Innovative Prague XXV
Prague is not only an amazing historical city with a wealth of monuments, excellent gastronomy, cordial residents, and a wide range of events. It is also a modern and innovative science hub. Prague excels in many fields, such as artificial intelligence and robotics, biomedicine, low-carbon technologies, data technologies and selected creative industries, providing ideal opportunities for holding conventions and conferences with the matching topics.
The 25th edition of Innovative Prague brings an overview of successful Prague and Czech scientific projects, informs about the practical use of artificial intelligence across various disciplines, sheds light on the contributions of Czech scientists in the field of biotechnology and reports on how Prague supports innovation on its territory again.
New Accomplishments of Czech Science
Including those in the international field. One of the world's most respected scientific magazines – Science, has published a ranking of the 10 greatest scientific discoveries of 2024, among them two Czech, as reported by the ČT24 website. The very first place in the list for a groundbreaking discovery belongs to the HIV injection treatment, behind which was also the Czech biochemist and virologist Tomáš Cihlář. The top 10 also included the discovery by scientists from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who, together with their international colleagues, described a third type of magnets – the so-called altermagnets.
Czech science has also made significant advances in other fields. For example, the Czech Republic recently launched its largest satellite, SATurnin-1, which, according to ČT24, is to be used for defence and security, and its task will also be taking pictures of the planet. The satellite was presented by representatives of the Prague Research Test and Aerospace Institute (VZLU).
Another project also intended to put the Czech Republic and Prague on the map of the scientific world is LASER-PRO project. The new consortium of a total of 18 partners not only from the Czech Republic is, according to VědaVýzkum.cz website, to transform the high-tech industry using advanced laser technologies. A breakthrough, this time in the field of solar panels, was also made by the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences in collaboration with researchers from Linköping University in Sweden. By working together, they have created organic solar cells that are far more cost-effective and environmentally friendly to produce than the traditional silicon panels. Compared with them, the new panels are also much lighter, which opens up completely new possibilities of their use.
Prague is Literally Home to AI
Charles University in Prague has recently become the main coordinator of a project of open language models for AI that can be used for commercial, industrial and public services. This cooperation should make Europe more competitive than other regions.
Another university in Prague – the Czech Technical University – is certainly not staying behind in the field of AI. Scientists from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering have created a new algorithm and motion control that allows the robot to interact naturally and safely with humans, so-called reactively, i.e. based on surrounding sensations. The long-term goal of this research is to create a humanoid that will respond adequately even in unpredictable, hard-to-program environments, such as our homes. One day, according to the Wired.cz website, these robots could become our companions and caregivers in old age. To make sure that the development in similar areas does not stop, a new master's degree programme at CTU - Teaching Electrical Engineering and Cybernetics for Secondary Schools - should also help. It is intended to educate a new generation of teachers in these fields. According to information from the Lupa.cz IT website, the faculty, in cooperation with other Prague partners, is also opening prg.ai Major – a paid master's degree program focused purely on development in the field of artificial intelligence.
Prague's Science Scene Helping Advancement in Biotechnology
Artificial intelligence has also found applications in the discovery of new molecules. As the news website ČT24 reports, CTU in Prague is working together with 14 other research organizations around the world to discover and develop new natural molecules with the help of AI. The new molecules would be used, for example, in space research, in the field of sustainability or in drug development.
Regarding the drug development, Prague scientists from the Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences have recently deciphered a key molecular mechanism that creates a specific type of antibiotics. This discovery should primarily help in the production of next-generation antibiotics and thus help solve the problem of resistance to currently used drugs.
In addition, the newly emerging repository of biomedical research, which is being created under the lead of Charles University and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague, should also contribute to progress in the field of biomedicine. Since the repository is part of a pan-European platform, according to the VědaVýzkum.cz, Czech scientists will gain access not only to local medical data, but also to international data.
Supporting Innovation in the First Place
All of these advances are certainly among the key developments taking place in Prague's innovation pond. However, innovation does not take place exclusively in renowned institutions with a long tradition, but in case of Prague it is also in newly emerging start-ups and spinoffs. It is their support that the Prague Innovation Institute, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, is aiming for. During its existence, it has carried out projects worth more than 260 million crowns for Prague. In addition, the institute alone has organized 10 large conferences, and it co-organizes conferences such as the Prague Bio (biotechnology congress), the Engaged Investment Conference, the Vodafone Idea of the Year and Tech Happy Hours. Prague helps innovation not only by supporting the Prague Innovation Institute, but also through specific financial support for individual innovation events. This year, for example, it will support eight innovation events with the sum of six million crowns, including AI Days 2025 in Prague, Future Port Youth 2025 and Innovation Week.
Would you like to learn more interesting facts? Browse through the previous three issues of Innovative Prague: