Latvian company “Carbon Less Future” has won the “Entrepreneurs and Small Companies” category at the DesignEuropa Awards 2026 for its innovative “CLF Growth Container” – a solution for growing tree seedlings in a controlled environment that enables trees to grow regardless of climatic conditions.
The tree-growing containers are automated and can be installed in a wide range of environments, helping trees grow in places where they would not normally thrive, including various urban areas. Company founders Aivis Garais and Aigars Jacuks explain:
“Our motto is to grow forests in cities. You could even send it to the Moon and trees would still grow inside it.”
Growing and regenerating forests depends to a large extent on suitable environmental conditions. The system developed by “Carbon Less Future” makes it possible to fully control the growth of tree seedlings within the container. Light, temperature and humidity are regulated to create optimal growing conditions for the seedlings.
The DesignEuropa Awards jury recognised that the design is closely linked to the idea of sustainability and the future of the planet. The company offers a solution to the challenge of declining forest areas while also allowing passers-by to observe the process of seedlings growing. The product is suitable for situations where sufficient light for growing plants is unavailable for extended periods. Moreover, the solution is not intended solely for trees – it also opens up new opportunities in horticulture. As Aigars Jacuks says:
“The purpose of the container is certainly to create something visible that can benefit nature while also engaging the people around it.”
Company CEO Aivis Garais explains:
“The capacity of our containers means that we can grow approximately 30,000 seedlings in a single cycle. Over the course of one year, we can grow around 120,000 seedlings, which is enough to plant an area of approximately 60 hectares.”
“Carbon Less Future” is the first DesignEuropa Awards finalist from Latvia – and now also the first Latvian winner.
From LIAA Incubation Support to International Markets
“Carbon Less Future’s” journey towards European recognition is closely linked to Latvia’s business support ecosystem. With a completed product prototype already in place, the company joined the business incubation programme at the Gulbene Representative Office of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA).
The mentoring, consultations and strategic support available through the incubation programme helped the company refine its export strategy and focus on international markets. In cooperation with LIAA, the company has already presented its innovation at an international exhibition in Dubai, where it saw considerable interest from potential international customers.
As the next step in its development, the company plans to integrate smart cameras and artificial intelligence tools into the container in order to automate the seedling monitoring process as much as possible and reduce the need for human involvement.
This article was produced within the framework of the project “Development of Innovative Entrepreneurship for SMEs”, co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and the European Union.
