AGP Executive Report

EU Security Overhaul: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a NATO-like EU mechanism to respond to drone incidents, sabotage and cyberattacks, citing a wider pattern of Russian “hybrid” activity. Baltic Drone Tensions: Italian NATO jets shot down a suspected Russian drone after it entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus; Lithuania’s crisis centre said it carried an explosive device and debris is being examined. Belarus Drills Near Suwałki Gap: Belarus launched four-day exercises near the Polish-Lithuanian border, including counter-sabotage and drone/light aircraft defence training. Lithuanian Cybercrime Probe: Lithuanian authorities named three Bankera co-founders as suspects in a criminal investigation tied to siphoning at least €45m from investors after a major ICO. AI & Malware Watch: Researchers disclosed “BambooToken” malware that uses MQTT to control Windows and Linux systems, with activity linked to attacks since 2023. Circular Economy Push: EU ministers backed a Circular Economy Act expected to become law in 2026, aiming to cut waste and remove barriers for circular business models. Revolut Expansion: Revolut secured a banking licence in Colombia, its sixth full banking licence worldwide.

Lithuania Security & Drones: NATO fighters shot down a suspected drone that entered Lithuanian airspace from Belarus, with Vilnius saying it was the first such shootdown over Lithuania; the incident comes as Ukraine and allies warn Russia is using Belarus-linked communications to support drone attacks. Ukraine Tech Arms Race: Zelensky says Ukraine is testing a new anti-drone weapon that scored a successful hit overnight, while reporting 93% of Russian drones intercepted. AI in Defence: The U.S. Air Forces in Europe chief outlined “vignettes” for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, aiming to shift some drone-killing and air-defense tasks toward AI-enabled unmanned platforms. Lithuanian Cyber & LegalTech: Vilnius authorities named three Bankera co-founders as suspects in a criminal probe over alleged siphoning of at least €45M from ICO investor funds. IP Enforcement Startup: Vilnius legaltech EnforceShield raised a €1.7M seed round to expand autonomous, AI-assisted IP takedown workflows. Energy & Defence Infrastructure: The EIB will lend €100M to upgrade Klaipėda port for dual-use defence logistics plus clean-energy upgrades, including shoreside electricity and green hydrogen. Health Policy: European health leaders met at RCSI to push a coordinated approach to sepsis recognition and treatment across Europe.

Baltic Air Defense: An Italian NATO fighter jet shot down an unidentified drone over Lithuania shortly after midnight on 15 September, likely entering from Belarus; it was destroyed near Pratkūnai as Vilnius and surrounding areas received alerts, with origin and type still under investigation. Cyber-legal Tech in Vilnius: EnforceShield, a Vilnius LegalTech startup tackling AI-powered IP abuse, raised a €1.7M Seed round to expand its autonomous enforcement platform across the IP lifecycle. Energy Software: Inion Software launched a virtual power plant platform for solar, wind and battery storage, already connecting 30 assets (160 MW) and enabling portfolio participation in Lithuania’s balancing market. EU Arctic Strategy: 12 EU countries including Lithuania called for a more strategic, proactive EU Arctic role, pushing better monitoring, digital networks, military mobility and investment as Russia and climate-driven shipping changes reshape the region. Mapping & Education Tech: The UN backed the Equal Earth equal-area world map, urging institutions to move away from Mercator—an update likely to ripple into classrooms and digital services.

