26 Oct Leading tech firms utilizing local talent
The manufacturing industry has long been one of the cornerstones of the Czech economy and remains of paramount importance. The country’s central location within Europe makes it an ideal hub for trade and has helped to attract numerous multinational corporations to establish a footprint within the nation.
While major players such as Siemens, ABB, Honeywell and Daikin have all invested in various facilities in the Czech Republic, there has also been a rise in the number of home-grown companies that have enjoyed success within the high-tech manufacturing sector. This is thanks in part to the country being home to a highly educated and extremely skilled workforce that has allowed companies such as IQS, CertiCon and Hardwario to become pivotal players in the global tech manufacturing sector. They have been able to capitalize on the fact that the Czech Republic has a stable economic environment and a high level of manufacturing technological maturity. This has allowed them to focus on research and development and remain committed to innovation within their own areas of specialization.
Established in 2012, IQS Group has become a leading supplier of innovative products and technologies that are used on the international stage. Specializing in areas such as 3D printing, counterfeit protection and nanotechnology, much of the company’s success comes from harnessing the expert knowledge of individuals within the Czech Republic.
“We started with virtually no money, little investment and with just two offices. Just over 10 years later we have several thousand square meters of production space and numerous projects in countries around the world. This is because we utilized the potential of people and focused on them,” explains the CFO of IQS Group, Martin Jotov. “In the Czech Republic, there are so many clever people and we are one of the most industrious countries in the whole world. There is huge technical expertise and knowledge and one of our major advantages is that we know exactly how to utilize it.”
Similarly, HARDWARIO, a developer and manufacturer of unique IoT devices characterized by low power consumption, has drawn upon the knowledge of those in the Czech Republic and is now beginning to enter into new markets around the world.
“We are constantly adapting and learning to make our mark on the global stage,” says René Gubančok, CSO at HARDWARIO. “Before entering a new market we deeply research its nuances and ensure our products resonate with the market. The globalized world calls for solutions that transcend borders, and this is what HARDWARIO aims to provide.”
Another Czech success story is CertiCon, which develops software and hardware solutions for the healthcare, telecommunications, automotive and aeronautical industries. A hugely innovative company, it collaborates with some of the brightest minds in the country. “We are in touch with the leading universities in the country such as the Czech Technical University in Prague and the West-Bohemian University in Pilsen,” states Vladimír Mařík, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director at CertiCon. “We carry out collaborative research and try to hire alumni so that we can develop software based on the latest achievements in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and machine learning.”