World class
talents
Enterprising, open to new ideas, drivers of change, and creative – that’s how investors describe Lithuania’s talent. And it is the country’s talent pool that has been the main driver in Lithuania’s growing community of foreign direct investment.
Stellar success in science
Lithuania’s science and innovation ecosystem is driven by world-class researchers whose discoveries are transforming global industries — from gene editing to biotechnology and neuroscience.
Among Lithuania’s most prominent innovators is Professor Virginijus Šikšnys of Vilnius University — one of the key figures behind the groundbreaking CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology. This discovery has revolutionized the life sciences, enabling precise DNA modification and opening new pathways for advanced cancer treatments. For his achievements, Professor Šikšnys received the prestigious Kavli Prize in 2018, underscoring Lithuania’s contribution to global biotech progress.
Equally influential is Professor Vladas Algirdas Bumelis, a leading force in biotechnology and the founder of Bio City Vilnius — a €7 billion project that will become Europe’s largest biotechnology campus. With more than 30 patents and inventions in use worldwide, Professor Bumelis is helping shape Lithuania’s position as a major European hub for life sciences and pharmaceutical innovation.
The next generation of Lithuanian researchers is already building on this strong foundation. Dr Urtė Neniškytė, a neuroscientist at Vilnius University, investigates how the brain develops and adapts — research that earned her international recognition as one of the world’s most promising young female scientists. In 2024, she secured a €2 million European Research Council grant to explore the brain’s “sugar code,” further strengthening Lithuania’s reputation for cutting-edge research.
Another rising talent, Dr Ieva Plikusienė, was honored with the L’Oréal-UNESCO Rising Talent Award for her research into SARS-CoV-2 protein–antibody interactions — contributing to global understanding of infectious diseases and advancing Lithuania’s expertise in molecular biophysics.
Together, these exceptional scientists embody Lithuania’s dynamic spirit of innovation. Their breakthroughs are shaping the future of biotechnology, medicine, and neuroscience — and proving that Lithuania is not just keeping pace with global science, but helping to lead it.
A younger generation gaining global recognition
Lithuanian students are the world’s future co-creators demonstrating their creativity and professionalism at a very young age. In 2022, Meda Surdokaitė’s research won first place in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in the Netherlands. Meda participated in the contest with her chemistry research ‘Optimising the synthesis of the fluorescent dye Nile Red’. The young scientist’s optimised production methods enable her to avoid previously utilised toxic materials, thereby resulting in greater accessibility, applicability, and safer handling.
Our robotics teams continue to prove their brilliance on the global stage, demonstrating skill, determination, and a commitment to excellence. In October 2022, the Lithuanian team, alongside partners from Belize, Switzerland, and Botswana, triumphed at the FIRST Global Challenge of the World Robotics Olympiad in Geneva, showcasing outstanding programming expertise and problem-solving abilities. This success was followed by another remarkable achievement at the European Robotics Championship FIRST Tech Challenge in Italy, where “Lituanica – Vilnius Lyceum Robotics” earned a prestigious spot in the World Championship in the USA.
In the robot games category, “Lituanica PlumBum” and Kaunas Jesuit Gymnasium’s “LitBot”, together with a Romanian partner team, secured victory, while “Lituanica X” and their partners claimed second place. But beyond competition, “Lituanica X” and “LitBot” showed that values matter more than victories. By refusing to collaborate with the Russian team in several matches, they sent a powerful message of solidarity with Ukraine.