Cybersecurity: Revolut says a sophisticated impersonation scam used a legitimate government email domain to request customer data, with “very limited” impact reported as including dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and identity document copies (plus selfies), affecting about 680 customers, including 12 in Ireland. Aviation & NATO readiness: Lithuania briefly closed Vilnius airport and scrambled a NATO jet after radar suggested drones over the capital; officials later confirmed it was a flock of birds and reopened within 38 minutes. Energy tech: Inion Software launched a virtual power plant platform linking solar, wind and battery storage; it already connects 30 assets (160 MW) and is used in Lithuania’s balancing market. Grid-scale storage: European Energy expanded its battery portfolio, bringing additional co-located systems online across Denmark and Lithuania, aiming to cut curtailment and balance renewables. Arctic strategy: EU leaders meeting in Rovaniemi backed a stronger, more proactive EU Arctic role, calling for better monitoring, digital networks and infrastructure to respond to Russia, climate-driven shipping changes and hybrid threats. Lithuania in defense planning: Germany is drafting measures to staff its first permanent tank brigade deployed in Lithuania, including compulsory steps due to volunteer shortages. Web data industry: Oxylabs opened registration for OxyCon 2026, focusing on AI-native web data collection, real-time access changes and governance. Mapping & fairness: The UN endorsed “equal area” mapping guidance to better reflect Africa’s true size, challenging Mercator-style distortions.

Cybersecurity & Sports Marketing: NordVPN, owned by Lithuanian investor Tesonet, signed NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal as an ambassador, boosting the brand behind London Lions’ push toward top-tier European basketball. Arctic Security & EU Strategy: European leaders gathered in Finland’s Rovaniemi for an Arctic summit focused on security and the region’s growing geopolitical weight, with Lithuania among the attending NATO/EU-linked delegations. Lithuania Air Safety Alert: Vilnius airport briefly shut after a NATO jet was scrambled over a suspected drone sighting; the alert was lifted after the “threat” was assessed as birds. Baltic Tech for Industry: Lithuanian laser firm LITILIT highlights how femtosecond ultrafast lasers could help robotics tackle ultra-precise manufacturing tasks. Education Signals: OECD/PISA results show reading and math learning levels falling across major education systems, with OECD averages dropping sharply over the past decade. Nuclear Risk Watch: SIPRI reports Russia has raised deployed nuclear warheads to a nine-year high, as tensions with NATO and warnings about Lithuania intensify. EU Mobility & Payments: Western Union plans a gradual relocation of some operations from Costa Rica to Guatemala, Lithuania, and the Philippines, citing technology and AI investment gaps.

Arctic Security Summit: European leaders, including Lithuania’s delegation, met in Finland’s Rovaniemi for an EU-focused Arctic economy and security push, with talks at Arktikum and plans to align the region with broader security strategy. Lithuania Air Alert: NATO scrambled jets after a suspected drone sighting over Vilnius airport; the alert was lifted within 38 minutes when radar confusion with birds was confirmed. Nuclear Deterrence Tensions: Russia warned it would “aim” nuclear weapons at Lithuania if NATO nuclear assets are hosted there, as Lithuania moves to lift its constitutional ban on nuclear storage. AI & Automation Regulation: Tesla Full Self-Driving approvals in parts of Europe contrast with US scrutiny over drivers sleeping while the system runs, raising the same oversight question on both sides of the Atlantic. Industrial Tech in Lithuania: Lithuanian laser and robotics reporting highlights ultrafast femtosecond lasers as a path to more precise, robot-ready manufacturing. Education Metrics: New OECD/PISA reporting shows reading and math declines across wealthy countries, with more students falling into low performance bands.

Lithuania Security & Geopolitics: Russia warned it would aim nuclear warheads at Lithuania if NATO allies deploy nuclear weapons there, as Vilnius moves to lift its constitutional ban—raising the stakes for Baltic deterrence. Nuclear Forces Watch: SIPRI reports Russia has 1,796 operationally deployed warheads, the highest since 2017, while other declared nuclear states show no similar jump. Autonomous Driving Regulation: A US lawmaker demanded answers after videos showed Tesla Full Self-Driving users asleep or distracted; meanwhile, several EU countries have approved FSD Supervised based on a Dutch safety assessment. Education & Skills: OECD PISA 2025 results show reading and math falling to record lows, with one in five students now at low performance levels—an issue that hits Europe and Lithuania’s talent pipeline. Robotics & Manufacturing: Lithuanian laser firm LITILIT highlights how ultrafast femtosecond lasers could help robotics tackle ultra-precise manufacturing. Health Tech: XCath’s remote robotic thrombectomy system won an FDA breakthrough designation, aiming to expand specialist stroke care access beyond geography. Digital Trust: Repsense was named an EU Trusted Flagger under the Digital Services Act to speed platform action on election and civic-disruption content. Local Tech & Industry: Northway Biotech opened a €61M cell therapy and personalized medicine CDMO in Vilnius, signaling continued growth in Lithuania’s life-science capacity.

