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Technologická Inkubace

Newsletter Insider | March/April 2024

09.05. 2024

WELCOME…

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What topics can you expect in this issue?

NUMBER OF THE MONTH: 90

Is the total number of startups we are currently incubating. The first call brought 37 startups, while the second call brought another 53 startups.

THEME OF THE MONTH:

We have another project call coming up in the spring! We plan to launch the first call of this year and the fourth call of Technology Incubation in April. Startups from all of the areas we support – mobility, artificial intelligence, creative industries, eco-innovation, aerospace, advanced technology and materials (Advanced Tech & Materials) and life, health and safety (Tech4Life) – will be able to apply again.

And that’s not all! The ESA BIC Czech Republic is now linked to the Technology Incubation (see more in the article below), but continues to operate through separate project calls. The first call of this year is over, but we are already unveiling the deadline for the second one, which will be open to 5. September.

We also remind you that you can apply for pre-incubation at any time without having to wait for the opening of the call for projects. This is a preparatory phase that allows startups to evaluate the suitability of their own project for a given type of support and at the same time increase their chances of success. We have prepared an article on our website on how to take full advantage of pre-incubation and successfully apply for the project.

INTRODUCING THE WINNERS OF THE CREATIVE BUSINESS CUP 2024

The winner of the national final of the competition for the most creative startup was E-CAFE BIKE with its innovative cargo trucks, which have their own electric drive and are fully energy self-sufficient thanks to solar panels. Second place went to puppet startup Kenka puppetgame and third place to bullying prevention platform Younglink. Read more on our website.

INTERVIEW WITH MARKETA MENTELOVÁ ABOUT INNOVATION IN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES

The article on the Science and Research portal was based on an interview with Markéta Mentelová, Director of the Creative Hub. You will learn what innovation in the creative industry looks like, how the creative sector stands within the Czech industry, why the interdisciplinarity typical for this sector is important, its relationship to the AI industry or what are the obstacles of Czech gaming.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST WITH THE DIRECTOR OF ECOTECH HUB

Don’t miss the podcast with Filip Kruta, in which he discusses topics related to eco-innovation. In the interview, he answers questions about whether Czech companies are ready for the transition to sustainability, what the EcoTech Hub is all about and what its plans are for next year.

WE ARE A PARTNER OF THE SME ENTERPRIZE COMPETITION

This year, Generali Česká pojišt’ovna will again organise the SME EnterPRIZES competition, which will reward start-ups, sole traders, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) that are doing business in a sustainable way in the Czech Republic. Last year, Myco, which we incubate here, won first place in the Startup category. You can read more about the competition in this article.

INTRODUCING THE NEW HUB DIRECTOR

Zdeněk Havel is no newcomer to CzechInvest, he has been working there since 2015 and has been involved in the development of startups since then. His last position as Mobility Project Manager involved, among other things, the preparation of the evaluation process and the recruitment of experts paid for by indirect support.

He will now take over the baton from Matúš Kostlivy, whom we would like to thank for his cooperation so far and wish him good luck in his new position as Foreign Representative for Taiwan.

WE INVITE YOU TO AI DAYS 2024

CzechInvest and Technology Incubation will support the AI Days festival again this year, which will take place from 14. until 27. October and will follow up on last year’s successful edition. This year, we can look forward to a rich program across the Czech Republic, which will again include the AI Startup Pitch Contest, which will recognize innovative AI projects and connect them with venture capital funds.

INTERVIEW WITH TEREZA KUBICOVÁ, FOUNDER OF CZECH SPACE WEEK

Read the article with the head of Technology Incubation and founder of Czech Space Week. You will read how the Czech Republic stands in the field of space research and technology, how Czech companies can get involved in the space industry, why space attracts women and what is behind the creation of the largest Czech space festival.

DON’T MISS THE NEW ACE BICU CHALLENGE

The ESA BIC business incubator will again support start-ups working with space technologies. During the incubation period of up to two years, selected projects will receive up to €180,000 in funding and other benefits, including the use of the European Space Agency (ESA) brand. Space startups can sign up for a one-on-one consultation to get specific advice, to 22. March.

MIHU PLANS FOR 2024

MIH covers all modes of transport, but also focuses on selected, topical issues. The priorities for this year are clean mobility, key to the transformation of the entire automotive industry, Smart City and urban mobility. Equally important is autonomous driving, where MIH is significantly involved in making available existing polygons and setting up new ones in connection with Smart City projects, including live so-called “living polygons”. laboratories. This year, MIH will build on its well-established relationships with sector partners, be they line ministries, local government, associations and clusters, corporations and innovative projects.

STARTUP YEDEM IS CHANGING CORPORATE MOBILITY

Efficient use of transport and parking combines technology with sustainability. This combination was the motivation for Matej Ball and Vojtěch Rjubr to found the startup Yedem, which we incubate here. Read more in this article.

INTRODUCING THE NEW HUB DIRECTOR

Hana Chlebná started at CzechInvest as the director of the regional office and participated in building its nationwide network of regional offices, which are still in operation today. She then worked as Director of Strategy, and also tried her hand as Director of the CzechInvest’s foreign office in the UK and Ireland.

Since 2020, he has been working in the field of healthtech, which he will continue to do now.

COOPERATION OF CERN AND TECHNOLOGICAL INCUBATION

The Czech Republic-CERN Cooperation Committee has appointed Kristina Kovařčíková, Director of the AdvancedTech & Materials Hub, as a new member and representative of the CERN startup community. The membership will bring an expansion of the Hub’s activities and we will introduce it in more detail soon. The Hub’s plans for 2024 include organising events focused on deep technology to showcase, among other things, successful start-ups that have already collaborated with CERN.

PICTURE AT THE END: GENDER OF (CO)FOUNDERS IN STARTUPS

The round graph shows the gender ratio of (co)founders in startups applying to Technology Incubation. Men clearly outnumber women by 91% (919 applicants) compared to the remaining 9% (91 female applicants). The bar chart shows the ratio of men to women in each sector.

This project was implemented with financial support from the state budget through the Ministry of Industry and Trade in the programme The Country for the Future.

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