: in winter 2024, the lake suffered a major fish kill as oxygen levels plummeted. The solution for this eutrophic lake came from Sweden. Through the Interreg project Trust ALUM, a specially designed Swedish boat brought a restoration method that has been improving water quality in Swedish lakes for decades. Over three days, 12 tonnes of aluminium salts were precisely applied to the lakebed, while water quality was monitored every hour. The treatment permanently bound phosphorus in the sediments, preventing it from feeding new algae blooms. Within just a month, water clarity improved from 0.7 metres to 2.6 metres, and within a year, phosphorus concentrations dropped by over 75%. This pilot activity did more than help restore one lake. It showed that proven solutions can travel across borders. “Applying new, innovative methods to improve the environment is both exciting and essential for protecting our natural resources,” said Mārcis Zariņš from Riga City Council. The demonstration also resonated beyond Latvia. “The achievements of Trust ALUM in Latvia will inspire the continuation of such activities in other Baltic countries,” said Vaiva Ramanauskienė from the Environmental Centre for Administration and Technology in Lithuania. Throughout the project, authorities and practitioners from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden worked together to build confidence in the method and learn how it could be applied in different national contexts. The impact of transnational cooperation is already visible – from cleaner water in Lake Velnezers to Latvia taking steps to officially recognise ALUM treatment as a lake restoration measure. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

Can 150 people save a coastline? COUNTRIES COVERED: GERMANY, DENMARK, LATVIA / IN FOCUS: LATVIA<br /> Preparing Baltic coastlines for the climate challenges ahead Every wave in the Baltic Sea reaches its 8,000 kilometres of coastline. Beaches, dunes, harbours and coastal towns have shaped life here for generations. Today, rising sea levels, stronger storms, erosion and heatwaves – driven by climate change – are reshaping this coastline instead. In the picturesque coastal town of Saulkrasti, Latvia, just 17 kilometres of coastline became the starting point for change. The municipality invited more than 150 local residents, entrepreneurs and decision-makers to jointly envision what their coast should look like in 2050: from a sanctuary of nature to a year-round tourist destination. Based on these visions, and with the support of scientists and environmental and tourism experts from Latvia and Germany, Saulkrasti developed its own climate adaptation plan. This action plan is part of a broader framework developed through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region BEACH-SOS project to help coastal municipalities like Saulkrasti become more climate-resilient and economically thriving, while protecting their coastlines. Grounded in 25 practical measures, the BEACH-SOS framework helps coastal communities in Denmark, Germany and Latvia better understand and respond to risks such as erosion, sea-level rise, sand temperature, and beach biodiversity. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

Hacking school lunches COUNTRIES COVERED: ESTONIA, LITHUANIA, LATVIA, FINLAND / IN FOCUS: LITHUANIA<br /> Who knew paperwork could taste this good?<br /> Forget celebrity chefs and new recipes. The biggest change to school lunches starts long before anyone enters the kitchen. Lithuania’s Vilnius District Municipality used dynamic food procurement to directly connect local organic cooperatives with kindergartens and primary schools, bringing fresh local produce straight to children’s plates. Through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project Circular FoodShift, partners from Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania worked together to rethink school food systems and find ways to make it more sustainable: from modernising public procurement and training chefs to embedding circular food principles into culinary education. The result in Lithuania shows how learning across borders can easily turn a procurement decision into healthier lunches and new opportunities for local producers. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The compost lesson COUNTRIES COVERED: FINLAND, GERMANY, POLAND, LITHUANIA / IN FOCUS: POLAND<br /> How yesterday’s leftovers become tomorrow’s harvest - right in a school garden At a primary school in Gdańsk, Poland, that’s exactly what’s happening. Instead of throwing away food scraps, 40 pupils from Primary School No. 61 teamed up with a local farmer to transform 2,000 litres of organic waste into hot compost. By tracking temperature and moisture, they turned food waste into fertile soil that now nourishes the school’s garden with potato beds, experiencing first-hand the full journey from plate to compost – and back to food. The idea reaches far beyond one school garden. Through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project FoodLoops, schools, municipalities, farmers and caterers across Finland, Germany, Lithuania and Poland are rethinking what happens after lunch. By putting circular food systems into practice, they’re not only cutting food waste but also showing children that sustainability can start with something as ordinary as a potato peel. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The rhythm of energy COUNTRIES COVERED: LATVIA, FINLAND, SWEDEN / IN FOCUS: SWEDEN How art helps people see their everyday energy habits in a new way What does electricity sound like? In Malmö, Sweden, people found out through an unusual experiment. Small sensors installed in homes recorded their nighttime electricity use, with every half watt of energy translated into sound. The result was a 10-hour composition that revealed the hidden rhythms of everyday life. By listening to the sounds of their own consumption, people could reflect on how small, often unnoticed actions add up over time. For Region Skåne, this experiment demonstrated the value of working differently “to step outside the usual rules of public administration and confront the urgent challenge of energy with fresh eyes,” said Maria Lindblom, Developer at the Department of Culture, Region Skåne. The Malmö pilot activity was one of several creative experiments initiated by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region project CCI4Change. In Finland and Latvia, other artistic approaches showed how local authorities and cultural and creative professionals can combine their expertise to inspire people to reduce energy consumption and rethink their everyday behaviour. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

The Baltic on two wheels COUNTRIES COVERED: FINLAND, SWEDEN, POLAND, ESTONIA / IN FOCUS: SWEDEN<br /> The cycling route for your bucket list EuroVelo 10 stretches more than 9,000 km around the Baltic Sea, weaving together coastlines, archipelagos, sandy beaches, harbours and picturesque towns. Yet in Sweden, much of this remarkable route has remained largely unknown, even as interest in cycling tourism reaches new heights. That’s where the Interreg Baltic Sea Region BAB project stepped in. By assessing more than 630 km of the Swedish route through a cyclist’s eyes – from road surfaces and signage to places to eat, stay and explore – the project identified practical improvements and revealed the route’s tourism potential. It also strengthened links between transport and tourism organisations across borders, helping Sweden become a recognised cycling destination. Sweden did not work alone. Through BAB, partners from Estonia, Finland, Poland and Sweden shared their experience in developing cycling routes, visitor services and route promotion towards making EuroVelo 10 a seamless cycling experience across the entire Baltic Sea region. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH

Deliveries back on track! COUNTRIES COVERED: GERMANY, POLAND, SWEDEN / IN FOCUS: GERMANY<br /> Screening rail sites for future urban logistics hubs Not every delivery needs a truck. In Berlin, the city is working to move more freight by rail, bringing goods closer to where they are needed instead of stopping at the city limits. Together with partners from Poland and Sweden, Berlin developed practical tools to help plan and reactivate urban rail freight hubs, making last-mile deliveries more efficient while reducing road traffic and emissions. Berlin already has a well-functioning inner-city freight terminal at Westhafen and is developing another hub at Südhafen in Spandau. Thanks to the Interreg Baltic Sea Region UrbFRail project, the city now uses a screening tool to identify further suitable locations and a development tool to guide their (re)activation. These practical tools support better planning and decision-making in Berlin and can also help other cities across the Baltic Sea region make better use of rail for sustainable urban freight transport. © Picture generated by AI / prompt by IB.SH