This year’s premiere of Smart Export Forum 2019 – 6 Latin American countries, 6 fields in the field of digitalisation of industry
Prague, June 19, 2019. The historically first Smart Export Forum welcomed participants from 8 Latin American and Central European countries in the modern premises of the Olympik Artemis Hotel in Prague. The CzechInno Association thus continued the successful tradition of Export Festival project and prepared the first year of its update, which is organized as part of the CEEInno Platform activities.
The main reason for organising this Smart Export Forum was thus to create opportunities for personal meetings, understanding of social and communication differences, and to impart impulses to new collaboration between the Czech Republic and Latin America, whose innovative potential is still underestimated in the Czech Republic.
Industry 4.0 and its development is a theme close to all the participating countries. That is why SEF’s main focus was on the six areas of digital innovation that are currently most dynamically growing in the Czech Republic – artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, cyber security, robotics, additive manufacturing, or 3D printing and supercomputing, cloud, and big data processing.
And why the event is called Smart Export Forum? Smart because it focuses on smart technologies that are the subject of applied research and support dynamic business development. Export because the event focuses on cooperation with non-European countries. Finally, the Forum, because it is an open platform for exchanging information, contacts and networking opportunities in the field of digital innovations.
The event launched Member of the Board of CzechInno Association, President of Association of Science and Technology Parks of the Czech Republic and Secretary General of Association of Innovative Entrepreneurship of the Czech Republic Pavel Švejda.
On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Karel Havlíček, Mr. Petr Očko, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade for the Digitization and Innovation, said that the Czech Republic has a huge potential in research and development and has a chance to become an innovative leader in Europe. “Artificial intelligence is changing the economy, changing society. However, we need to talk about ethical standards. I am glad that the government has approved a document on the development and promotion of AI use. It is a topic that is important to many countries that are here, ” Mr Očko has concluded.
On behalf of Deputy Prime Minister for Economy and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Richard Brabec, Mr. Vladislav Smrž, Deputy Minister of Environment for Management of the Section of Politics and International Relations, mentioned that last week the Ministry opened a new innovation program for environmental support. “We can offer to Latin America an environmental management program – important tool for changing important issues that have been neglected earlier,” he said.
His Excellency Roberto Alejandro Salafia, Ambassador of Argentina to the Czech Republic, expressed his delight that the cooperation with the Czech Republic and his country is developing. “Argentina is far, but digitalization and new technologies can shorten the distance.”
Her Excellency Rosaura Leonora Rueda Gutierrez, Ambassador of Mexico to the Czech Republic, introduced Mexico as a country with stable development, with the 15th largest economy worldwide.
“There is a strong domestic market. We are changing our business activity very quickly. Mexico is convinced of the need to promote science, research and development. It is important that we cooperate with other countries. Smart Export Forum is an opportunity to get to know other companies that they could support this development. ”
Mr. Oscar Paredes Loza, Plenipotentiary Minister of the Embassy of Peru in Prague said that the government of Peru is engaged in innovation, putting it in its plans. “We also included an article on e-commerce in the Free Trade Agreement. We specialize in small and medium-sized companies. We strive for their development. ”
Rudolf Klepáček, Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic
Rudolf Klepáček, Director of the Export Strategy and Services Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, presented the topic of the comprehensive export support and activities of Czech companies in Latin America. “We would like to encourage our exporters to find a direct route to their foreign partners, not just through other companies.”
Radomil Doležal, Director General of the CzechTrade Agency, has introduced CzechTrade activities. “We try to collect information from individual markets, educate individual exporters. We have 5 offices in Latin America – Chile, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Argentina. We support the development of Smart cities and Smart mining. We know how important it is to deploy security standards that keep digital technology effective. ”
Petr Križan, Director of the International Relations and Communication Department of the Czech Export Bank, then spoke about the support of the Czech Export Bank for export activities in Latin America. “Czech Export Bank and the Czech Export Insurance Company have comprehensive services. Our goal is to deliver the necessary technologies to Smart Cities. ”
Petr Kraselovský, Director of the EU Funds and Creative Industries of CzechTrade Agency, presented the CzechTrade agency`s projects to support the use of Czech creative industries abroad. “Industrial design has an impact on the success of Czech companies abroad. That is why we must put great emphasis on it. ”
Petr Kraselovský, CzechTrade Agency
Eva Bendlová, Technology Agency of the Czech Republic
Eva Bendlová from the International Cooperation Department of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic has introduced to the participants the TACR programs to support cooperation in applied research with Latin American countries. In particular, she mentioned the Delta2 Program, in which the Czech R&D organizations are invited to cooperate with Brazil. “The challenges with Brazil are very topical, new projects can be submitted,” she said at last.
Petr Hladík, coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Czech Republic, introduced the services of the Enterprise Europe Network to support the internationalization of business. “We help create digital innovation hubs that help smaller businesses to grow,” he has emphasized among the other.
Petr Hladík, Enterprise Europe Network Czech Republic
The afternoon professional program continued with the introduction of 6 Latin American countries and their innovation needs and 6 technical topics for the development of digitization and industry 4.0.
In blocks dedicated to Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Mexico, speakers introduced to the audience the innovation ecosystem and the current digital needs of each country.
Marcelo Vaz de Campos, Commercial Counselor of the Embassy of Brazil in Prague spoke about the prospects of cooperation between Brazil and the European Union in science, technology and innovation.
Darlan Moraes, Brazil Tech Award, Sao Paulo, Brazil has unveiled rapid opportunities to expand European companies to Brazil.
