ZRIA, a.s.

What ZRIA, a.s. does

ZRIA, a.s. is the regional development agency of the Zlín Region in the Czech Republic, operating as a wholly-owned joint-stock subsidiary of the regional government (Zlínský kraj). Originally incorporated in 2012 as Industry Servis ZK, a.s. and renamed ZRIA, a.s. on March 1, 2024, the entity functions as an investment promotion organization (IPO) tasked with attracting domestic and foreign investment, supporting regional economic development, and integrating international talent into the Zlín economy. The agency is staffed by approximately 17 personnel distributed across strategic development, European project management, economic diplomacy, investment services, property management, marketing, and operations.

The agency's portfolio rests on three operational pillars. First, it manages the 360-hectare Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov, a greenfield industrial site developed on a former airport with fully serviced plots ranging from 0.5 to 100 hectares—190 hectares remain available for investor projects—and supported by CZK 1,085 million in state subsidies covering 75% of zone infrastructure costs. Second, it operates the Progress Technology Park within the zone, providing rental production halls, laboratories, offices, and incubation services in cooperation with the Technology Innovation Centre Zlín. Third, it conducts economic diplomacy programs—primarily Texas-focused business missions to Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio with delegations of regional companies—and runs Expat Centre Zlín to integrate international talent into the regional economy.

ZRIA is funded primarily through regional government appropriations, state subsidies, and EU operational programme grants rather than commercial revenue. Historical capital funding includes a CZK 112.5 million subsidy for the original Technology Park construction (total project cost CZK 150 million) under the Business and Innovation Operational Programme, with additional grants disbursed via the Technology Innovation Centre Zlín. The agency does not charge fees for its core investment attraction services; industrial land at the Holešov zone is sold at expert-validated market prices, and Progress Technology Park lease pricing is disclosed on individual inquiry. The entity has set explicit long-term targets of CZK 10 billion in cumulative incoming investment and 4,000 jobs in the Holešov zone by 2040.

Name

ZRIA, a.s.

Legal name

ZRIA, a.s.

Website

https://zria.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Regional development agency of the Czech Zlín Region managing the 360-hectare Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov and Progress Technology Park, running Texas-focused economic diplomacy and Expat Centre programs to attract investors and international talent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Holešov

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and subsidies: ZRIA operates as a subsidiary of the Zlín Region and functions as a government-funded development agency. Its activities are financed through regional government funding, state subsidies, and EU operational programme grants. The Technology Park construction was funded by a CZK 112.5M grant from the Business and Innovation Operational Programme. The Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov received a CZK 1,085M grant (75% of total costs).

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ZRIA, a.s. is a regional development agency and subsidiary of the Zlín Region that manages the 360-hectare Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov with full infrastructure for manufacturing, R&D, and strategic services, and operates the Progress Technology Park offering rental spaces (production halls, laboratories, offices, conference facilities). The agency delivers economic diplomacy services through international partnerships and business missions (primarily to Texas), and runs the Expat Centre Zlín supporting international talent integration with language courses, housing assistance, and job matching.

Product overview

ZRIA, a.s. (Zlín Regional Investment Agency) is a regional development agency and subsidiary of the Zlín Region that operates as a government/investment promotion organization rather than a traditional software product company. Its core portfolio consists of managing the 360-hectare Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov with full infrastructure, operating the Progress Technology Park offering rental spaces (production halls, labs, offices, conference facilities) with incubation services, delivering Economic Diplomacy services through international partnerships and business missions primarily to Texas, and running Expat Centre Zlín for international talent integration. The agency connects regional businesses with global innovation ecosystems and attracts investors to the Zlín Region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Strategic Industrial Zone Holešov (SPZ Holešov) A 360-hectare strategic industrial zone located on a former airport site, offering fully developed infrastructure for manufacturing, science, research, and strategic services. Investors can acquire plots ranging from 0.5 to 100 hectares with access to gas, water, electricity, telecommunications, and railway siding. The zone is designated as a preferential area under Czech Investment Incentives law with investment size thresholds half those of non-preferential locations, and targets CZK 10 billion in incoming investment and 4,000 workers by 2040.
• Progress Technology Park A technology park located within the Holešov Strategic Industrial Zone offering rental spaces including production and storage halls, laboratory facilities, office spaces, and conference rooms. Provides incubation services, R&D support, and business consulting in cooperation with Technology Innovation Centre Zlín. The facility offers 24/7 access and is targeted at technology companies and innovative firms.
• Economic Diplomacy Services International partnership development services connecting the Zlín Region with global markets, including trade missions, business delegations, investment attraction, and strategic partnerships with regions, universities, and companies in Texas and beyond. Priority sectors include aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, and dual-use technologies.
• Expat Centre Zlín Integration support services for international talents including practical information, community building, housing assistance, job opportunity connections, local authority navigation, and free Czech language courses for foreign professionals. Serves as a workforce development enabler for the Zlín Region's investor attraction strategy.
• Business Mission to Texas Organized business missions to Texas (Dallas, Austin, San Antonio) connecting Zlín Region companies with American partners, including B2B meetings, company visits to aerospace and defense firms (Lockheed Martin, Bell), and participation in Texas Space Summit. The 2026 mission is scheduled for September 15-23, 2026.

