This year’s edition of Creative Business Czechia has seen exceptional interest from companies and with 65 entries it ranks among the strongest in the history of the competition. The final ten is made up of Creative Tech startups from various industries that have demonstrated innovation, creativity and significant business potential. The gala evening, during which an expert jury will select the three best projects and one will also win the audience award, will take place on 15 April 2026 at the Gočár Gallery of Pardubice’s Automatický mlýn. The competition is sponsored by the Pardubice Region andthe Statutory City of Pardubice.
55 selected startups advanced to the online semi-finals. The entries cover the entire spectrum of creative industries, from game development and XR solutions to generative AI in audio to digital fabrication and innovation in marketing and design. The ten finalists were selected by a five-member jury led by Petra Kneslová, Director of the Creative Hub of the Technology Incubation Project of the CzechInvest Agency. The main evaluation criteria were innovative approach and ability to compete internationally.
The finalists show a strong overlap beyond the creative fields themselves. The solutions that emerge in audio, gaming or design are naturally applied to marketing, retail, industry or education, whether it’s real-time content generation and personalisation, the creation of realistic 3D environments, augmented XR reality or new production technologies. Creative Tech is thus increasingly acting as a source of innovation for the wider business environment.” says Petra Kneslová.
The culmination of this year’s Creative Business Czechia will be preceded by the Future Trends in Creative Tech conference at the Sféra Education Centre. It will offer insights into how Creative Tech is moving from experimental projects to real products and global markets. Participants will learn about immersive technologies and XR in commercial practice, the use of AI in visual design, the gaming industry as a source of innovation and generative tools in creative processes.
About Creative Business Czechia The aim of the platform, formerly known as Creative Business Cup, is to offer progressive technology startups from the creative industries media attention, expert advice, valuable contacts and support for their further growth. In addition to the award ceremony, the event will be attended by a number of private companies, municipalities and other entities supporting Creative Tech, offering an inspiring space for the creative and business community to meet and for new partnerships to be established. Competition details: creativebusinessczechia.cz.
The program will feature investor conferences, demo days, pitching sessions for investors, matchmaking and networking, expert lectures and workshops, as well as events focused on defense and dual-use technologies.
From among the 50 startups that entered, the jury selected 12 finalists. Meet the companies that will compete for the audience’s favor and prizes from the competition’s partners on October 20 at the OX Club in…
How can sustainability help companies win new contracts, reduce costs, and boost their competitiveness? That will be the topic of the next workshop in the Green Evolution Lab series.
The event takes place on October 20 at Prague’s OX Club, welcoming over 500 participants from Czechia and abroad. Join us to connect with key players in the tech ecosystem and explore new opportunities.