Barbora Kaprálová, Head of CzechTrade Foreign Office in Bogota, elaborated on the possibilities of cooperation between the Czech Republic and Colombia.
Prof. Miroslav Svitek from the Faculty of Transportation Sciences of the Czech Technical University, University of Texas in El Paso and Czech Smart City Cluster introduced Colombia as a beautiful and interesting country. Its potential is constantly growing, students have a desire to do something and make it through. In 2017, for example, a lecture on quantum counting was held in Colombia, in 2018 the first smart lighting conference.
Carlos Enrique Wiegering Valcarcel, head of the Consular and Commercial Department of Embassy of Peru in Prague and Vladislav Michalcik, CZECH-PERU Alliance for Business Innovation, Lima, Peru talked about the ongoing digitization in Peru and local market opportunities. “Digital areas need to be developed in Peru, they need technological assistance. In Lima, we signed an agreement with the university, and we are very interested in Smart Cities. The public sector in Peru is not so advanced, we need to show them the way and help in the project phase, so we can quickly introduce Czech technologies,” Mr Michalčík has emphasized.
Máximo Cattán from ProChile Agency spoke about the internationalization of innovation and entrepreneurship by ProChile Agency and the transformation of Chile into a Latin American hub for business and innovation.
Jiří Jílek, Senior Consultant – Senior with a specialization in Latin America CzechTrade Agency presented the potential of mutual cooperation between the Czech Republic and Chile.
Zdeněk Sobotka, Managing Director Solek Group introduced his experience in the Chilean market, opportunities for cooperation and recommendations for Czech companies.
Julia Elena Delgado from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, with kind assistance His Excellency Roberto Alejandro Salafia, talked about the possibilities of cooperation between Argentina and Central Europe in the field of digital innovation.
Jakub Lehotský from Pocket Virtuality spoke about virtual and augmented reality, while Michal Postránecký from of Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics and Cyberenetics of CTU has mentioned the topic of using augmented reality in urban systems. “For example, it is possible to create virtual twin buildings and watch what happens in installations below the city,” he offered to the participants.
Jiří Holoubek, President of the Electric and Electronic Association of the Czech Republic and Otto Havle from FCC Industrial Systems have presented the first Czech industrial blockchain platform and its use in practice.
Prof. Josef Basl from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and Hana Kubičková from the Science and Technology Park of Palacký University in Olomouc introduced the possibilities of additive production, 3D printing and advanced material technology.
In the section Artificial Intelligence Martin Havlík from Opus Consulting, he analyzed Data Mining, Deep Learning and Utilization of Artificial Intelligence in Communication. Lenka Kučerová, CEO of Prague.ai showed perspectives of Czech research and cooperation with foreign countries in the field of artificial intelligence.
In the last block of High-performance computing and big data, Tomáš Karásek from IT4Innovations National Supercomputing Center of VSB-Technical University in Ostrava has introduced the topic of high-performance computing and big data analysis for domestic and foreign industry. Michal Šusták from Keboola explained the importance of data collection and analysis in companies. Johnson Darkwah, CEO Gauss Algorithmic pointed out the analysis of large data and its impact on the efficiency of production processes.
During the final Social Evening Smart Export Forum 2019, the Mexican band Mariachi Azteca de Praga entertained guests.
The whole morning part of the Festival and afternoons’ Session was moderated by the presenter of the Czech Television’s main news, Ms Daniela Písařovicová.
Tereza Šamanová and David Kratochvíl from the CzechInno Association
Smart Export Forum 2019 – first edition in numbers:
- 8 actively participating states,
- 42 lectures by speakers
- 22 exhibitors
- More than 60 business speed-dating meetings
- More than 300 accredited participants from 23 countries around the world.
This year’s event was held under the auspices of the President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic and the Chairman of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Petr Konvalinka.
CzechInno is an association of legal entities established in 2011 to support Czech innovative business, founder and coordinator of the Central European Platform for Digital Innovations CEEInno, Partner of the Hub for Digital Innovations (H4DI) and author of a unique system of innovation support in the Czech Republic, which consists of annual organization of the competition Visionaries, which aims to reward innovative business in the Czech Republic, Smart Business Festival, a festival parade of smart and innovative approach to entrepreneurship, Smart Export Hub, a project to promote business and research collaboration between Central Europe and third countries, which includes an annual review of information and contacts for international trade called Smart Export Forum and a series of regional events, in 2019 under the title Digital Revolution CZ designed to promote the use of advanced digital innovations and elements of the so-called Industry 4.0 in companies and general society.
Smart Export Forum 2019 Central Europe & Latin America is held under the auspices of President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic Karel Havlíček and Chairman of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, Petr Konvalinka.
The general partner of the event is Czech Export Bank. The main professional partners are Technology Center of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic as the coordinator of the Enterprise Europe Network Czech Republic, CzechTrade Agency, Czech Electric and Electronic Association, Association of Innovative Entrepreneurship of the Czech Republic, Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Crafts of the Czech Republic, ČESTA – Joint Chamber of Commerce of the Czech-Pacific Alliance, Czech Association of Science and Technology Park and Gürlich & Co. Attorney`s Office.
Media partners of the project are Regie Radio Music as the operator of radio stations Frekvence 1, Evropa 2 and Radio BBC Czech and multimedia project Zet, Empresa Media publishing house, BusinessInfo portal, MM Prumyslove Spektrum magazine, Innovation Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer magazine and Year of the Digital Entrepreneurship.
Information on the activities of the CzechInno Association and all its projects are available at www.czechinno.cz.
We kindly thank to these partners:
