The Future Runs on Semiconductors. And the Czech Republic is Stepping Up

“Semiconductors, until recently hidden from view inside machines, are now at the center of industrial strategies and geopolitics. The Czech Republic’s strategy in the field of semiconductor technologies aims to leverage our strengths in manufacturing, talent development, and chip design,” said Jan Michal, CEO of CzechInvest, at this year’s Czech Semicon Days event.

But who will make sure this strategic priority turns into reality? These companies, for a start.

DynaNIC Semiconductors

Even for a fund as large as Tensor Ventures, this was a first: its initial foray into semiconductor software came with an investment in a Brno-based startup at the end of 2024. Founder Pavol Korcek and his team have been working in this sector for more than twenty years, developing technology that simplifies the use of FPGA programmable chips.

“Our technology is a game changer, offering unparalleled speed,” wrote Korcek, who has ties to Brno University of Technology. “We offer scalable and flexible performance. Not only will we meet expectations, we’ll exceed them.” He describes FPGA chips as a holy grail: the speed of custom silicon combined with the simplicity of software. “We complete with giants such as Google, Microsoft, Intel, and Amazon. We don’t want to sell DynaNIC to a multinational, but to build a major supplier for global giants,” Korcek said after the Tensor Ventures investment.

Tropic Square

In today’s fast-paced world, investment deals can move at lightning speed. “We secured our first investment after just a few minutes on the phone,” Jan Pilsack, head of Tropic Square, told Forbes this year. That was all it took for the brain trust of the renowned crypto company SatoshiLabs to secure backing for their subsidiary, Tropic Square.

SatoshiLabs made its name with Trezor, the world’s first crypto wallet, while Tropic Square is working on a new approach: developing a unique security chip built on the open source philosophy, aiming to make electronic systems more transparent.

Pavol “Sticks” Rusnak of SatoshiLabs–also Tropic’s mentor–adds: “We understand to keep our rule of not having external investors, we needed to create a completely independent structure. That’s why Tropic was born.”

The revolution has also been aided by the entry of yet another major player: Auzera, though SatoshiLabs still holds the majority stake in Tropic Square.

NenoVision

It’s no secret: progress depends on science and business working hand in hand. NenoVision is a case in point.
Originally a student project by Jan Neumann–then an PhD candidate–and a spin-off from the CEITEC research center at Brno University of Technology, the company brings microscopic vision to the city’s thriving tech ecosystem.

Their device adds a new dimension to scanning electron microscopes, capable of revealing even smaller worlds. CEO Jan Neumann says the key lies in the combination of “touch”–a gentle nudges in simplified terms–with an electron beam.

This makes it particularly useful for semiconductors, batteries, and other nanoscale products.
With the support of powerful partners and international awards already under their belt, NenoVision is aiming for the global stage.

SiliXcon

“Innovation arises where people aren’t afraid to try new things–and where the word ‘impossible’ simply doesn’t exist.”

It’s a fitting motto, especially given how unlikely it might seem for a tech company to spring up in Biskupice, in the Zlín region and, in just eight years, count both Škoda Auto and Ferrari among its clients. That’s SiliXcon, a developer of tiny control units for electric motors used in cars, drones, motorcycles, and boats.

“We’re trying to build the missing bridge between academic theory and industrial practice,” explains CEO Martin Pládek, who runs the company alongside technical director Martin Dvořák. Their mission is clear: maximize the potential of electric motors while building a tech cleaner world by betting big on electrification. Pládek has bold goals for the future: by the end of 2026, he aims to achieve 20 percent profit margins, German-level wages, and a four-day workweek.

AdvaScope

“To the Moon!” is more than a slogan for Advacam, whose radiation detectors help protect astronauts and electronics in space. AdvaScope, a young spin-off of Advacam, develops particle detectors for electron microscopy.

Thanks to their extraordinary sensitivity and speed, the new detectors promise to power a new generation of electron microscopes. The innovation agency JIC draws an apt comparison: just as digital technology transformed photography and film, AdvaScope’s sensors bring new life to electron microscopes, which until now have relied on analog detection systems. The result: noise-free images and a wealth of new information for researchers.

The initial series of findings from their prototypes–which identify various metals, defects, and layers in scanned surfaces–already look like science fiction. It’s no fantasy in Brno, though–its location right next to the Brno University of Technology campus certainly helps.

Atomiver

And to wrap up, here’s an Olomouc connection with a story that truly crosses borders. At its center is Atomiver CEO Andrew Hladky: the son of Czech immigrants to the U.S., he grew up in Vermont, earned an MBA in America, and gained work experience from top tech firms like SpaceX and Tesla.

But he chose to return to his ancestral homeland, where he now leads a spin-off focused on graphene–and more specifically, graphene derivatives. Here’s where things get highly technical: the enriched material is based on nitrogen-doped graphene and used in advanced batteries, especially in aerospace systems. It’s a complex sector with strong prospects–Atomiver already has research-stage partnerships with major organizations in the U.S., the Czech Republic, and the NATO. And their Brno-based partner is CATRIN, the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute at Palacký University in Olomouc.