A European Cohesion Policy-funded project has transformed an old brewery in the city where Pils beer was invented into a high-tech innovation hub.
"Five years ago, the city of Pilsen started reconstructing this place because our community, the innovators, was getting bigger and bigger, says Tomáš Cholinský, Director of SIT Port, Information Technology Administration of the City of Pilsen.
"And we needed a better place, a bigger place. They can come there and do what they want. They have a co-working place, they have some garages. So, five years ago, the City of Pilsen started reconstructing this place and last year, 2023, we opened it.
"We work with children 6 to 15, then 16 plus, then with the start-ups to give them mentoring, to give them some money. We cooperate with high schools, with university and with companies. They do projects together, they make teams, they can make start-ups. So it helps.
"We want to keep the people here. We want to keep the students here. And they should continue the university in Pilsen. So it's why the place is here, too. Because, you know, if you have some interesting project, the high school students come here and they can continue at the university. So it can be great, says Tomáš Cholinský.