Czech Startup Week was created with the goal of bringing together key events in the Czech startup ecosystem into a single week, thereby establishing a fixed date for both the local community and international investors and partners. Last year, the program attracted approximately 2,500 visitors from more than 20 countries around the world.
“Czech Startup Week showcases the breadth of the Czech startup ecosystem in one place and over the course of a single week. It’s not just about individual conferences, but about the opportunity to connect Czech startups with foreign investors, partners, and other ecosystems. This year, we want to place even greater emphasis on internationalization, access to capital, and topics related to technology that will determine Europe’s competitiveness in the coming years,” says Markéta Přenosilová, Deputy Director for Startups and Innovation at CzechInvest (part of CzechBusiness).
This year’s Czech Startup Week will place a strong emphasis on technology security, defense innovations, and European resilience. A key focus of this program will be dual-use defense and innovative technologies, under the auspices of the prestigious international Future Forces Forum. An exclusive networking opportunity for innovators and investors will be provided by the specialized “Invest in Bravery Defense & Dual-Use Tech Reception,” organized in collaboration with the Invest in Bravery.
“Today, Czech startups need not only favorable conditions for their launch and growth, but also the opportunity to quickly connect with international partners, investors, and customers. Czech Startup Week creates a space where these stakeholders can meet in one place. Connecting Czech companies with opportunities abroad is one of CzechBusiness’s key roles,” says Rudolf Klepáček, CEO of the CzechBusiness agency.
Jedním z hlavních témat letošního ročníku Czech Startup Weeku bude mezinárodní spolupráce a expanze startupů. Hned první den se uskuteční akce Scaling Up: Europe, Africa and Beyond, která propojí zakladatele, investory a tvůrce ekosystémů z Česka i ze zahraničí. Svižné prezentace se prostřídají s moderovanými diskusemi a rychlým networkingem. Každý si může odnést konkrétní a využitelný výsledek – kontakt, partnera, cestu na trh nebo další krok k získání kapitálu.
A major highlight of this year’s program will be the participation of technology entrepreneurs from nine African countries —ranging from North Africa to the sub-Saharan region—who will be coming to Prague as part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Cool Czechia project.
The highlight of Czech Startup Week for investors will be the Engaged Investments Conference, which will take place October 21–22 at the National House in Vinohrady. The conference will bring together nearly 500 active investors and startup founders, primarily from Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic states. The main topics will include the development of venture capital in CEE, cross-border investments, and European technological resilience.
Engaged je organizována aktivními investory z DEPO Ventures, což znamená, že je navržena investory pro investory s cílem podnítit smysluplné interakce, odhalit skutečné investiční příležitosti a posunout ekosystém vpřed. Součástí programu bude také řada vedlejších akcí – přehlídka startupů, 1:1 setkání, panelové diskuse, tematické bloky i různé menší networkingové příležitosti.
“The value of the startup ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe more than doubled between 2019 and 2023, reaching approximately 213 billion euros. So we have good companies here, but there’s a lack of capital during the growth phase. That capital won’t materialize if every fund operates on its own,” says Petr Šíma of DEPO Ventures, adding: “That’s why we’re building Engaged as a place where investors from Prague, Warsaw, Budapest, Vilnius, or Tallinn can meet in person, build trust, and agree on joint investment rounds. This allows us to retain the best companies in the region while also attracting the attention of major European institutional investors.”
Mezi tradiční hlavní bod týdne bude patřit #demoday Technologické Inkubace a ESA BIC Czech Republic zaměřený na inovativní firmy věnující se oblastem od AI, mobility či advanced tech až po kosmické technologie a jejich využití na Zemi. V programu Czech Startup Weeku tak bude zastoupena také silná deep-tech a space-tech linka. Do finálové soutěže se z více než padesátky firem probojovalo 12 finalistů, kteří se v úterý 20. října dopoledne představí na podiu v pražském Ox Clubu. Soutěž #demoday 2026 podpořili: Y Soft Hardware jako hlavní partner, Tech partneři: Google, VeQtor a Prusa a dále UOL, BrandCloud, advokátní kancelář Zemek Legal, inovační agentura JIC a Startup Kitchen.
The morning program will be followed by the third annual TechHappyHours, which will bring representatives from leading technology companies to Prague and offer a diverse program of panel discussions, mentoring sessions, and guided networking. The CzechInvest agency (part of CzechBusiness) and the Technology Incubation project, together with the Startup Kitchen platform, are the main organizers of the event.
Czech Startup Week is an initiative of the CzechInvest agency (part of CzechBusiness) that brings together major startup and investor events taking place over the course of a single week in Prague. The goal of this joint platform is to facilitate startups’ access to investors and international contacts, offer foreign guests a concentrated view of the Czech startup scene, and gradually strengthen Prague’s position as a natural meeting place for the startup and investor communities in Central Europe. Czech Startup Week 2026 will take place from October 19 to 23, 2026, in Prague. The current program and information about individual events are regularly published on CzechStartups.gov.cz.
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