March 24, 2026, Brno, Czech Republic – How do you build a startup in Central and Eastern Europe so that it does not get stuck in the local market and can grow globally? This is exactly what the third edition of the international Startup Money 2026 conference will focus on. The event will take place on 28 May in Brno, Czech Republic. Organised by the innovation agency JIC, the conference will bring together founders, investors, and other key players in the startup ecosystem from the CEE. Discounted tickets are available until the end of March.
This year’s edition will take a closer look at one of the key challenges facing the local startup scene: how to bridge the gap between a promising start and genuine international growth. The conference will offer concrete experience from those who have already gone through this journey, as well as contacts with investors and partners who can help accelerate it.
These include Markus Lang of Speedinvest, Marcin Hejka of OTB Ventures, Radovan Nesrsta of Orbit Capital, Michal Nešpor of Crowdberry, Jan Staněk of Purple Ventures, Karel Obluk of Evolution Equity Partners, and Radim Kocourek and Miloš Sochor of JIC Ventures.
“Startup Money is a place where people with ambition, experience and capital come together. We want founders to leave with concrete insight into how to scale a company from our region to the world, as well as with contacts that can genuinely help them do it,” says Jasmína Henni, Conference Manager at the innovation agency JIC.
The programme will cover the topics startups are grappling with most today. Alongside discussions about how Central and Eastern Europe is evolving as a technology region, it will also focus on the role of angel investors and venture capital in the early stages of growth, alternative forms of financing including venture debt and private debt, and what truly determines a startup’s global success.
“These are not general theories, but shared experiences from those who have already taken companies from the region to global markets,” Henni adds, noting that these include founders and managers of successful cybersecurity companies from Brno, Safetica and ThreatMark.
A strong part of the programme will also be the pitching sessions of selected startups and reverse pitching, in which the roles will be reversed, and investors will instead present themselves to startups. The conference is not meant to be just a showcase of speakers, but a practical space for new collaborations, investments, and open debate about what is truly working in the CEE region today. This will also be supported by the conference’s networking section and afterparty. A morning Investor Brunch at the KUMST design and business incubator is also prepared especially for investors.
Startup Money primarily targets founders looking for inspiration, capital, and new contacts for further growth, as well as investors who can support them in this. Secondarily, it also addresses mentors, corporate representatives, law firms, and other business professionals who want to stay close to the companies and trends that will shape the next phase of growth of the startup scene in Central Europe.
The conference will take place on 28 May 2026 in Brno, Czech Republic. Early bird tickets are available until the end of March on the website of the innovation agency JIC.
source: JIC Brno
