Strengthening Capacity Together
My Reflections from the DistanceLAB Project
Over the past months, I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the incredible team behind the DistanceLAB project, funded by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme. What started as a professional engagement quickly became a personal journey—one that deepened my appreciation for how collaboration, adaptability, and curiosity can shape the future of work.
Listening First: Stakeholders at the Heart
From the beginning, we focused on listening. We reached out to stakeholders across the region—business support organizations, universities, public authorities, and small enterprises—people who are navigating real challenges in remote work and digital transformation. Each conversation taught us something new. It reminded me that solutions aren’t built in isolation—they’re built through dialogue, trust, and shared ambition.
The Tools We Shared (and Co-Created)
As we engaged with our network, we introduced several key tools designed to support remote collaboration and strategic growth:
- DIS (Distance Soft Interaction Skills) Tool – A practical self-assessment that helps individuals and teams reflect on how they connect and communicate remotely.
- Communication & Innovation Pilots – Structured methods to foster online collaboration between startups, researchers, and institutions.
- Sustainability & Development Pilots – Resources that support greener, more responsible ways of working—even at a distance.
- Remote Business Strategy Pilots – Tools that help organizations design adaptive, long-term strategies for digital business environments.
Sharing these tools wasn’t just about training—it was about sparking ideas, co-creating improvements, and building momentum together.
Looking Ahead
What I value most about DistanceLAB is the sense of community we’re building. We’re not just delivering solutions—we’re inviting people in, encouraging them to shape these tools with us, and helping organizations build real resilience.
Remote work is here to stay, but it doesn’t have to feel distant. With the right approach, it can be more connected, creative, and human than ever before.
If you’re working on similar challenges or curious to learn more, I’d love to hear from you. This is just the beginning—and the more we share, the stronger we all become.
About the writer
Uldis Fridrihsbergs, Digitalisation Expert at the EDIC (European Digital Innovation Centre) for the Kurzeme Region, and representative of the DistanceLAB project from Latvia.
I am interested in the digitalisation of internal business processes and remote work opportunities.
Contact: uldis.fridrihsbergs(at)vatp.lv
