Latvian-Developed Acoustic Intelligence Solution to Represent the Country at the International EUDIS Defence Final

From May 9 to 11, Latvia hosted its first EUDIS Defence Hackathon at RTU Rezekne Academy, where 17 teams developed solutions based on real defence sector needs. The winning team, EchoSentinel, created an artificial intelligence-based system capable of detecting potential battlefield threats within just 48 hours.

The Latvian team will now represent the country in the EUDIS international finals, competing against innovations from Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.

Winners and Prizes

1. EchoSentinel (€5000) – An AI-powered acoustic intelligence prototype designed for complex combat conditions.
2. GhostNet (€3000) – A modular, portable surveillance system using LoRa networks.
3. AiSAT (€2000) – A satellite-based situational awareness platform.

Special prizes were awarded by LMT Defence and the Latvian National Guard to ActionWise and Thunder Point / Pērkonpunkts, respectively, for their solutions aimed at strengthening civilian resilience and creating an open-source RF sensor system.

Innovation Beyond the Capital

Hosting the event in Rezekne marked an important step in integrating Latvia’s regions into national defence and technology innovation. Participants included both local students and experienced engineers, supported by over 30 mentors — industry professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs.

“The EUDIS Hackathon demonstrates that Latvia not only has strong technical and academic capabilities, but also a genuine drive to create practical solutions for European security,” emphasized Elīna Miķelsone, Head of the Design Factory at the RTU Science and Innovation Centre.

About the Hackathon

EUDIS Defence Latvia was organized by the RTU Science and Innovation Centre in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence, LMT Defence, the Latvian National Guard, and industry partners including SIA Belss, SIA Baltic Photonics, the 3rd Latgale Brigade of the National Guard, the 32nd Infantry Battalion, the National Guard Innovation Centre, and UniLab.

The EUDIS Defence Hackathon is part of a broader European initiative aimed at fostering sustainable defence technology development and strengthening collaboration among governments, industry, and academia.