LMT IoT and Infineon Launch Free Mentorship Program for Edge AI IoT Startups

LMT IoT Infineon mentorship program edge AI IoT startups Latvia

Free hardware, engineering support, and no equity taken — a Latvian-Austrian partnership opens its doors to IoT startups building the next generation of connected devices.

📍 Riga, Latvia · Vienna, Austria · May 13, 2026 · 2 min read

LMT IoT, part of Latvia’s LMT Group, and Infineon Technologies AG — Europe’s largest semiconductor manufacturer with €15 billion in annual revenue — have launched a joint mentorship program for startups and product companies building IoT devices that combine edge AI with low-power cellular connectivity. The program is free to enter, takes no equity, and ships hardware at no cost to accepted teams. Applications are open until July 31, 2026.

The initiative is designed for hardware founders who are past the idea stage but struggling with one of the most common bottlenecks in IoT development: getting a connected prototype to actually work in real-world conditions. LMT IoT engineers will provide guidance on architecture, integration, connectivity setup, firmware considerations, and prototype troubleshooting, with participants also gaining access to expert webinars and live Q&A sessions.

What’s on the table

What accepted startups receive

Infineon edge AI hardware — at no cost
LMT IoT cellular extension board (LTE-M and NB-IoT connectivity)
Architecture and integration guidance from LMT IoT engineers
Firmware support and prototype troubleshooting
Expert webinars and live Q&A sessions
One-to-one technical engagement for the most promising teams
No participation fee · No equity taken

The program is a natural next step in a partnership that has been building for over a year. LMT Group began producing what it described as the world’s smallest mobile data module for IoT devices, with integration into Infineon’s Edge AI solutions planned from the start. The collaboration allows IoT sensor devices to process data locally using artificial intelligence and send only essential information to cloud services — reducing transmitted data volume, improving device response speed, and extending battery life.

Hardware is hard — especially for teams building new connected products with limited engineering resources. This program gives companies a shortcut through some of the most complex parts of the development process — cellular connectivity, edge AI integration, hardware bring-up and prototype troubleshooting.
— Valters Skrastins, Head of IoT Hardware, LMT IoT

Who should apply

The program targets startups building connected products across industrial monitoring, predictive maintenance, environmental sensing, smart agriculture, asset tracking, and smart building systems. The best fit: teams whose devices need to process data locally, reduce cloud dependency, run on battery power, and transmit only relevant information over a cellular network. At least a working concept or early prototype is expected — this is not a program for pre-product teams.

Infineon’s strong microcontroller portfolio and Deepcraft™ software solutions offer end-to-end Edge AI and best-in-class system performance. The combination with ultra-low-power connectivity is a key enabler for the next generation of IoT applications.
— Andreas Mühlberger, Strategic Partner Manager, Infineon Austria

The people behind it

On the LMT IoT side, the program is led by Valters Skrastiņš, Head of IoT Technology Development — the engineer who spearheaded the IoT Shortcut module and has been the driving force behind LMT’s hardware push into the global IoT market. The broader commercialisation strategy at LMT Group is overseen by Aigars Runčis, Ventures Department Director, whose work spans IoT, AI, computer vision, defence, and mobility. The company behind them — LMT Group, led by President Juris Binde — has been Latvia’s national mobile operator for over 30 years, chosen by 82% of the country’s largest companies and trusted by NATO and EU partners.

On the Infineon side, Andreas Mühlberger is the Strategic Partner Manager for Austria, driving startup and university collaborations through Infineon’s global Co-Innovation Program — a program that previously attracted 49 applications from across the world and selected twelve deep-tech startups from eleven countries. The LIAA bridge is held by Inga Ulmane, Head of Latvia’s Representative Office in Austria, who has positioned this initiative as a flagship example of Latvia-Austria technology cooperation.

The bigger picture

LMT Group has evolved from Latvia’s leading mobile communication operator into a technology innovation leader and a multi-sector technology company ecosystem, with a strategic focus on defence and national security technologies, smart cities, IoT platforms, and sensors. Infineon, meanwhile, has made startup co-innovation a core part of its strategy, running similar programs globally. The Latvia-Austria collaboration has been noted by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) as a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation.

Capacity is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

⏳ Applications close July 31, 2026 Apply at lmt-iot.com/mentorship-program

Also covered by Baltic Times · The Recursive · LMT IoT official