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Monika Vrbková from JIC: We want 10 globally successful companies by 2030

20.03. 2026
line-arrow Monika Vrbková from JIC: We want 10 globally successful companies by 2030

Helping to expand into new markets and connecting with foreign investors is an increasingly important topic for JIC and its clients. In recent months, we have therefore been systematically addressing it. The result? Cooperation with partners and investors in Central Europe and the USA or contacts in Asia. And above all, the very good reputation and strong brand that JIC is building with investors.

“Some even contact us themselves,” says Monika Vrbková, who heads the business finance support team. Read more about how JIC builds relationships with international investors in this interview.

The article was taken from the JIC website .

How long has JIC been cooperating with foreign partners and investors?

We have always been committed to supporting international expansion and connecting with foreign investors, but since last year we have been trying to take a more systematic approach. And with the help of our foreign partners, we are prioritising where we want to focus. This also reflects the goals we have set in our 2030 strategy. That means supporting the creation of 10 more globally successful companies. And to facilitate investments totalling €50 million for companies in our portfolio.

How does the current cooperation of JIC with foreign investors and organizations look like?

In the area of international expansion, we are partnering with organizations that provide support, particularly in the form of soft landing services. This means that they offer either financial support or coworking and follow-up services – connecting to mentors, experts and investors. Our long-term partner in this area is the Vienna Business Agency, which is our partner for expansion into the DACH region. They also have their Vienna Startup Package program, which even offers funding for startups to spend a few weeks in Vienna. The program is open to companies from all over the world, so you meet interesting people there.

Do you work with anyone outside Europe?

We are developing cooperation in the United States. In San Francisco, for example, our partner is the European Startup Embassy. This is a project that has existed since last October and is backed by successful companies such as Keboola, Appify, ValkaAI or investors such as Rockaway Ventures. Given the expertise of the founders, it is designed for B2B SaaS companies. Thus, its main added value is targeted networking, networking and support from founders from companies that have already mastered expansion. But it also offers soft landing like coworking or housing and allows events for up to 80 people. We’d like at least five companies to go there with JIC’s support, and we’ll allow them to use those services at discounted rates.

Are there any other foreign projects you are in contact with?

Yes, in America we also cooperate with the Czech business incubator in Atlanta, which is backed by the Honorary Consul of the Czech Republic Monika Vintrlíková and the Regional Chamber of Commerce. And we are also trying to develop cooperation in Singapore for expansion into Asia. In addition, we have five events lined up for this year where we want to take JIC companies en masse. These include the South by Southwest festival in Austin, where 11 companies have travelled with us. We also want to go to Vienna to ViennaUP, the largest startup festival. Our cooperation with the Vienna Business Agency will help us there. After that, we’re planning Vivatech in Paris, Tech Week in London, and Smart City Expo in Barcelona in the fall.

How did the idea of connecting JIC with foreign investors come about?

This initiative came from below. We have several companies invested from abroad and one of them is Whalebone. It was its founder Richard Malovič who came to us with the idea that he would be happy to share his contacts with investors. So that they can learn not only about JIC, but also about the whole region and what interesting companies are here. Cooperation with foreign investors also makes sense because although startups raise their first money locally, the next investment rounds tend to be abroad.

Connectivity, preparation and global ambition

How about if you want to approach an investor yourself – do your current collaborations and contacts help?

Yes, when we organise events in Brno, Vienna Business Agency helps us to identify relevant investors. And it is similar in the case of the European Startup Embassy. But the easiest way to investors is through our clients who have already received investment from abroad.

Is cooperation with foreign investors specific compared to Czech ones?

Foreign investors look at companies at a diametrically different stage. They are looking for startups that are strong growth and generating revenue. The target is not early stage companies, but those raising second or third rounds of investment.

How does connecting companies with foreign investors work in practice?

Typically, we give the investor an intro about the region, about JIC, about the broader context and about our portfolio, which currently includes about 400 companies. If the investor is focused on a sector, we naturally tailor the introduction to that. We then pick out relevant companies, send them to the investor, and if they are interested, we connect them.

And what is the process from the perspective of startups? What happens when they approach you to help them find a foreign investor?

First of all, we check whether the company is really ready for the investment. The experience of people from JIC, such as Jirka Tobola or Miloš Sochor, who work with our clients on investment readiness, helps us a lot. We then mediate contact with the investor who is interested in connecting. Together they schedule a call and after that the investor evaluates whether he wants to proceed or not.

Do you also help startups prepare for contact with an investor?

We cooperate with companies continuously. Before contacting an investor, we usually help them to fine-tune their pitch deck, because it may look different from the previous ones. And we continue to work with them even after they get the investment.

You say the pitch deck may look different to foreign investors. What’s the biggest difference?

The Pitch deck changes significantly in emphasis and data with each investment round. In the first round, investors mainly believe in the vision and the team, while in subsequent rounds they want hard evidence of growth and scalability. This is matched by a greater emphasis on the business potential of the company. Investors are primarily interested in how the investment will be used – what specific steps it will take and what growth leverage it will bring to the company. It’s not a completely different type of pitch deck, but a different dimension of presentation. If you’re approaching a foreign investor, you need to build the whole story around the ambition to build a globally successful company – and that ambition needs to be grounded and believable.

JIC is helped by a strong brand

What is better for a startup – to contact the investor directly or to have the meeting facilitated by JIC?

It can be difficult for the company itself to make contact with a foreign investor. From the investor’s point of view, it makes a difference whether he is approached directly by a specific startup or whether the contact is mediated by an organisation such as JIC, which has the status of an independent authority. We can offer investors a curated overview of the best of what is being created in the region. At the same time, we always check what companies investors are targeting – what industries they are investing in, what companies they have in their portfolio, or how big investment slips they typically provide. Based on this, we then identify relevant startups. Some investors even prefer that we send them information rather than individual companies. Nato Innovation Fund is an example. They were interested to know which startups in our portfolio are currently preparing their next investment round. They did their own research on them first and only then asked to be connected.

How difficult was it to gain the trust of foreign investors? Did the fact that the JIC is an independent institution established by the region and the universities help?

I think that played a big part. It was also important that we have an interesting portfolio of clients – including those who have already received foreign investment. That’s a very strong argument. It also helps that there are a number of companies operating in the region that have already had a successful exit. Investors are also interested in the strong industries that are associated with the region. In cybersecurity, for example, everyone knows AVG Technologies. Similarly with electron microscopy. When we tell investors that about a third of all electron microscopes in the world come from Brno, it is also a very strong argument for them.

And how is the communication with investors? Are you in contact on an ongoing basis?

Yes, you could say that we are trying to continuously activate them. In addition to follow-up communication, we also offer them invitations to events that we participate in. For example, when we go to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, we invite them to the Czech House. We also invite them to Brno for Startup Money or the Velvet Innovation conference. We also send them a regular newsletter summarizing important news and introducing companies from our portfolio that are currently preparing their next investment round. In this way, we maintain continuous contact with them. Another advantage is JIC’s strong brand – thanks to it, investors often contact us themselves.

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