February 2026 marked a significant expansion of the innovation network that the CÉRKA project is progressively building. This time, the negotiation table in Trojanovice hosted the leadership of six key universities (MENDELU Brno, OSU Ostrava, SLU Opava, UTB Zlín, VŠB-TUO Ostrava, VUT Brno), representatives of innovation centres (MSIC, TIC Zlín) and technology leaders from onsemi and the Czech National Semiconductor Cluster (CNSC). The discussion moved from strategic frameworks to concrete applications and defining the projects that will bring life to the CÉRKA site. This meeting confirmed the appetite for cooperation and the future strength of the ecosystem, as well as the need to connect science with the real needs of industry.
The main theme of the meeting was the concrete form of the CÉRKA Innovation Ecosystem. The discussion focused on the „Living Lab“ concept and the upcoming Innovation Tower, which is set to become a unique meeting point for industry, academia and the public. Partners confirmed their interest in using the space for joint research, testing and the training of new talent.
„CÉRKA is becoming a neutral ground where academic competition fades and is replaced by a shared interest in the technological sovereignty of our region,“ said the project representatives. The round table further strengthened the consortium behind the planned application for funding from transformation funds.
The outcome of the meeting is a clear agreement on further steps in the design of laboratory equipment and the preparation of educational programs that will attract a new generation of talent to the region.
This strong partner support is crucial for the next ambition of the project: obtaining the status of a strategic project of the region and the state. The municipality of Trojanovice is currently taking fundamental steps in this direction — in March it is applying for a grant for the construction of backbone infrastructure (water mains, networks, energy) and is preparing a comprehensive feasibility study. This will definitively anchor CÉRKA’s role as a pillar of the economic sustainability and competitiveness of the entire region within the new national funding system.