Since summer 2025, SSE Riga has been taking part in the international IMPACTWHEEL project, which is a two-year initiative uniting six universities, two intermediary organizations, and two innovation-driven companies from seven European countries.

At its core, IMPACTWHEEL helps universities turn ideas into real-world impact. The project’s goal is simple yet ambitious - to strengthen entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology transfer in higher education through a shared, practical methodology known as the Value Creation Wheel (VCW).

Running from April to December 2025, Phase 1 focused on building capacity, testing the Value Creation Wheel methodology, and laying the groundwork for deeper engagement with students, faculty, and staff.

 

Project Milestones in 2025

  • April–June 2025: The project officially kicked off in Portugal (participants pictured), partners aligned on objectives, and planning and co-creation of courses began.
  • July–September: Online sessions to refine training content and pilot course design.
  • October 2025 (at SSE Riga): Deliverable review and preparation of HEI engagement assessments.
  • December 2025 (Italy): KPI analysis, pilot finalization, and establishment of Quality & Ethics Committee.


Phase 1 impact and engagement with the target audience was very successful in terms of numbers.

  • 108 academic staff trained and mentored
  • 554 students trained and mentored
  • 110 non-academic staff trained and mentored
  • 13 start-ups supported
  • 1,400+ website visits and 300+ resource downloads


SSE Riga’s Role in IMPACTWHEEL

SSE Riga actively brought the VCW methodology to students, faculty, and staff:

Introduction to Entrepreneurship Course (for BSc students)
180+ students developed entrepreneurial skills via workshops, team projects, AI-assisted ideation, and final pitch presentations.

“From Lab to Market” Clinic (for academic staff and researchers)
Hands-on mentoring and workshops on turning research insights into market-ready solutions.

Marketing Skills for SMEs (for non-academic staff)
Practical training on customer understanding, value proposition design, and digital marketing.

These activities strengthened innovation, mentoring, and real-world impact across all university. Phase 1 has provided confidence, tested tools, and evidence needed to move forward into Phase 2, where IMPACTWHEEL will continue to scale its activities, strengthening universities as engines of innovation for students, staff, and society.
 

Learn more about IMPACTWHEEL

 

impactwheel

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