South Moravian Innovation Center

What South Moravian Innovation Center does

South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC) is a Brno-based civic association (zájmové sdružení právnických osob) that operates as a publicly-mandated European innovation agency. It was established jointly by the South Moravian Region, the City of Brno, and four regional universities (Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University, and the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno) and is the implementer of the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS JMK). JIC supports technology entrepreneurs through a three-stage program stack — Future Founders (pre-venture ideation), JICbooster (early-stage incubation), and Scaleup Leaders (growth-stage internationalization) — and operates three physical technology incubators (INTECH, INMEC, KUMST) that provide office space, labs, meeting rooms, and coworking (JICcowork) to member companies.

JIC's product portfolio spans incubation and acceleration programs, coworking memberships (STUDENT at 4,340 CZK/month and STARTUP at 9,940 CZK/month, both with de minimis public subsidies), hour-rated meeting-room rentals, and the Velvet Innovation meetup series. In April 2026 it launched JIC Ventures, a EUR 16 million wholly-owned venture capital fund that has since co-invested in HTG Medical (pre-seed), FaceUp (Series A), and Webout (seed). It also runs cross-border initiatives including the Interreg AT-CZ Open Source Innovation Hubs project (Brno and Vienna) and the 94 million CZK Smart Akcelerátor III regional project covering 2023-2025.

The revenue model is predominantly grant- and subsidy-driven rather than commercial. Operating capital is sourced from the South Moravian Region, the City of Brno, EU Structural Funds, Interreg, ministries, and program-specific public budgets; coworking membership and meeting-room fees contribute a smaller, partly de-minimis-subsidized recurring stream. Citizenship/ownership is institutional (region, city, and universities), with no private equity exposure. JIC is a member of EBN, EEN, EIT, and ESA BIC, giving it European network distribution for its portfolio companies. Cumulative reported impact metrics include 1,300+ companies graduated, 80+ million CZK deployed in grants and investments, 700+ active community members, and 200+ mentors and experts.

Name

South Moravian Innovation Center

Legal name

JIC, zájmové sdružení právnických osob

Website

https://jic.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC) is a publicly-funded Brno-based innovation agency that supports technology startups through Future Founders, JICbooster, and Scaleup Leaders programs, operates physical incubators and coworking, and manages a EUR 16M venture capital fund (JIC Ventures).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation and Innovation Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Corporate Deep Tech / R&D Commercialization CVC (FSANAHAL)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Innovation ecosystem
• Coworking facilities
• Venture capital fund
• Startup acceleration programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brno

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Incubation and Acceleration Programs: JIC provides structured programs for Future Founders, Early Stage Startups, and Scaleup Leaders. While the programs support startups with know-how, mentorship, and seed money, the revenue model appears to be primarily funded through investments, grants, and public funding rather than direct program fees.
2. Coworking Membership Services: JIC operates coworking spaces (JICcowork) in the INMEC building with membership tiers. The STUDENT tariff costs 4,340 CZK with 12,600 CZK de minimis support; STARTUP tariff costs 9,940 CZK with 7,000 CZK de minimis support. Contracts run for 3 calendar months.
3. Meeting Room Rental: JIC rents out meeting rooms in the INMEC building with hourly rates. Available rooms include Salm (70m2), Klein (15m2), Koffiller (25m2), and others. Payment via ComGate online payment gateway within 30 minutes of booking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JIC is a European innovation agency that supports technology startups through a three-stage program ecosystem: Future Founders (pre-venture idea support), Early Stage Startups via the JICbooster incubator (validation, market entry, investor readiness with potential seed money), and Scaleup Leaders (international growth support). It supplements these programs with physical coworking space (JICcowork), meeting room rentals, expert mentoring from 200+ founders and executives, networking events, and a EUR 16 million venture capital fund (JIC Ventures) for early-stage technology startups.

Product overview

South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC) operates as an innovation agency offering a multi-stage support ecosystem for technology entrepreneurs. The portfolio includes Future Founders (pre-venture support), JICbooster incubator (early-stage startups), and Scaleup Leaders (growth-stage companies). Supporting infrastructure includes JICcowork coworking facilities, meeting room rentals across 18 spaces, and JIC Ventures (EUR 16M venture capital fund). Regional initiatives include Smart Akcelerátor (Regional Innovation Strategy implementation) and Open Source Innovation Hubs (Interreg cross-border project). JIC also facilitates networking through Velvet Innovation Meetups and manages three technology incubators (INTECH, INMEC, KUMST) serving the South Moravian innovation ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JICcowork: Coworking membership service offered at INMEC building
• JICbooster
• JICplus
• JIC Ventures

