Začínající podnikatelé mění strategii. Zatímco ještě před několika lety hledali hlavně investory, dnes chtějí především první zákazníky, ověřit svůj produkt na trhu a získat zkušené mentory. Potvrzuje to i letošní ročník programu Výkop podnikatelského inkubátoru Lipo.ink, kterým prošlo osm startupů z Libereckého kraje – od sedmnáctiletého podnikatele přes technologii pro kořenové čistírny až po platformu propojující studenty s firmami.

Every lap completed on a track leaves a trace in the data. But knowing speed, acceleration, steering input or tyre load does not make the car faster on its own. RaceQ, a start-up developing software for simulation and analysis of racing car dynamics, wants to show teams where the graphs hide opportunities for faster cornering. And also how simulations can help save up to seven-figure sums spent on renting race tracks.

When it first appeared in social services in Jablonec nad Nisou last year, it sparked curiosity. Today, this successful cross-border cooperation with Spanish partners from Madrid has reached another important milestone. The project involving Robic, an AI-based social robot that helps clients with autism spectrum disorders in the Liberec Region, has received the prestigious EDIH Community Award in Brussels. In a vote by the European community of digital innovation hubs, the project succeeded among more than 70 entries from across Europe and ranked among the most successful examples of artificial intelligence being used in public services.

One of today’s most significant semiconductor projects in Europe is taking shape in Dresden. The new ESMC plant, backed by Taiwan’s TSMC together with Bosch, Infineon and NXP, is intended to strengthen European chip production for the automotive sector, industrial technologies and other strategic industries. For the Liberec Region, it represents an opportunity that could influence the shape of local industry for years to come.

A nursery school for children with physical disabilities had long been looking for suitable aids for children who struggle with fine motor skills. It eventually found help at the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation, CXI TUL. The 3D printing team designed and produced special colourful aids tailored precisely to the children’s needs.

Software for racing cars, sustainable fashion made from clothing that would otherwise turn into waste, and non-flammable insulation material made from waste raw materials. The 12th edition of the Start-up TUL competition showed that student ideas are increasingly moving close to real business, bringing interesting technologies and addressing themes of social responsibility.