Innovation and Entrepreneurship
We focus on developing innovation infrastructure, educating talents, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
Innovation and the ability to come up with new ideas are among the important prerequisites for long-term prosperous regions. Innovation helps respond to social, economic, and technological change and brings solutions that improve people's quality of life. At the ŠKODA AUTO Endowment Fund, we therefore support the development of entrepreneurship, the emergence of new initiatives, and cross-sector cooperation as a key pillar of sustainable regional development.
We focus on supporting small entrepreneurs, startups, social enterprises, and other actors who bring new impulses and contribute to positive change in their surroundings. We support not only the ideas themselves but also the environment in which they can emerge, be tested, and grow over the long term.
Supporting ideas, people, and places where they can grow
Entrepreneurship does not arise in isolation. We therefore support the creation of innovation infrastructure, such as innovation and coworking centres that connect entrepreneurs, startups, students, non-profit organisations, and public administration. These places serve as a base for sharing experience, developing skills, and cooperating on specific projects.
Our support also includes educational programmes focused on entrepreneurship, creativity, and leadership. We support projects that give room for experimentation, pilot solutions, and learning from practice. These include, for example, support for entrepreneurial and community startups, social innovation, or projects that connect technological solutions with local needs.
Cross-sector cooperation for regional development
A key principle for us is cross-sector cooperation. Connecting the public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors enables the sharing of know-how, resources, and experience and increases the chance that innovative solutions will actually work in practice. We support partnerships that strengthen the local economy and contribute to the development of regions.
We are aware that the development of innovation and entrepreneurship is a long-term process whose impacts often become apparent only over time. We therefore place emphasis on the quality of project preparation, building strong partnerships, and the sustainability of solutions. Our goal is to create conditions in which new economic activities, innovation, and business opportunities can emerge that bring real benefit to the residents of the regions where the ŠKODA AUTO Endowment Fund operates.