She’d been drawn to space since childhood. She dreamed of becoming an astronaut, and later—more down-to-earth—a doctor. But at the last minute she changed course and graduated from the Faculty of Mechatronics, Informatics and Interdisciplinary Studies at the Technical University of Liberec. Even so, she eventually found her way back to medicine—by a roundabout route.

When we think of healthcare, we picture a doctor’s office, a waiting room or a hospital ward. A doctor and a patient, the two main actors in a dialogue about health. But that approach is no longer enough. Modern technology is increasingly claiming its place. Tomáš Šebek, a doctor without borders, founder of the start-up uLékaře.cz and host of this year’s TechCare 2026 conference, explains how he sees this transformation and why he considers the role of start-ups and artificial intelligence to be crucial.

The Regional Development Agency (ARR) is celebrating its 30th anniversary. At the time of its founding, it was one of the first development agencies in the Czech Republic and has gradually grown into a key expert organisation in the Liberec Region, serving as a partner to businesses, public institutions and citizens alike. Under one roof, it provides more than thirty services. From its original focus on grant advisory, it has expanded into support for entrepreneurship, digitalisation, science and research, while also continuing to value traditional crafts and tourism.