The General Assembly was followed by a lecture by Prof. RNDr. Jiří Blažek, Ph.D., titled “Challenges for the Cluster Environment in a Period of Stagnating Czech and Global Economy,” and a social evening in a wine cellar.

As of 31 December 2024, the National Cluster Association (NCA) brought together 38 entities, whose members include more than 1,000 innovative companies and research institutions with over 270,000 employees.

One of the key missions of the NCA is to actively promote the interests of its member organisations and support the development of clusters and technology platforms. At the same time, the NCA is dedicated to promoting Czech cluster organisations as independent entities with unique characteristics, potential, and specific needs. Cluster organisations possess a deep understanding of their members’ needs and strong knowledge of individual sectors and their development.

Thanks to NCA's activities, the knowledge of cluster organisations can be better utilised in implementing the Czech Republic’s RIS3 strategy and in identifying needs and new directions. Cluster managers are active members of the National Innovation Platforms of the Czech Republic and regional innovation platforms. Many cluster organisations are also members of one of the Digital Innovation Hubs. Successful cluster organisations possess the knowledge and skills that make them highly suitable partners at the regional, national, and international levels.

Membership in the European Clusters Alliance (ECA) enables the NCA to effectively connect its members at the European level and provide them with valuable information.

Membership in the  European Clusters Labelling Excellence Structure (EUCLES) allows the NCA to actively participate in the European assessment of cluster organisation excellence.

The NCA is part of the European Cluster Collaboration Platform (ECCP) consortium, which manages the main European cluster portal and provides services for European clusters.

Among the main tools used to fulfil its mission, the NCA carries out the following key activities:

• Regular online meetings of NCA members with a focus on inter-cluster cooperation

• NCA Information Service

• Cluster Day, an annual event for the cluster community aimed at promoting the achievements of cluster organisations and their members; in 2025, the event will be expanded to include an exhibition area called the “Technology Town”

• Funding Call Navigator, focused on lesser-known and smaller grant opportunities

• The newly launched Opportunity Network, aimed at leveraging the potential of the membership network and promoting the products and services of cluster organisation members among one another

• Map of Clusters in the Czech Republic, which includes up-to-date information not only on member cluster organisations and technology platforms, but also provides a comprehensive overview — the only one of its kind in the Czech Republic

We also recalled the Cluster Day, held on 16 October 2024 at Mendel University in Brno. The event was organised by the National Cluster Association, CREA Hydro&Energy, and Mendel University in Brno. It was held under the auspices of the City of Brno and the South Moravian Region. The main theme was Technology Transfer in Practice: The Cluster as a Facilitator of Innovation and Technology Transfer. The event was attended by around 70 experts from the cluster environment and the professional public.

The traditional Cluster Organisation Awards for the year 2023 were presented in the following categories:

Golden Cluster – CREA Hydro&Energy, z.s. – for significant contributions in the field of innovation and international promotion of Czech entities in the water management sector.

CLUTEX cluster technical textiles – for the development of the regional innovation environment.

Czech Footwear and Leather Association – for the support and development of education.

Klastr MECHATRONIKA, z.s. – for advancing internationalisation and promoting the Czech Republic.

AUTOKLASTR – for supporting business development and innovation.

NANOPROGRESS, z.s. – for long-term support of cooperation between companies and research institutions, excellence in research, and development of the Czech cluster environment.

The NCA has also been actively involved in networking activities focused on cybersecurity. In 2024, it collaborated with the CEDEG cluster and selected regions from the Czech Republic and Slovakia on a series of conferences and events as part of a Roadshow. These events focused on specific expert topics related to digitalisation — particularly cybersecurity, the Internet of Things, and advanced technologies in the context of the Smart City concept.

The most significant event was the third edition of the CZECH – SLOVAK TECHNOLOGY SUMMIT (CSTS), held on 12–13 June 2024. The summit in Mikulov focused on cybersecurity and building professional connections. During expert conferences, current technological trends in specific areas of digitalisation were presented, including their benefits, potential risks, and opportunities for further development and application.

The NCA thanks its members for the large turnout!