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Technologická Inkubace

Startups need more than just an idea. The state is learning how to keep up with them, says Kateřina Rundová of CzechInvest

Czech Startup Week Startups
27.11. 2025
line-arrow Startups need more than just an idea. The state is learning how to keep up with them, says Kateřina Rundová of CzechInvest

For the second time, Tech Happy Hours took place to support the Czech startup ecosystem. The attractive environment of the Prague Planetarium hosted representatives of startups, venture capitalists and fans of young dynamic companies on 22 October.

The article was taken from Roklen24.cz.

The event was organized by Startup Kitchen and Technology Incubation of the CzechInvest Agency, represented by Kateřina Rundová. According to her, incubation has undergone dynamic development and has become an integral part of the Czech startup ecosystem. However, it is facing various problems, as indicated by the current survey among startups. How can the state help? And what are the biggest successes of Technology Incubation? Read our interview with Katerina Rundova at Tech Happy Hours.

What attracts you to the startup world?

I came to startups a bit by a roundabout way – I originally worked in theatre management. But startups are also a bit of theatre – performative, dynamic, full of stories and changes. What I like about it is the variety of topics. In my work, I tackle everything from specific problems of individual companies to legislative issues. It’s varied and I’m never bored.

How has the role of CzechInvest in supporting startups changed over the last two years that you have been working there?

We have launched a number of new programmes, especially to accelerate and expand startups abroad under the National Recovery Plan. We also have a new open fintech sandbox.

I joined Technology Incubation when it was already in full swing. At that time we had about 40 companies from the first call, today there are about 260. We have significantly strengthened our contact with the community, we have about 1,700 unique companies in pre-incubation and we have been successful in developing international collaborations. We go to conferences all over Europe and beyond, and we have also better connected startups with big companies at home, for example through the Czech Innovation Hub. This allows established businesses to benefit from the innovation that startups bring.

What do you consider to be the biggest success of the Technology Incubation programme?

First of all, it is the number of startups involved, especially those in pre-incubation. It was confirmed that there is a really big startup potential in the Czech Republic. But personally, I am most pleased with the stories of individual companies, some of which were literally created “from scratch”, for example after our hackathons. Today, they are already operating abroad, have employees, interesting turnover, and at the same time maintain a link to the Czech Republic.

Can you name some specific companies?

I have a few favorites. For example, I like the startup Yedem, which focuses on fleet optimization. It was with us at the Smart City Summit in Taiwan this year and was a great success there. I would mention Mewery or Myco, and definitely FilutaAI from the AI sector and Molecule46 from another big sector, Tech4Life. Our flagship product is Dronetag with drone technologies and “dual-use” solutions.

What do you think the state needs to do to stop startups from considering moving their headquarters abroad, as indicated by the current survey of the Czech Startup Association?

The approval of an ESOP (Employee Stock Option Plan) is a step in the right direction, but just one of many.

For example, the Labour Code complicates the situation for startups. It is difficult to employ people on a full-time basis and the state does not know how to work well with self-employed people. Tax incentives are also important – support for small investors and preferential investment in innovative companies. Fortunately, these things are already being actively discussed, for example, in the Coordinating Council for Investors and Startups (KRIS). We are therefore on the right track, now we just need to move on.

What do you expect from the new ESOP regulation, effective from next year?

This is a friendly step especially for companies that are already at a more advanced stage and for their employees the shares have a real value. But the question is how many such companies will remain in the Czech Republic until the ESOP becomes relevant for them. I hope this will be an incentive to stay.

After the approval, there was a great response from startups, so now we are planning workshops within the Technology Incubation where they will learn how to use ESOP properly. Because the emergence of regulation doesn’t mean that companies automatically know how to work with it – it will take time.

In the survey, startups most often complain about the tax burden and administration. How can CzechInvest really help here?

There are two levels to this. We try to make our programs as simple as possible in terms of administration and we try to make sure that startups have the support of incubation managers who help them with the bureaucracy. At the same time, we collect feedback and modify the terms and conditions to make them clear and “user-friendly”. However, we have no direct influence on legislation, where we act more in an advisory capacity.

KRIS, which brings together representatives of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, CzechInvest, Czech Founders, the Czech Startup Association and other players, can play an important role. Together they can propose changes and promote them.

Czech membership in the Europe Startup Nations Alliance also helps, where we can compare how we are doing in the areas of finance, company formation or approach to innovation, and transfer good practice to the Czech Republic.

The survey also mentioned a weak venture capital ecosystem. Can the state help here?

That’s a bit of a tricky question. It might be a good idea to ask investors, because they often say there is nothing to invest in. Startups want money, investors want to invest, but they feel that there are not enough quality projects.

Czech investors also tend to be cautious. The state can intervene where there is a market failure, perhaps to partially replace missing angel investors, which is what Technology Incubation does. But venture capital should operate mainly from private sources. So the state can help more by creating an environment where more startups can be created and invested in.

We are doing this interview at the Tech Happy Hours event co-organized by CzechInvest. What is the aim of this event from the CzechInvest’s point of view?

Tech Happy Hours is our flagship event for the ESA BIC Technology Incubator and Business Incubator. Technology Incubation is coming to an end. Although this program has been extended by a year, we have one last call, the seventh one, which will probably be announced in November.

At the event, we present the successes of the program, give space for startups to present themselves and offer the opportunity to connect with other players in the market. It’s a place where the startup community can meet, share experiences and forge new collaborations.

Kateřina Rundová is Director of the Startup Incubation Department at the CzechInvest agency. In this capacity, she oversees initiatives supporting startups, primarily within the Technology Incubation project. She focuses on supporting innovation, strengthening collaboration and creating opportunities for creative entrepreneurship. He also deals with areas such as talent attraction, soft landing programmes in the Czech Republic and promoting social inclusion and diversity within the startup ecosystem.

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