The debate included representatives from six political parties: Karel Havlíček, Deputy Chairman of ANO; Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport (ODS); Štěpán Hofman, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (STAN); Jan Kavalírek, Government Envoy for Artificial Intelligence (TOP 09); Michal Švagerka, leader of the Pirates in South Moravia; and Benjamin Činčila, leader of the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) in Vysočina. All political parties polling above 4.5% at the time of the invitation were invited.
Key topics of discussion included the creation of a Startup Act, insufficient personnel capacity for implementing economic strategies, incentives for investors, strengthening venture capital through pension funds, and the need for a “28th regime” that would allow Czech companies to operate more easily across the EU.
The debate also touched on access to grant programs and the possibility for startups to compete in public procurement. Other topics raised by politicians included strengthening regional innovation centers – with the JIC (South Moravian Innovation Center) as a model – hiring foreign talent, and revising labor laws to allow startups to recruit skilled workers more flexibly. Party representatives appreciated the joint effort behind the recent changes to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).
According to a voter survey conducted by startup Lakmoos AI specifically for the event, 80% of respondents believe that startups, innovation, and tech companies can contribute to a better future for Czechia – improving competitiveness, job creation, and economic modernization. Three-quarters of people (77%) want this sector to be a government priority. Two-thirds of voters associate startup and innovation support with one or more political parties – most frequently ANO (29%) and STAN (13%).
The analytical platform ROLU, which tracks startup market dynamics, reported that Czech startups received CZK 14.6 billion in investments last year – a more than 200% increase from 2023. However, the number of new investments declined, with 82 deals last year – 17% fewer than in 2023. A major trend is investment in AI: in 2024, one in three investment dollars in the U.S. went to AI startups, while in Czechia, one in five crowns invested went to this sector.
“The numbers from successful startup nations speak for themselves – supporting this environment benefits everyone. It’s a clear win for the economy, society, and the business climate. Czechia has huge potential here, and it makes sense to unlock it. But we need many systemic and legislative changes to make it happen. That’s why it’s important that politicians committed to these changes during the debate and confirmed that supporting startups will be a priority for the next government. That’s a key message – there’s still a lot of work ahead,” said Martin Jiránek, Chairman of the Czech Startup Association.
“Europe needs a true 28th regime – a unified, digital legal framework that allows startups to grow across the EU without unnecessary red tape. Unfortunately, MEP René Repasi’s proposal was a disappointment. Instead of real simplification, it preserves fragmentation, ignores the voices of founders, and focuses on past problems rather than the future. That’s why we’re glad we could discuss this with Czech politicians in time – while European legislation is still being shaped,” emphasized Barbora Werdmölder, Director of Czech Founders.
“Startups aren’t just a trend – they’re key to the future of our economy. If we want innovative companies with global potential to be born and stay in Czechia, we need systemic support. No more one-off subsidies – we need a clear legal framework, accessible capital, and a strategic state approach, like what we’re aiming for with the Technology Incubation project. This debate showed that there’s interest. Now we need to turn that interest into real action,” said Tereza Kubicová, Deputy for Technology Development at CzechInvest.
“Startups face real barriers today – from labor laws to taxation and capital access. It’s easy to say we support them, but what we really need are concrete steps to improve the environment they operate in. This debate showed we’ve found common ground with politicians – and that’s a promising start,” concluded our Tomáš Cironis, Director of Startup Kitchen.
What Did the Politicians Say?
Selected quotes from the pre-election debate:
Karel Havlíček, Deputy Chairman of ANO:
“We should focus on creating more startups. Let’s motivate people to invest in them and encourage young people – and not only them – to work in startups. How do we spark that first step? We need to look at where others are doing it better. Not just often-mentioned Spain – the Netherlands and the UK are doing it brilliantly. Let’s create a solid law that gives startups a relatively free regime from bureaucracy and levies for the first one to three years to help them get started.”
Martin Kupka, Minister of Transport (ODS):
“What can we do to birth more startups in Czechia and catch up with the best? We need to activate the capital market for investments. In the next parliamentary term, we’re launching not only ESOPs but also newly adjusted R&D and innovation tax deductions. That’s key – it will significantly boost this sector.”
Štěpán Hofman, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade (STAN):
“At the Ministry, we’ve launched the preparation of a Startup Act. First, we need to define what a startup actually is – currently, Czech law doesn’t define it. We also have to reduce administrative barriers and bureaucracy, which is overwhelming even for traditional companies. And we must address both human and financial capital, because securing risk investment for startups is not easy in our environment.”
Jan Kavalírek, Government Envoy for AI (TOP 09):
“I genuinely believe we can make Czechia a technologically advanced country – not just in the CEE region, but across the EU – especially in the field of artificial intelligence. We have many strong foundations to build on.”
Michal Švagerka, Pirate Party Leader in South Moravia:
“We urgently need an economic transformation. Instead of being an assembly line, Czechia must become a brain hub. We must build a modern, high-value economy – otherwise, we’ll remain a sub-supplier dwarf, just like we are now.”
Benjamin Činčila, Christian Democrats Leader in Vysočina:
“ESOPs are just the first step. Now we need to move forward with a Startup Act. One crucial topic we must address is how employees – and freelancers – will work within startups. And let’s not forget pension funds – there’s a lot of money in them that should start flowing into riskier environments.”
