UP Olomouc

What UP Olomouc does

UP Olomouc refers to the Department of Optics (Katedra optiky) within the Faculty of Science (Přírodovědecká fakulta) of Palacký University Olomouc, a public university in the Czech Republic founded in 1573 (the oldest university in Moravia and second-oldest in the Czech Republic). The department conducts teaching and research in optics, optoelectronics, quantum optics, and quantum information processing, offering bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in Optics and Optoelectronics, General Physics, Mathematical Physics, Instrumentation Optics, and Optometry. The student cohort is recruited via university open days, international exchange programs (including Erasmus), and a credit-system curriculum that allows specialization in later years. The department employs approximately 181 staff and students and is led by doc. Mgr. Jaromír Fiurášek, Ph.D.

The department's core research is structured around four technology pillars: (1) quantum optics, covering quantum interference, teleportation, oscillators, macroscopic quantum phenomena, quantum memory, fundamental tests of quantum theory, and quantum metrology; (2) quantum information processing, addressing quantum cryptography, quantum computers and algorithms, optimal estimation and copying of quantum states, distillation and concentration of quantum correlations, quantum error correction, noise reduction in quantum communication, nonlinear dynamics, and quantum communication; (3) experimental quantum information processing, including optimal copying of quantum states of photons, quantum lossy compression, programmable quantum gates, and feedforward-enhanced quantum gates; and (4) nondiffracting and vortex beams, spanning pseudo-nondiffracting beam generators, vortex structures, spatial light modulation, holographic optical tweezers, and vortex-based information transfer. The department has an extensive publication record in peer-reviewed physics and optics journals across 2009–2026.

The business model is non-commercial: the entity operates as a public academic unit within the Czech higher education system, funded through government educational allocations, Czech research grants (GAČR, TAČR, MŠMT), and EU programs including H2020. There are no commercial products, no pricing model, no paying customers, and no venture or private equity ownership. The department sustains a wide research collaboration network of more than 16 partner institutions, including the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (Erlangen), University of Tokyo, ICFO Barcelona, Centre for Quantum Technologies at NUS Singapore, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University of St. Andrews, and Czech industrial partner Meopta Optika s.r.o. (Přerov), supporting joint publications, knowledge transfer, and student exchange.

Name

UP Olomouc

Legal name

Katedra optiky, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci

Website

https://optics.upol.cz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Department of Optics (Katedra optiky) at Palacký University Olomouc conducts research and education in quantum optics, quantum information processing, and optical technologies, serving bachelor's, master's, and doctoral students and collaborating with leading international research institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education and Research in Optics

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHDAGAHAF

Quantum Photonics & Quantum Imaging (Single-Photon, Lidar, Ghost Imaging)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Sensing & Metrology

SECONDARYHDAGALAA

Quantum Education & Certification Programs

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Quantum Computing/Quantum Workforce, Training & Professional Services

SECONDARYEDAHAGAN

Schools of Optometry

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Medical & Health Sciences Universities

Keywords

• Quantum optics research
• Quantum information processing
• Optoelectronics education
• Photonics research
• Optical instrumentation studies

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Katedra optiky (Department of Optics) is an academic department at Palacký University Olomouc that delivers higher education (bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs in Optics and Optoelectronics, General Physics, Mathematical Physics, Instrumentation Optics, and Optometry) and conducts scientific research in quantum optics, quantum information processing, nondiffracting and vortex beams, and experimental quantum technologies. The department provides laboratory-based instruction, thesis supervision, and research training in cooperation with international academic partners and industry collaborators.

