South Moravian Innovation Centre

The South Moravian Innovation Centre, commonly known as JIC, is an innovation-support organization based in Brno, Czech Republic. It was established in 2003 as an association of legal entities following the regional innovation strategy of the South Moravian Region. Its purpose is to help build a knowledge-based regional economy by linking companies, entrepreneurs, students, researchers, universities, public authorities, investors, and other ecosystem participants. JIC is not primarily a consumer-facing product brand. Its work consists of business-support programs, incubation, acceleration, mentoring, consulting, networking, technology infrastructure, and investment activities. The organization serves businesses at different stages of development, from students and early-stage founders with new ideas to startups, scale-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and established regional companies seeking international growth. Its services can include educational programs, mentoring, competitions, expert consultations, connections to investors and partners, and assistance with international expansion. The organization’s members include the South Moravian Region, the statutory city of Brno, Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University in Brno, and the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno. These institutional links give JIC a role at the intersection of regional economic development, higher education, research, and entrepreneurship. JIC operates or has operated several specialized facilities and initiatives in Brno. These include the technology-oriented JIC INTECH incubator, the biotechnology-focused JIC INBIT incubator, and JIC INMEC, which concentrates on advanced materials and technologies. Since 2020, JIC has also operated KUMST, a creative hub in central Brno. KUMST includes Gamebaze, described in the reference material as the Czech Republic’s first gaming incubator. JIC also operates FabLab Brno, an open digital workshop established in the Czech Technology Park in 2017; the separate company FabLab Brno was founded in 2022. The organization has supported companies including Kiwi.com, Flowmon Networks, Y Soft, Safetica Technologies, Sewio, FlowUp, and Webnode. Entrepreneurs associated with JIC’s incubation activities include Václav Muchna of Y Soft and the founders of IDEA StatiCa. JIC’s support model is therefore oriented toward helping innovative companies form, validate, grow, commercialize technology, and connect with international markets rather than selling a standardized product range. JIC also participates in broader innovation networks and operates subsidiaries or affiliated entities. These include Intemac Solution, which operates the INTEMAC research center and focuses on Industry 4.0, digital manufacturing, automation, robotics, testing, and technology demonstration; JIC VENTURES, an investment vehicle created in 2015 to invest in current and former JIC program participants; and FabLab Brno. JIC was also involved in establishing Ynovate, a network of Czech and Slovak innovation centres. Its involvement with the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre reflects its connections beyond the South Moravian region. JIC has received recognition for its role in developing the entrepreneurial environment. It won the Czech national round of the European Enterprise Awards in 2010 in the category concerning development of the entrepreneurial environment and represented the Czech Republic at the European level. In 2011, it placed third in The Best Incubator Award’s category for the best internationally involved incubator. The European Entrepreneurial Region award received by the Brno region for 2024 was presented as the result of two decades of regional development efforts closely associated with organizations such as JIC.

The South Moravian Innovation Centre was established in 2003 as an association of legal entities. Its creation followed the regional innovation strategy of the South Moravian Region, which identified the development of a knowledge-based economy as a strategic objective. JIC was designed to connect companies with universities and research organizations and to create practical mechanisms through which ideas, scientific knowledge, and technology could become commercial activity. The organization’s institutional base includes the South Moravian Region, the city of Brno, Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University in Brno, and the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno. Through these members and its wider partnerships, JIC operates as an intermediary between public administration, academia, research, entrepreneurs, and established businesses. A major part of JIC’s development has been the creation and operation of specialized incubators. JIC INTECH focuses on technology companies and is located at the Brno University of Technology campus. JIC INBIT is a biotechnology incubator situated at the university campus in Brno-Bohunice. JIC INMEC focuses on advanced materials and technologies. Together, these facilities provide a setting for companies that need laboratory, technical, research, or specialist business support in addition to conventional mentoring. JIC’s programs cover multiple stages of company development. For students and researchers, the organization offers educational activities, idea competitions, and assistance in assessing and developing innovative concepts. For startups, it provides mentoring, acceleration, expert advice, and access to networks of investors and partners. For small and medium-sized enterprises, JIC offers business consultations, including support connected with international expansion. More established companies can use its networking and innovation activities to pursue growth and collaboration. The organization expanded beyond conventional technology incubation through KUMST, a creative hub in central Brno that JIC has operated since 2020. KUMST provides a platform for creative businesses and includes Gamebaze, identified in the reference material as the Czech Republic’s first gaming incubator. JIC also operates FabLab Brno, an open digital workshop created in 2017 in the Czech Technology Park. FabLab provides practical access to digital fabrication and prototyping capabilities. FabLab Brno was subsequently founded as a separate company in 2022. JIC’s support has been associated with companies such as Kiwi.com, Flowmon Networks, Y Soft, Safetica Technologies, Sewio, FlowUp, and Webnode. Entrepreneurs connected with JIC include Václav Muchna of Y Soft, who received the Czech Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2006, and the father-and-son team associated with IDEA StatiCa, who received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2020. These examples illustrate JIC’s emphasis on technology-oriented ventures with the potential to scale. JIC has also developed an investment and technology-transfer dimension. JIC VENTURES was established in 2015 to invest in current and former participants in JIC programs. Its first reported investment was in GINA Software, a company developing mapping systems for mobile devices, in exchange for a 3 percent stake. The vehicle was intended to invest amounts ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of Czech crowns, either independently or with co-investors, and to recycle successful investment returns into support for other JIC clients. Another part of the ecosystem is INTEMAC, operated through Intemac Solution. INTEMAC concentrates on Industry 4.0 and the digitalization of production. It provides companies with testing and demonstration environments for smart manufacturing, automation, robotics, and related technologies, as well as assistance with solution development, optimization, standards, client requirements, and technology presentation. JIC also participated in the establishment of Ynovate, a network of Czech and Slovak innovation centres, and maintains connections with the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre. JIC received recognition in 2010 when it won the Czech national round of the European Enterprise Awards in the category concerning development of the entrepreneurial environment and proceeded to represent the Czech Republic in the European competition. In 2011, it placed third in The Best Incubator Award category for internationally involved incubators. The Brno region’s European Entrepreneurial Region award for 2024 was presented as evidence of a broader regional development effort built over two decades, during which JIC was one of the principal innovation-support institutions. JIC remains an active organization serving entrepreneurs, researchers, companies, and public-sector innovation initiatives in South Moravia.

