Latvian company “Carbon Less Future” reaches the finals of the prestigious European design award “DesignEuropa Awards 2026”
The Latvian company "Carbon Less Future", which has developed a unique and fully automated vertical growth container for cultivating tree seedlings, has been selected as one of the top three design works in Europe in the “Entrepreneurs and Small Companies” category. This year, the competition received a record number of applications – more than 1,600 design works from 52 countries, making the success of "Carbon Less Future" historically significant.
Today, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) officially announced the finalists for the European design award “DesignEuropa Awards 2026”. In the “Entrepreneurs and Small Companies” category, Latvia and the entire Baltic region will be represented by the company's product "CLF Growth Container", designed by Aivis Garais and Aigars Jacuks. The “CLF Growth Container” is a modular, decentralized system developed to support local tree cultivation. It provides controlled growing conditions regardless of external climate conditions, while simultaneously promoting environmental awareness and public engagement.
Company representatives emphasize: "We created this container with the idea that sustainability should be practical, visible, and easy to understand. It is not only a cultivation solution but also an environmental object that can help companies, cities, and governments grow trees, involve people, and create a visible impact. This achievement is a very important milestone because the 'DesignEuropa Awards' evaluate not only visual design but also functionality, innovation, usability, market impact, sustainability, and social value."
From LIAA business incubation support to international markets
The journey of "Carbon Less Future" to European recognition is closely linked to the local business support ecosystem. With a ready-made product prototype, the company entered the business incubation program of the Latvian Investment and Development Agency (LIAA) representative office in Gulbene. The mentoring, consultations, and strategic support available at the incubator helped the company refine its export strategy and focus on international markets. In cooperation with LIAA, the company has already managed to present its innovation at an international exhibition in Dubai, confirming immense interest from foreign clients. As the next step in its development, the company envisions integrating smart cameras and artificial intelligence tools into the container to fully automate the seedling monitoring process and minimize human involvement.
About "DesignEuropa Awards 2026" and the Announcement of Laureates
The professional jury selected the finalists based on the originality, functionality, aesthetic value, and sustainability of the works, which push the boundaries of their respective industries. The Latvian company will compete in the finals against contestants from Slovenia and Spain. The winners will be announced at the award ceremony in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on September 22, 2026, in cooperation with the Slovenian Intellectual Property Office. The ceremony will be broadcast live on EUIPO's official channels.