Autonomous Driving Watch: A US lawmaker is demanding answers after videos showed 43 Tesla drivers sleeping or distracted while Full Self-Driving was on, while Europe moves faster: six EU countries have cleared Tesla’s FSD Supervised based on a single Dutch safety assessment that regulators elsewhere haven’t seen. Education Signals: OECD PISA 2025 results show reading and math falling to record lows, with one in five 15-year-olds now at low performance levels across science, math and reading. Lithuania Security & Policy: Russia warns it would aim nuclear weapons at Lithuania if NATO nuclear arms are hosted there, as Lithuania advances plans to lift its constitutional nuclear storage ban. Baltic Tech for Defense: A Baltic-focused OpEd argues NATO needs an “algorithmic escalation brake” so sensor-to-shooter systems don’t treat jamming and uncertainty as hostile intent. Robotics & Manufacturing: Lithuanian laser firm LITILIT highlights femtosecond lasers as a path to more precise, less heat-damaging robotic manufacturing, as robotics investment keeps surging. Health Tech: XCath Robotics’ remote thrombectomy system Iris gets an FDA breakthrough designation after a remote procedure in a living patient. Digital Trust in Elections: Lithuania designates Repsense as an EU Digital Services Act Trusted Flagger to speed platform action on harmful civic and election content. Belarus Academic Access: Central European University opens applications for “The Invisible University for Belarus,” offering free English-taught research scholarships up to €800 per semester. Energy & Infrastructure Risk: Reports say NATO allies foiled a Russian plan to sabotage undersea cables, underscoring growing pressure on critical connectivity.

Nuclear Deterrence Escalation: SIPRI says Russia has lifted deployed nuclear warheads to 1,796 (a nine-year high), while Putin warns NATO that sending troops to Ukraine “means war,” as Lithuania debates lifting its constitutional nuclear storage ban. Baltic Security & Critical Infrastructure: NATO allies report foiling Russian undersea cable sabotage drills in the Arctic, and a separate analysis argues the Baltic needs an “algorithmic escalation brake” so fast sensor-to-shooter links don’t turn uncertainty into hostile action. Local Tech & Health Tech: XCath Robotics’ remote thrombectomy system (Iris) earned an FDA breakthrough designation after a remote procedure in March 2026, aiming to expand specialist stroke care access. Cybersecurity: Researchers found an exposed server tied to a Russian-speaking ransomware affiliate that used an AI agent to automate attacks and draft ransom demands. Lithuanian Business/Industry: Northway Biotech opened a €61M Vilnius cell therapy and personalized medicine CDMO, signaling more advanced life-science capacity in Lithuania. Digital Trust in Lithuania: Repsense was named a Trusted Flagger under the EU Digital Services Act, boosting rapid platform action against harmful civic and election content. Robotics Manufacturing: Lithuanian laser firm LITILIT highlights femtosecond lasers as a path to ultrafast, low-heat manufacturing—if lasers can be integrated into robotic systems.