• 2024

  Brno region receives European Entrepreneurial Region award

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The Brno region receives the European Entrepreneurial Region designation, reflecting long-term regional entrepreneurship and innovation work.

• 2022

  FabLab Brno is incorporated

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  FabLab Brno is founded as a company associated with the JIC ecosystem.

• 2020

  KUMST begins operation

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  JIC begins operating a creative hub in central Brno, including the Gamebaze gaming incubator initiative.

• 2017

  FabLab is established

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  JIC establishes an open digital workshop in Brno’s Czech Technology Park.

• 2015

  JIC VENTURES is founded

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The investment subsidiary is created to support current and former JIC program participants.

• 2011

  International incubator award placement

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  JIC places third in The Best Incubator Award category for internationally involved incubators.

• 2010

  European Enterprise Awards national winner

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  JIC wins the Czech national round in the entrepreneurial-environment development category.

• 2003

  JIC is established

  [1]South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org

  The South Moravian Innovation Centre is created as an association of legal entities under the region’s innovation strategy.

A regional innovation intermediary and business-support platform focused on turning research, technology, and entrepreneurial ideas into viable and growing companies.

• Technology incubator

  JIC INTECH

  A technology-oriented incubation facility associated with the Brno University of Technology campus. It supports innovative technology companies through business development assistance, expert connections, and access to an environment linked to higher education and research.

• Biotechnology incubator

  JIC INBIT

  A biotechnology-focused incubator located at the university campus in Brno-Bohunice. It is intended for ventures requiring biotechnology expertise and links to scientific, laboratory, and academic resources.

• Advanced materials and technology incubator

  JIC INMEC

  An incubation facility focused on advanced materials and technologies. It forms part of JIC’s infrastructure for companies developing technically complex or research-intensive products and services.

• Creative-industry hub · 2020

  KUMST

  A creative hub in central Brno operated by JIC since 2020. It broadens the organization’s innovation remit beyond conventional technology startups and provides a setting for creative businesses, community activity, and specialized incubation.

• Gaming incubator

  Gamebaze

  A gaming-incubation initiative within the KUMST framework. The reference material describes it as the first gaming incubator in the Czech Republic, supporting companies and creators working in the game sector.

• Digital fabrication workshop · 2017

  FabLab Brno

  An open digital workshop established in Brno’s Czech Technology Park. FabLab provides a practical environment for prototyping, experimentation, digital fabrication, and technology-oriented community activity. The FabLab Brno company was founded in 2022.

• Industry 4.0 research and technology centre

  INTEMAC

  A research and support centre operated through Intemac Solution. INTEMAC helps companies explore digital production, smart manufacturing, automation, robotics, testing, technology optimization, standards, and client-specific requirements.

• Innovation investment vehicle · 2015

  JIC VENTURES

  An investment subsidiary founded in 2015 to invest in current and former participants in JIC programs. It can invest independently or with other investors and is intended to use successful investments to support additional companies in the JIC ecosystem.

• 2020

  Expansion into creative industries through KUMSTProduct launch

  Background

  JIC expanded its support infrastructure beyond technology and biotechnology to include creative businesses and gaming ventures.

  Action taken

  It began operating KUMST in central Brno and incorporated the Gamebaze gaming-incubation initiative within the hub.

  Aftermath

  JIC’s portfolio of support facilities covered technology, biotechnology, advanced materials, creative industries, and gaming.

  Source

• 2015

  Creation of JIC VENTURESStrategy

  Background

  JIC sought to extend its support model from incubation and advisory services into direct investment in promising current and former program participants.

  Action taken

  It established JIC VENTURES as an investment vehicle that could invest alone or with co-investors, with the stated intention of reinvesting successful returns into other JIC clients.

  Aftermath

  The subsidiary became part of JIC’s broader ecosystem of incubation, commercialization, and growth support. The first reported investment was in GINA Software for a 3 percent stake.

  Source

1. 1South Moravian Innovation Centreen.wikipedia.org
2. 2South Moravian Innovation Centre official websitejic.cz