Michal Kuzmič will lead the Department of Business and Interdisciplinary Cooperation at CTU UCEEB

The new head of the Department of Business and Interdisciplinary Cooperation at the University Center for Energy-Efficient Buildings (UCEEB) of CTU is Michal Kuzmič, who has been working at UCEEB for ten years and has managed interdisciplinary cooperation so far. Among the programs he is currently working on are, for example, UCEEB innovation vouchers intended for small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the construction industry. UCEEB actively participates in the formation of sustainable construction. Its goal is to construct environmentally friendly buildings that are in line with sustainable development and provide users with a healthy and comfortable indoor environment.

Michal Kuzmič has been involved in technological innovations in the construction and energy sectors for over ten years. In addition to cooperation with industry, he has  focused mainly on strategic cooperation and management of innovation projects with cities. For CTU UCEEB, he ensured participation in six Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe projects and represented CTU in a number of European and national initiatives focusing on urban innovations. He studied International Business at the FE PUEB and Security Studies at the FSS of the CU. He spent part of his studies at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. "My goal in my new position is to strengthen the already close connection between research and practice. CTU UCEEB has supported companies in the field and public administration for a long time to innovate quickly and effectively. They have an independent partner in CTU UCEEB that provides them with top-notch innovation services," said Michal Kuzmič, the new head of the Department of Business and Interdisciplinary Cooperation.

This department ensures the acquisition of contract research projects, develops opportunities for obtaining and implementing research grant projects on interdisciplinary topics and is in charge of relations with key partners. The department also includes a program to support small and medium-sized enterprises that develop innovative products and services in the construction industry – UCEEB innovation vouchers. It can cover up to 75 % of the costs of research and development services that UCEEB will provide to companies. The amount of the subsidy for individual companies ranges from 50 thousand to one million CZK. “The pressure on the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction industry and related fields has been enormous in recent years. Companies must constantly look for ways to convince investors that their solution is not only innovative, but also technically and economically proven. Therefore, the possibility of cooperation with a renowned research organization under very favorable conditions, where the company pays only 25 % of the costs, is a significant advantage,” summarizes the benefits of the vouchers, Robert Jára, director of UCEEB. The vouchers, which companies can apply for since December 2024, are paid for by the Operational Programme Technologies and Applications for Competitiveness. They can be used for a wide range of construction services that UCEEB offers within the framework of the programme. Specifically, they concern reducing the carbon footprint, environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of buildings, improving user comfort, health safety of products, safety of construction operations, digitalisation and automation in the construction industry and bringing innovations to the market. More information is available at:  https://www.uceeb.cz/cz/uceeb-inovacni-vouchery/.