JihoCzech
A programme for start-ups and business ideas
JihoCZECH is a competition and education programme for people who want to turn an idea into a real project. Over eight weeks, you will validate the problem, understand your customers, develop a business model and prepare a pitch deck. The best projects can present to an expert jury in the final and compete for cash prizes.
Basic eligibility: Anyone with a business idea or early-stage project that they plan to develop in South Bohemia can apply.
ACCESS FOR REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS
How the programme works
- Submit your business idea in the category matching your business stage.
- Attend the Startup Camp and an education programme with practical outputs preparing you for JihoCzech Nanečisto.
- Present your project, lean canvas and pitch deck to the jury at JihoCzech Nanečisto. The jury assesses project preparation, customer and market understanding, business model and presentation.
- The best-prepared projects advance to the JihoCzech final.
Schedule
Applications: 2 March–15 September 2026
Have a business idea or a project in development? Apply and test whether it has the potential to succeed in the market.
Startup Camp & online programme: 2 October–13 November 2026
A two-day Startup Camp on 2–3 October is followed by an online programme, practical assignments and mentor feedback. Gradually validate your customers, market and business model.
JihoCzech Nanečisto: 18 November 2026
Practise presenting your project and receive feedback before the final. The best-prepared projects advance.
JihoCzech final: 25 November 2026
Present to an expert jury and business guests. Compete for cash and non-cash prizes and raise your project's profile.
Idea or start-up?
Idea category
You have not yet established a company and are at the idea or early development stage.
Start-up category
You have an existing company with a working product or first customers.
What you gain from the education programme
Turn your idea into a better-validated project. Learn a practical approach to developing products and services, work with customers and markets, receive mentor feedback, validate your business model and prepare for further development. Gain access to the JVTP community, make new contacts and prepare for JihoCzech Nanečisto.
Final prizes
The jury rewards the best projects in two main categories. Alongside cash prizes, winners may receive access to the JVTP business incubator, expert advice and follow-up support.
Best Start-up – CZK 100,000
For existing companies with rapid growth potential.
- Free use of shared office space, meeting rooms or the JVTP lecture hall for six months
- Economic, financial, accounting, sales and marketing advice
- Promotional articles on a regional news portal
Best Idea – CZK 50,000
For projects before company formation.
- Free use of JVTP meeting rooms or the lecture hall for six months
- Economic, financial, accounting, sales and marketing advice
- Promotional articles on a regional news portal
Entrepreneurs who grew through JihoCzech
“Thanks to JihoCZECH, in 2017 I met the team with whom we later founded Virtual Lab. The competition started our journey towards building a working company.”
Virtual Lab, s.r.o. – virtual training
“I entered JihoCzech with a different project from the one I am developing today. But the experience I gained during the competition helped me succeed with Adventurer.”
Adventurer Solutions, s.r.o. – hiking app
“I entered the competition as a student. JihoCZECH was my entry ticket to JVTP, where we now develop Herbavita and cooperate on other innovation projects.”
Herbavita, s.r.o. – complementary animal feed
Methods and guidance
What is a lean canvas?
A simple tool for capturing a business idea on one page and testing whether it makes commercial sense. It clarifies your customers, the problem you solve, your competitive difference and how the project will earn money. You will update it as you learn from customers and the market.
- Customers and early adopters: Who are your customers and who benefits most?
- Problem: What customer problem do you solve, and how is it solved today?
- Solution: How will your product or service solve it?
- Unique value: Why should customers choose your solution?
- Unfair advantage: What sets you apart and is hard to copy?
- Channels: How will customers find you and buy your product?
- Key metrics: How will you know the project is moving in the right direction?
- Costs: What are the main operating and development costs?
- Revenue: Where will sales come from and what will customers pay for?
Design thinking: start with the customer
This practical approach to product and service development is used during the Startup Camp. It helps you understand customers, define the right problem and design a solution with real market value. Start by understanding the people you are designing for.
- Understand customers: their needs, problems and current solutions.
- Define one specific problem worth solving.
- Generate several ideas and compare their benefits.
- Create a simple prototype that can be tested quickly.
- Test assumptions with customers and refine the solution using feedback.
The process is not linear. Returning to earlier steps and revising assumptions reduces the risk of developing something customers do not want.
How to create a good pitch deck
A pitch deck explains in a few minutes what you are creating, who it is for and why it can succeed. You will prepare it as a final programme output and present it at JihoCzech Nanečisto or the final.
- What problem do you solve?
- Who is your product or service for?
- How does your solution work?
- How are you different from competitors?
- How do you earn money?
- How big is the market and who are your customers?
- What results have you achieved?
- Who is behind the project?
- What are your next goals?
- What do you currently need to develop further?
Programme conditions
Participation in the entire programme, including Startup Camp and educational modules, is free.
Submitted projects may be shared with mentors, consultants and expert jury members for evaluation. JVTP, a.s. reserves the right to amend competition rules or cancel the competition at any time without giving reasons or compensation. Information provided is used solely to organise, evaluate and develop JihoCzech. Mentors, consultants and jury members are bound by confidentiality.
Contacts
Martina Panošová Hucková – Start-ups and innovation
+420 775 337 112
panosova@jvtp.cz
Jana Moravcová – Research and creative sector cooperation
+420 774 969 654
moravcova@jvtp.cz