Robotics & Ultrafast Lasers: Lithuanian laser maker LITILIT says compact femtosecond lasers could let industrial robots do higher-precision manufacturing with far less heat damage, opening new work for electronics, semiconductors, batteries, and medical production. Healthcare Robotics: XCath’s remote thrombectomy system (Iris) won an FDA breakthrough device designation after a remote telerobotic procedure was performed on a patient over 120 miles away in Panama. Biotech in Vilnius: Northway Biotech opened a €61M cell therapy and personalized medicine CDMO in Vilnius, adding multiple segregated cGMP lines aimed at faster, more tailored manufacturing. AI Agents & Hiring Tech: Insygna was named a TIARA Awards finalist for enterprise tech, targeting how HR, procurement, and finance manage AI agents as an extended workforce. Cybersecurity: Researchers report an exposed server tied to a Russian-speaking ransomware affiliate that used an AI agent to automate attacks and draft ransom demands. Baltic Security: NATO allies warn Russia is training to sabotage undersea cables; Lithuania also faces nuclear-deterrence escalation as Russia threatens nuclear targeting if NATO nukes are hosted. Local Tech Policy: Repsense became an EU Digital Services Act Trusted Flagger in Lithuania for content that can harm civic discourse or elections. Business Relocation: Western Union plans to shift parts of its Costa Rica operations to Guatemala, Lithuania, and the Philippines, citing tech and AI investment gaps.

UN Cartography Shift: The UN General Assembly backed the “Correct the Map” push, encouraging equal-area world maps (Equal Earth) after a 164-1 vote, with the US the lone no; India, Ukraine and Japan raised concerns about how disputed territories should be shown. Baltic Tech & Security: Lithuania’s Repsense was named an EU Trusted Flagger under the Digital Services Act, aiming to speed platform action against election and civic-disruption content. Cyber Threats: Researchers say an exposed server linked to the Russian-speaking “The Gentlemen” ransomware group automated attacks and drafted ransom demands using an AI agent. NATO Undersea Tensions: NATO allies reportedly disrupted a Russian Arctic operation targeting undersea cables, amid fears of sabotage tied to broader conflict planning. Lithuanian Biotech: Northway Biotech opened a €61M Vilnius cell therapy and personalized medicine CDMO, scaling segregated cGMP lines for tailored manufacturing. Local Innovation: GRAAS Automation is building smart, data-driven irrigation controllers for greenhouses and farms, replacing timer-based watering with sensor- and weather-aware control. Education Watch: New PISA results point to a reading and maths slide, with one in five 15-year-olds now classed as low performers.

Lithuanian Biotech Push: Northway Biotech opened a €61M cell therapy and personalized medicine CDMO in Vilnius, aiming to speed up GMP-ready process development with multiple segregated cGMP lines for tailored manufacturing. Deep-Tech for Industry: LITILIT is putting ultrafast femtosecond lasers into robotic hands, targeting precision manufacturing for semiconductors, electronics, batteries, and medical production where heat damage is a problem. AI in Sales: Outcraft AI rolled out per-lead pricing for its inbound AI SDR agents, charging based on leads actually engaged instead of per-seat or per-minute models. Smart Water for Farms: Lithuania’s GRAAS AUTOMATION is scaling data-driven irrigation controllers that switch from timer-based watering to soil-moisture and weather-aware control, including large multi-zone agricultural systems. Education Signals: OECD PISA 2025 reports record-low reading and maths results across OECD countries, with learning declines equivalent to about 1–1.5 years. Security Tech Watch: NATO allies reportedly disrupted a Russian Arctic operation aimed at sabotaging undersea cables, underscoring how critical infrastructure protection is becoming a tech-and-defense priority.

Undersea Security: NATO allies say they disrupted a Russian plan in Arctic waters to train for sabotage of critical undersea cables, using deep-sea submersibles to simulate “fingerprint-free” attacks. Defense & Regional Tech: The same wider security pressure is pushing faster defense innovation across Europe, with Germany expanding capabilities and funding air and drone defenses tied to NATO’s eastern flank. Lithuanian AI for Heritage: A Lithuanian-developed AI tool is helping people read letters from Jewish ancestors written in Yiddish, turning long-locked family archives into readable history. Education Tech & Skills: OECD’s PISA 2025 results show record lows in reading and maths across the developed world, with Lithuania among the European systems highlighted for performance shifts. Space & Industry: ESA has signed an agreement with Vast for Greece’s first crewed mission to the ISS, a reminder of how European space partnerships are scaling up. Robotics & Lasers: A Vilnius-based laser company links femtosecond laser advances to the next wave of precision robotics for manufacturing and healthcare. Health Research: New work explores using menstrual blood for non-invasive diagnostics and regenerative medicine, including potential cancer screening and cartilage repair.

