Last Saturday, August 29, at the Būtent! festival, we came together for a discussion on what happens between a great research idea and a real-world solution.
Lithuania has strong science, talented researchers and no shortage of promising ideas. Yet turning these ideas into technologies, businesses and solutions that benefit society requires more than a single laboratory or organisation.
The discussion brought together researchers from different fields and generations, representatives of the innovation ecosystem and business. We explored what helps innovation move forward, where promising ideas most often get stuck on their journey to the market, and why collaboration across different competences and organisations is essential for creating greater impact. One of the key takeaways was clear:
Innovation is not only about having great ideas — it is about connecting those ideas with the right expertise, infrastructure, business partners and real societal needs.
This is also where the role of the RTO Lithuania network becomes particularly important: bringing together research and technology organisations, connecting expertise, and creating solutions whose impact can go beyond what any single organisation could achieve alone.
A big thank you to all the panellists and the Būtent! festival team for an open and inspiring conversation — and for creating space to explore an important question:
What does Lithuania need to ensure that more ideas born here become technologies, businesses and solutions that make a real difference to society?