Ready! Run 2 - Spin-off/Start-up Program | Transfer Technologií ČVUT

Get Spin-off/Start-up Ready!

Apply by 10 September 2026

Turn your research into real-world impact

Science can change the world - when it reaches beyond the university walls. It is our mission at ČVUT Technology Transfer to support you in turning your idea/research into a university spin-off or an independent startup.

Join our semestral Spin-off/Start-up Ready! program to put on the business hat, understand the journey to commercialization, practice the use of vital business tools, and build a network of investors and industry partners to bring your innovation to life!

Who can join?

Ready! is open to students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and researchers - Czech and international - who want to explore the business potential of their ideas.

The program runs in English.

16 participants will be accepted to ensure individual mentoring and a highly practical experience.

Program at a glance

Duration

October 2026 - February 2027

Format

In-person, Thursdays 9:00-12:30 (incl. rich and tasty brunch :-)

Location

Prague

Language

English

Application Deadline

10th September 2026

Final Pitch Night

4th February 2027

Participants get

Know-how & practice in 8 key commercialization steps + final investor pitch
Practical assignments to develop their own idea/research
Dedicated business mentoring: each participant is matched with an experienced mentor who supports them individually throughout the program and helps them achieve quality outcomes on the practical assignments between workshops (for participant's real project)
Networking with business community and investors
Further commercialization support with contracts, legal issues, patents, incubation, etc.

What makes Ready! different

High-value workshops: expert faculty, small cohort (max. 16 participants)
Practical focus: 70% of your time spent developing your own research-to-business idea
Individual business mentoring: each participant/team works with an experienced business mentor
Essential business & soft skills: validation of commercial potential, business and financial plan, go-to-market strategy, team composition and management, IP protection, legal support, pitching to investors
Communication for impact: short and intense communication practice spread over all workshops to build you as a strategic, structured and confident presenter of your business ideas
Business contacts: establishing relationships with topic experts, business mentors, industrial partners, and investors
Support beyond the program: guidance, legal counsel and incubation by ČVUT Venture Builder seamlessly following the Ready! program

Meet our mentors

Ready! workshops (Oct 2026 - Feb 2027)

1. Should I? - Understanding the spin-off/start-up journey

October 2026 (TBC)

Why and how to commercialize research. Benefits, risks, real-life case, ČVUT support. How Lean Canvas can guide you throughout your journey.

Facilitators: Michal Hrabí, Vladimír Bayer

2. Is there potential? - Validating the market need and customer discovery

October 2026 (TBC)

How to size the problem, need, customers, and value proposition. Tools for customer discovery and validation.

Facilitators: Štefan Koreň, Martina Vycudilíková

3. How to get to customers? - Developing a Go-to-Market strategy

November 2026 (TBC)

Who my market is, how I enter, with what offer and pricing.

Facilitator: Michal Hrabí

4. How to plan business and finances? - Going from Lean Canvas to Business plan

November 2026 (TBC)

How and why create a full-fledged business plan and a financial plan as its important component.

Facilitator: Liliana Unachukwu, Štefan Koreň

5. Company legal checklist and Intellectual Property

December 2026 (TBC)

What are the legal implications related to a company foundation? Is there a know-how to be protected? What legal support can you get from ČVUT Technology Transfer.

Facilitator: Roman Polák, Barbora Havlíková

When and how to protect IP, typical situations and journeys, risks and red flags, legal support from ČVUT Technology Transfer.

Facilitators: Kamil Špinar, Roman Polák, Barbora Havlíková

6. How to manage the people side of my business? - Leading teams, investors, other partners

December 2026 (TBC)

How to manage co-founders, team dynamics, equity pitfalls, my network and investor, industrial partners and university relations.

Facilitators: Veronika Štěpánková, Jiří Zhoř

7. How to attract investors? - Funding and pitching

January 2027 (TBC)

Ways to understand investors' expectations, funding sources, pitch deck structure and design.

Facilitators: Jan Urban, an angel investor, a VC investor, Martina Vycudilíková, Barbora LeBlanc

8. Can I pitch? - Rehearsing a pitch & getting feedback

January 2027 (TBC)

How to handle difficult situations/Qs during investor pitches — feedback, handling Qs, delivery.

Facilitators: Barbora LeBlanc & team of mentors

9. Investor Pitch & Networking Night

February 2027 (TBC)

Final pitches to investors and business partners followed by networking and celebration.

Application & Selection Process

4th June - 10th September 2026

Application period

Submit a short online form: complete few simple questions about your idea and motivation

+ Upload a 2-minute informal video introducing yourself and your idea (highly recommended!)

11th - 30th September 2026

Internal selection of best projects

Technology Transfer experts review all applications and select up to 16 participants for the next cohort.

End of September 2026

Notification & administration

Selected applicants receive an invite to the program as well as practical details about your participation. Applicants who have not been selected may receive other follow-up options.

Contact us

Barbora LeBlanc

barbora.leblancova@cvut.cz, +420 602 689 517

Funded by the European Union - Chips Joint Undertaking; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic