Czech Business Forum
Velvet Innovation Conference 2025
日本語 ｜English
The Velvet Innovation Conference is one of the largest innovation events in Central Europe, held in Brno, the second largest city in the Czech Republic. It brings together startups, investors, research institutions, government agencies, and international companies, highlighting Brno’s presence as an innovation hub connecting the region and the world.
Orizon Systems has set up a liaison office within the South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC) and is accelerating collaboration with the Czech Republic and the Central European region. This conference provides a comprehensive overview of the results of the ecosystem that JIC has cultivated, and is also an important opportunity for us to promote overseas business collaboration. The Velvet Innovation Conference is gaining increasing attention as a central European center for next-generation collaborative creation.
A gathering place for new innovations
The Velvet Innovation Conference is a regular event (the next one is scheduled for spring 2027) held with the aim of promoting the innovation community that Brno is actively cultivating to the world. The venue will feature a diverse program, including introductions to cutting-edge technologies, presentations of research results, lectures by investors, and pitches by entrepreneurs. A notable feature of the event is the intensive discussion of the latest trends in areas in which Brno excels, such as AI, cybersecurity, medical technology, smart cities, and cleantech.
Furthermore, this conference is not just an exhibition or lecture, but is known as a “community event” where communication spaces are set up throughout the venue where participants can freely exchange opinions and where networks are naturally formed. With JIC at its core, Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, research institutes, and local companies working together, the conference is designed to turn the entire city of Brno into a base for innovation.
The conference is becoming more international every year, and it is expected that the number of participating companies and investors from Asia, including Japan, will increase in the future. Brno is easily accessible from major European cities, and as the city continues to grow in presence as a city that combines the triple threats of industrial accumulation, human resource development, and research and development, this conference continues to play a central role in this area.
Benefits and possibilities for Japanese companies
The value that the Velvet Innovation Conference brings to Japanese companies goes beyond simple information gathering and overseas market research. Brno, in particular, has seen a surge in startup investment in recent years and is attracting attention as one of the most dynamic innovation cities in Central Europe. As a result, the conference brings together many companies and investors, providing an excellent opportunity to build networks across the region.
First of all, Brno has a well-established system and incubation environment to support venture companies, attracting a diverse range of participants from Central, Eastern, and Western Europe. Among them are many companies and investors that are difficult to connect with in Japan, so you can expect to encounter fresh ideas that you wouldn’t get at a traditional international exhibition. Technology startups in particular are accustomed to a multilingual environment, and many of them have a positive attitude toward collaborating with overseas companies, making it an attractive opportunity for Japanese companies to directly discover practical potential partners.
Furthermore, the conference sees an extremely lively exchange of information aimed at business expansion, and a culture of participants engaging in discussions on an equal footing has taken root. This open atmosphere is also valuable for understanding the true intentions of European companies. In addition to the official sessions, there is networking during breaks and informal meetups, creating an environment that encourages natural interaction, making it easy to gain inspiration for new business ideas.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that the conference has led to the creation of a succession of new collaborations. Brno companies possess both speed and flexibility in R&D, and by combining this with the quality-oriented approach and market understanding of Japanese companies, there is the potential to create internationally competitive products and services. There are also many themes that have a strong affinity with Japan, such as cybersecurity (including Flowmon/Logmanager), medical devices, industrial software, and AI research.
Furthermore, the Velvet Innovation Conference is not just a regional event, but functions as a gateway to the whole of Europe. Central Europe has good access to the EU market and an abundance of cost-effective technical talent, making it the ideal region for Japanese companies as a bridgehead for global expansion. By participating in this conference, you can gain direct access to the network that connects Brno with companies and investors across Europe, securing a window for expanding your company’s business into the European market.
For these reasons, the Velvet Innovation Conference is a highly valuable event for Japanese companies looking to develop new businesses, collaborate on technology, invest, and expand globally.
Looking ahead to creating new businesses
For Orizon Systems, the Velvet Innovation Conference will be an important hub for creating new business collaborations between the Czech Republic and Japan. Both countries share a common mentality of placing importance on technological capabilities and preferring a straightforward and steady approach, and we feel every day that the compatibility between the two countries is extremely good when it comes to advancing collaboration. In particular, the city of Brno is home to a concentration of excellent technology companies and research institutions, including Flowmon, and this creates an ideal environment for further developing the partnerships we have already built.
Additionally, the South Moravian Innovation Center (JIC), where we have a liaison office, is a central presence in Brno’s innovation ecosystem, playing a role in connecting a wide variety of startups, researchers, and investors. By deepening collaboration centered around JIC, we are not just providing technology, but are also greatly expanding the possibilities for co-creating new business models between Japan and the Czech Republic. In fact, the companies we meet through JIC are positive about international collaboration, and there are an increasing number of cases where this has developed into concrete projects.
Conclusion
The Velvet Innovation Conference will further expand our network with the Czech Republic and serve as a starting point for new value creation. We will continue to collaborate with the dynamic Czech technology community and combine the strengths of Japanese companies to create new businesses aimed at the global market.