Education Watch: OECD PISA 2025 shows record lows across reading and maths, with average reading down 28 points since 2015 and maths down 22—about a year and a half of learning lost, while science stays comparatively steadier. Robotics & Manufacturing: Vilnius-based LITILIT says advances in robotics are making femtosecond laser tools practical for precision work in electronics, semiconductors and medicine, with laser size still the key limiter. Space: ESA (for Greece) signed an agreement with Vast for the Vast-PAM-1 mission to the ISS, aiming to send Greece’s first crewed astronaut, pending panel review. Cybersecurity: Lithuanian operator Cgates is launching network-level “Internet Protection” to block phishing, malware, fraudulent sites and tracking without installs. Tech Policy & Mobility: Slovenia cleared Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised) on public roads, but the EU-wide path depends on a sealed Dutch safety file and a looming vote. Global Cartography: The UN backed “Correct the Map” to encourage equal-area projections that better reflect Africa’s size; the US was the lone no, while Lithuania abstained.

Life Sciences in Vilnius: Northway Biotech opened a €61M cell therapy and personalised medicine CDMO in Vilnius, adding cGMP manufacturing lines, quality-control labs and cleanroom capacity for advanced therapies. Manufacturing & Testing: Staticus Group is investing €31.5M in an automated aluminium and glass façade plant in Lithuania, including an integrated testing laboratory. Smart Port Tech: Klaipėda Seaport started using a sensor-equipped “smart buoy” to improve navigation safety and cargo flow, including during GPS interference. Cybersecurity & AI Scams: Surfshark’s Vilnius CTO warns that AI is making phishing and deepfake-driven fraud more convincing, with Lithuania seeing a sharp rise in SMS scams. Education Outcomes: A new PISA 2025-style study reports Lithuanian 15-year-olds scoring above the OECD average in natural sciences, maths literacy, reading and ICT problem-solving. National Security: Lithuania expelled 22 Belarusian tech workers tied to an EU space programme project after VSD flagged national security risks and alleged fraud. Global Tech Policy: The UN backed “Correct the Map” to promote equal-area projections (Africa’s true size), while the US voted against; Lithuania abstained. EU Mobility Tech: Slovenia cleared Tesla FSD Supervised, adding to a patchwork ahead of an EU-wide vote.

Lithuania Economy: Annual inflation in Lithuania hit 6.1% in August, with food prices easing while energy costs (diesel, petrol, heat energy) and some services rose. Cybersecurity & AI: Surfshark’s Vilnius CTO warns AI is making scams more convincing, driving a sharp rise in fraudulent SMS and social-engineering attacks; NRD Cyber Security echoes that Russia-linked pressure is pushing Baltic firms to build resilience beyond traditional IT. National Security: Lithuania expelled 22 Belarusian tech workers tied to an EU space navigation project after findings of concealed links to Russian/Belarus military industries, with Schengen bans for five years. Space & Biotech: Northway Biotech opened a €61M cell therapy and personalised medicine CDMO in Vilnius, while Lithuania also continues tightening controls on sensitive transit and tech-related risks. Smart Ports & Learning: Klaipėda Port began using a sensor-equipped buoy for safer navigation and better arrival planning; a new OECD study finds Lithuanian 15-year-olds scoring above the OECD average in science, maths, reading and ICT problem-solving. Industry Investment: Staticus will invest €31.5M in a Vilnius façade manufacturing hub with an integrated testing lab. Global Policy: The UN backed the “Equal Earth” map projection (US voted no), and Lithuania abstained—another reminder that even “cartography” can become geopolitics.