Product overview

UP Olomouc (Palacký University Olomouc) is an academic institution. The Department of Optics (Katedra optiky) provides higher education programs in optics and optoelectronics rather than commercial products or services. The department offers study programs including Optics and Optoelectronics, General Physics, Mathematical Physics, Instrumentation Optics, and Optometry at bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. Research activities focus on quantum optics, quantum information processing, nondiffracting and vortex beams, and experimental quantum information processing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Optics and Optoelectronics Study Programs Bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degree programs in optics and optoelectronics covering geometric optics laws, modern optoelectronic systems using lasers, and fundamental quantum world laws including quantum computing and quantum information processing. Open to domestic and international students, with international exchange opportunities.
• General Physics and Mathematical Physics Study Programs Bachelor's and master's study combinations in general physics and mathematical physics provided by the Department of Optics.
• Instrumentation Optics Study Program Study program in instrumentation optics covering the design and construction of optical systems.
• Optometry Study Program Optometry study program covering topics such as spectacle lenses and related optical applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Extensive publication record in leading physics and optics journals across multiple years (2009-2026)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i. BrnocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Department maintains active research collaboration with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, working jointly on optical research under the coordination of Prof. Pavel Zemánek
• CEITEC, Brno University of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research with CEITEC (Central European Institute of Technology) at Brno University of Technology on optical research initiatives
• Meopta Optika s.r.o., PřerovcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Meopta Optika s.r.o., Přerov on joint research and development in optical technologies, including the development of nondiffracting beam generators and practical applications of optical research
• Université Libre de Bruxelles (QUIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive research collaboration with QUIC at Université Libre de Bruxelles on quantum information research with Prof. Nicolas Cerf
• University of Hannover, GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with the University of Hannover, Germany in quantum optics and information processing
• Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, Erlangen, GermanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light in Erlangen, Germany on advanced optical research with Prof. Gerd Leuchs
• Technical University of Denmark, LyngbycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby on quantum technologies
• Istituto Nazionale di Ottica (INO-CNR) c/o LENS, Florence, ItalycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with INO-CNR at LENS in Florence, Italy on optical research with Prof. Marco Bellini
• University of Roma La Sapienza, ItalycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the University of Roma La Sapienza in Italy for quantum optics research with Prof. Francesco De Martini and Dr. Fabio Sciarrino
• University of Tokyo, JapancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with the University of Tokyo, Japan on quantum optics and information processing with Prof. Akira Furusawa
• ICFO, Barcelona, SpaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with ICFO in Barcelona, Spain on photonic research with Dr. Juan Torres and Dr. Martin Hendrych
• University of St. Andrews, UKcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership with the University of St. Andrews in the UK on quantum optics with Dr. Natalia Korolkova
• Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of SingaporecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with the Centre for Quantum Technologies at the National University of Singapore on quantum research with Prof. Berthold Englert
• Universidad Complutense, Madrid, SpaincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Departamento de Optica at Universidad Complutense in Madrid, Spain on optical research with Prof. Luis Sánchez-Soto
• Institute of Physics, Belarus National Academy of SciencesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with the Institute of Physics at the Belarus National Academy of Sciences in Minsk on quantum optics with Dr. Dimitrij Mogilevtsev
• Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Milano, ItalyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Milano in Italy on quantum physics research with Prof. Matteo Paris

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light: German research institute focused on light-matter interaction, quantum optics and photonic technologies; already an active UP Olomouc collaborator and the most directly comparable peer in quantum optics research scope and international standing.
• University of Oxford (Clarendon Laboratory / Department of Physics): Major UK physics department with strong quantum optics and quantum information research groups; comparable in covering both theoretical and experimental quantum photonics at a public university.
• Leibniz University Hannover - Institute of Quantum Optics: German university institute dedicated to quantum optics and quantum information processing; active UP Olomouc collaborator with closely overlapping experimental and theoretical programmes.
• Centre for Quantum Technologies (CQT), National University of Singapore: Interdisciplinary quantum research centre conducting theoretical and experimental work in quantum information and quantum optics; comparable scope to UP Olomouc and already an active collaboration partner.
• University of St Andrews - Quantum Optics Group: St Andrews hosts one of the UK's leading quantum optics groups and is already a direct UP Olomouc collaborator; comparable in scope of continuous-variable and discrete-variable quantum optics research and doctoral training.
• Technical University of Denmark (DTU Physics): DTU hosts the Center for Macroscopic Quantum States (bigQ) and quantum technology research; an existing UP Olomouc collaborator with comparable quantum optics and quantum sensing research scope.
• University of Vienna - Quantum Optics Group: Long-running academic group at the University of Vienna working on quantum optics, quantum information and foundational quantum physics; comparable in research scope, doctoral training function and European academic positioning.
• ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences: Barcelona-based photonics research centre covering quantum optics, quantum information and light-based technologies; collaborates with UP Olomouc and offers a near-identical mix of fundamental research and doctoral training.

Others

• Meopta - Optika s.r.o. Czech precision-optics manufacturer and active UP Olomouc industry partner; adjacent rather than competing, but the closest commercial organisation translating UP Olomouc's optical-research output into industrial products.

Broad incumbents

• CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: France's largest public research organisation running multiple quantum optics and photonics labs; broader in scope than UP Olomouc but the dominant European counterpart institutionally and the largest single employer of quantum optics researchers in Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/up-olomouc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about UP Olomouc