Products and services

• Future Founders Pre-venture support program for individuals with innovative ideas, students, university researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs exploring their entrepreneurial path. Targets people launching startups while working, studying, or commercializing research.
• JICbooster Incubator Incubation program where early-stage startups work with JIC experts to ensure product market success, learning how to start a company, enter the market, find investors, and potentially receive seed money.
• Scaleup Leaders Acceleration program connecting company founders with successful entrepreneurs and top mentors, providing international connections and investor access for companies with unique products aiming for world-class status.
• JICcowork Coworking membership service at the INMEC building in Brno offering STUDENT and STARTUP tariff options with 24/7 access, meeting room credits, mentor consultations, Discord access, and community events.
• Meeting Room Rental Rental service for 18 shared meeting rooms at the INMEC building (Brno) ranging from 12-70 sqm, bookable online via reservation system and paid via ComGate payment gateway.
• JIC Ventures EUR 16 million venture capital fund investing in early-stage technology startups from the Czech Republic and Central Europe. As of July 2026, has invested in FaceUp (Series A $5M), Webout (EUR 1.65M seed), and HTG Medical (EUR 450K pre-seed).
• Velvet Innovation Meetups Regular networking events connecting public administration, startups, investors, creatives, and talented students within the innovation ecosystem.
• Open Source Innovation Hubs Interreg AT-CZ project (OSIH, ATCZ00027) co-financed by Interreg AT-CZ, establishing two innovation hubs focused on Open Source technologies - one in Brno with AI focus and one in Vienna - to promote cross-border cooperation and digital sovereignty.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,300+ companies grown in incubation and acceleration programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and major.

• President Petr PavelminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026President Petr Pavel attended the official launch of JIC Ventures in Brno to support the development of innovation and the knowledge economy.
• Jihomoravský kraj (South Moravian Region)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe South Moravian Region is a founding partner and co-financier of JIC. Together they implement the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS JMK) and the Smart Akcelerátor project. The region provides institutional support and funding for innovation ecosystem development.
• Město Brno (City of Brno)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe City of Brno is a founding partner of JIC, jointly developing the regional innovation ecosystem under the Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS JMK).
• Masaryk University (MUNI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMasaryk University is a founding partner of JIC, contributing research commercialization and talent to the innovation ecosystem.
• Brno University of Technology (VUT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrno University of Technology is a founding partner of JIC, providing research capabilities and technical talent to the innovation ecosystem.
• Mendel University in Brno (MENDEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMendel University is a founding partner of JIC, contributing to the innovation ecosystem with agricultural and business expertise.
• University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno (VETER)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences is a founding partner of JIC, contributing life sciences and biotechnology expertise.
• European Business and Innovation Centre Network (EBN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJIC is a member of EBN, a European network of business and innovation centres providing international connections and best practices.
• Enterprise Europe Network (EEN)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJIC is a member of EEN, the world's largest support network for small and medium-sized enterprises, providing international business cooperation services.
• European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJIC is a member of EIT, a European body that supports innovation across Europe through various communities and programs.
• ESA BIC Czech RepublicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJIC is a member of ESA Business Incubation Centre Czech Republic, supporting space-related startups and technology transfer.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wayra (Telefónica): Telefónica's global corporate venture capital and accelerator arm running hubs across Europe and Latin America. Comparable as a corporate-backed incubator combining open innovation programs with cheque-writing in early-stage startups.
• ESA BIC Czech Republic: European Space Agency business incubation centre in Czechia, of which JIC is a member node. Operates space-tech-focused incubation and seed funding with similar structure of coworking, mentorship, and grant-backed programs; directly comparable as both a network peer and operational incubator.
• Techstars: Global accelerator with associated venture fund providing mentorship-driven cohorts and seed investment. Closely comparable to JIC's incubation-plus-equity model, including the integrated JIC Ventures fund.
• Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC): Large US-based innovation campus operator providing coworking, office, lab, and venture-building services to startups. Highly comparable operating model combining physical infrastructure, programming, and a venture arm (CIC Ventures).
• Impact Hub Network: Global network of impact-focused coworking, incubation, and accelerator spaces with member hubs across Central Europe. Operates a similar mix of community building, programming, and startup support services comparable to JIC's JICcowork and JICbooster offerings.
• Station F: Europe's largest startup campus in Paris, offering coworking, accelerator programs, and corporate partner services. Comparable as a mega-incubator with similar program tiers and event-driven community engagement model.
• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network running vertical-focused cohorts with mentor networks, demo days, and follow-on funding support. Operationally similar to JICbooster and Scaleup Leaders in cohort structure and intensity.
• MassChallenge: Global non-profit accelerator running equity-free programs with mentor networks and corporate partnerships. Comparable to JIC's Scaleup Leaders and Future Founders programs in cohort-based, mentor-driven design.

Broad incumbents

• CzechInvest: Czech state investment and business development agency that supports startups, SMEs, and foreign investors with programs, consulting, and grant administration across the Czech Republic. Closely comparable to JIC's mission of regional innovation ecosystem building, though operating at the national rather than regional level.

Emerging players

• Creative Business Cup / Rainmaking: European innovation and venture builder network operating startup programs, corporate innovation partnerships, and ecosystem events. Comparable as a European-scale ecosystem builder with program-driven engagement of founders and partners.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/JICbrno
• Facebookfacebook.com/jic.brno
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-moravian-innovation-centre
• Instagraminstagram.com/jic_brno
• Xx.com/JIC_Brno

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Moravian Innovation Center