Quantifiable outcome

• CZK 10 billion in incoming investment and 4,000 jobs expected in the Holešov Strategic Industrial Zone by end of 2040
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Bastrop County, TexascoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026MoU signed between ZRIA and Bastrop County, located in the technology corridor between Austin and San Antonio — the area where Elon Musk is building campuses for SpaceX, xAI, and The Boring Company. The partnership focuses on three pillars: business cooperation, education and talent development (internships in aerospace, semiconductors, automotive, and CleanTech), and joint research and innovation projects (smart cities, AI, cybersecurity, advanced materials).
• Greater San Antonio Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MoU with the largest pro-business organization in San Antonio, working with more than 1,750 member companies. The partnership provides Zlín Region companies access to San Antonio's incubators and accelerators, while enabling Texas companies to explore the Czech market. Both sides collaborate on knowledge sharing and talent exchange programmes. The MoU was signed in the presence of the Czech Ambassador to the USA and the Deputy Governor of Zlín Region.
• Yonder Materials (CombiMatrixAI Corporation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MoU signed with American AI startup Yonder Materials and Tomas Bata University to establish the Zlín Materials Institute (ZMI) — a European centre of excellence for AI-powered materials discovery. Yonder Materials combines AI with autonomous robotic laboratories to accelerate materials discovery, and already cooperates with the Texas Materials Institute at UT Austin and the Clean Energy Institute at University of Washington. The institute aims to serve the Czech Republic and other EU countries.
• Opportunity AustinflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024MoU signed between ZRIA and Opportunity Austin — one of the most successful American regional economic development organizations. Since its establishment in 2004, Opportunity Austin has helped create more than 700,000 jobs and attracted billions of dollars in investment. The partnership opens Austin as a gateway to the North American market for Zlín Region companies and enables student exchange programmes, joint research projects in creative industries, innovation, and semiconductors. Opportunity Austin represents one of ZRIA's first partnerships in Central and Eastern Europe.
• Tomas Bata University in Zlín (UTB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZRIA works closely with Tomas Bata University in Zlín (approx. 9,000 students) on academic cooperation, joint research initiatives (e.g., Zlín Materials Institute), student and faculty exchange programmes, and developing study programmes aligned with regional industry needs including semiconductors.
• Technology Innovation Centre Zlín (TIC)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCooperation with Technology Innovation Centre Zlín provides incubation, acceleration, and consulting services for startups and innovative companies in the region. TIC offers business plan preparation, funding identification for R&D projects, intellectual property protection assistance, and connections to regional and external R&D capacities.
• St. Mary's University, San Antonio, TexasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic cooperation with St. Mary's University in San Antonio provides concrete opportunities for international exchange of expertise and development of the academic environment between the Zlín Region and Texas.
• Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZRIA received an invitation from Southwest Research Institute (which collaborates with NASA) to participate in the prestigious Texas Space Summit in San Antonio as part of the 2026 business mission. SwRI collaborates with NASA on space research and represents a high-calibre partner in aerospace and defence.
• CzechInvestcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCzechInvest is the Czech government's investment and business development agency that processes investment incentives and supports investors in the Holešov Strategic Industrial Zone. ZRIA coordinates with CzechInvest's Zlín regional office for investor servicing and incentive processing.
• Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech RepubliccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Industry and Trade is a key partner in the Holešov Strategic Industrial Zone project and administers the programme supporting business properties and infrastructure. The ministry sets the rules for investment incentives, with the zone designated as a preferential area.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CzechInvest: Czech Republic's national investment and business development agency that processes investment incentives and supports investors, including in the Holešov Strategic Industrial Zone that ZRIA manages. ZRIA coordinates directly with CzechInvest's regional office, making it the closest functional peer for investment promotion and incentive administration.
• Opportunity Austin: One of the most successful US regional economic development organisations, credited with helping create more than 700,000 jobs since 2004. ZRIA has a flagship MoU with Opportunity Austin to act as mutual gateways, making it a directly comparable peer in regional economic development, talent attraction, and international partnership brokering.
• Invest Alberta: Alberta's government-backed investment and economic development agency focused on attracting investment, supporting trade, and growing key sectors. Directly comparable to ZRIA as a regionally focused, government-owned development agency with international partnership and trade mission activities.
• Greater San Antonio Partnership: The regional economic development partnership for the San Antonio area, working closely with the Greater San Antonio Chamber (with which ZRIA has a Core MoU). Comparable to ZRIA as a regional public-private partnership promoting investment, talent attraction, and international partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• Scottish Development International: Scotland's national economic development agency combining inward investment, international trade, and innovation support. Comparable to ZRIA in its hybrid mandate of investor attraction, sector development, and international partnerships, though operating at national rather than regional scale.
• IDA Ireland: Ireland's inward investment promotion agency responsible for attracting foreign direct investment into Ireland. Comparable to ZRIA in its mandate to attract multinational investment, manage incentive frameworks, and serve as a single-window gateway to a national/regional ecosystem.
• Empire State Development: New York State's principal economic development agency, delivering investment attraction, incentive programmes, and development zone management. Comparable to ZRIA in operating as a state-level agency managing industrial sites and investment incentives with international outreach.
• Invest Hong Kong: Hong Kong's government department responsible for attracting foreign direct investment and supporting overseas businesses to set up operations. Comparable to ZRIA in its single-window role of advising investors, facilitating set-up, and brokering regional/international partnerships.
• Business France: France's national agency supporting international business development, inward investment, and economic diplomacy. Comparable to ZRIA in delivering investment promotion and export development services to companies, with broader geographic and sectoral mandate.

Regional players

• Invest in Bavaria: Bavaria's state-owned investment promotion agency operating under the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs. Comparable to ZRIA as a sub-national European government agency combining investor servicing, site management, and international promotion, though focused on a different region within Germany.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/zlinregioninvestmentagency
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zriacz
• Instagraminstagram.com/zria_cz
• Xx.com/zria_cz

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

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 ZRIA, a.s.