In the spotlight: Some inspiring women entrepreneurs from Czechia
#CzechWomenEntrepreneurs #InnovationHub #BusinessTrailblazers
In the heart of Central Europe, Czechia is experiencing a transformative wave of women entrepreneurs – reshaping the traditional business landscape and contributing significantly to economic development. Recent data underscores a notable trend where a substantial proportion of emerging businesses in the country are led by women. This surge not only highlights the tenacity and ingenuity of Czech women, but also showcases their pivotal role in propelling entrepreneurial innovation & sustainability across diverse sectors.
From pioneering startups to well-established enterprises, Czech women entrepreneurs are leaving an indelible mark on the business ecosystem. Their ventures span technology, healthcare, creative industries, and beyond, illustrating a broad spectrum of interests and expertise. This entrepreneurial dynamism not only fosters economic growth but also challenges societal norms, ushering in a new era of gender-inclusive business environments.
#WomenInBusiness #CzechEntrepreneurship #EmpoweredWomen
This shift in the entrepreneurial landscape is breaking traditional barriers, empowering women to lead with resilience and innovation. Czechia’s women entrepreneurs are not merely participants; they are becoming drivers of change, contributing to the nation’s competitive edge in a global market.
We present some inspiring stories of these trailblazing women, their challenges, triumphs, and the transformative impact they bring to Czechia’s business narrative.
> Simona Kijonkova, CEO & Founder, Zasilkovna
Known as the First Lady of Czech e-commerce, Simona Kijonkowa is the Founder & CEO of Zasilkovna company, which now operates within the technology and logistics holding- Packeta Group. The company was founded in 2010 with a strong objective – to provide unique outsourcing services to the market. Since then, it forged ahead – and has become a leader in the sector – offering its logistic services to 30+ countries.
She has graduated from the Faculty of Social and Economics in Ústínad Labem, as well as from the University of Economics in Prague. Backed by over a decade presence on the Czech business scene and a rich experience in the e-commerce field, she bagged many honours. She became the winner of the business category in the 17th edition of the TOP Women of the Czech Republic survey 2021 and was listed in the Forbes overview of the most influential 150 women in the Czech Republic 2021.
> Eva Pavlikova, Founder & CEO, Česko.Digital
Eva Pavlikova, Founder & CEO has rich experience in the business field. Prior to this, she worked in CETIN as a Project Leader, where she had an opportunity to lead several business and sales growth projects.
It was after 20+ years of presence in the business scene, that she decided to co- found Česko.Digital, which is a non-profit organization that focuses on supporting non-governmental and state institutions in digital transformation.
As an entrepreneur, she was featured on the list of Top 20 Innovators in the Czech Republic in edition 2020/2021.
> Katerina Vackova, Founder & CSO, Loono
The start of her business journey was indeed unique. When Katerina Vackova was 22 years old she was diagnosed with cancer. Based on her experience, she decided to raise awareness among people about the importance of preventative treatment by founding her own company with such a mission.
She founded Loono, which is a platform run by a team of doctors and medical students, that aims to educate people on – health and prevention matters by organizing workshops, panel discussions & educational projects.
Quite admirably, in 2016, Katerina was included on the Forbes 30 under 30 list.
> Dita Formankova, Founder, Czechitas
Dita Formankova, a software engineer, founded the company Czechitas based on her deep understanding of the huge importance of empowering the women community. It’s a non-governmental social enterprise that provides technical education and networking possibilities in the IT vertical mostly for women by organizing workshops on programming, web development, data analysis, as well as computer graphics or security.
She is also currently working as a Director Diversity & Inclusion and Communities at Avast.
> Petra HudečekKončelíková, Founder & Partner, Nation 1 VC
Petra HudečekKončelíková is the Founder and Partner in Nation 1 VC, which is both a VC Fund and Accelerator.
Her powerful background led to her start-up. It was her presence in the business scene for over 20+ years that drove her to take responsibility for acceleration programs for start-ups all around the Czech Republic. She is also a founder of Universal Start-up Centre, and in the past, she was a Co-owner of Node5, a co- working space dedicated solely to tech start-ups and digital entrepreneurs.
> Andrea FerancováBartoňová, Chair of The Board & Founding Partner, ESPIRA Investments
Andrea FerancováBartoňová is backed by over 20 years of rich, action-packed experience in the emerging markets and finance sectors.
After graduating from Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program as well as the University of Prague, she became a Co-owner of the Wood & Company, a leading Central European investment bank and brokerage firm.
Currently, she wears many hats. She is a Founding Partner and a Board Member at ESPIRA Investments and a Board Member of the Charter 77 Foundation, the largest NGO in the Czech Republic. A trail of awards have come her way too. Significantly, she was also ranked several times in the list of the Top 25 Businesswomen in the Czech Republic.
Source:
https://www.vestbee.com/blog/articles/top-women-from-vc-and-startup-ecosystem-in-
czech-republic
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
