​Brno Startups Leverage AI, Computer Vision, To Punch Above Their Weight

Brno, a mid-sized Czech city best known for its universities and research institutes, is becoming one of Europe’s most dynamic tech ecosystems. Fueled by the regional innovation agency JIC led by director Petr Chládek, the startup incubator was founded over two decades ago by a consortium of municipalities and universities.

A biologist and geographer by training, Chládek, has been the director of the JIC since 2017, told me in an interview that “With the right balance of government support, academic excellence, and private investment, we’re helping scale world-class tech companies.” Backed by strong academic partnerships, startups from Brno and the Czechia have global markets in their sights.

Last week, I was able to see the results of JIC’s efforts to boost local companies into the international ecosystem where they can form international partnerships within the EU, the US, and Asia. Their one-day Start-up Money conference on May 29th sought to bring together the region’s leading startups with venture capital focused on early stage technology companies. Like counterpart conferences in the US, AI was in the air.

VisionCraft now applies computer vision to physical rehabilitation. CEO David Tuč told me the goal is to introduce accountability and feedback into home physical therapy exercise, which many patients simply do not do. VisionCraft’s new VisioTherapy platform uses motion tracking to deliver real-time feedback during at-home physical therapy sessions, which is shared with clinicians. They’re raising funds to expand into the U.S. and Middle East.

Maia Labs was recently named Europe’s Best HealthTech Startup for inventing ColoMaia, which adds computer vision to colonoscopy procedures, boosting cancer detection dramatically, by catching what a clinician can miss in real time. ColoMaia demonstrated a 43% increase in polyp detection rates during colonoscopies and, as further user incentives, reduces physicians’ post-proceedure reporting time by 50%, Maia is already running pilots across Central and Eastern Europe, and just announced a trial with the Mayo Clinic in the US.

Get Moments is an app that turns fan-shot videos from live events into personalized, shareable highlight reels using AI. Their AI editing engine automatically curates and assembles footage into branded videos in minutes. The platform has been tested at major events like the Sziget Festival, where attendees submitted over 30,000 videos, and at a Ben Cristovao concert, resulting in nearly 2,000 unique videos with a 48% share rate. Get Moments raised €500,000 from Purple Ventures in September. to enhance its AI-powered platform that transforms fan-generated content into personalized event highlight reels. While there is no way to know if it can scale into thousands of live events, not just music, but sports and wherever a crowd gathers.

Kapnetix automates post-processing for motion capture in game development and visual effects. Kapnetix originated from a 2021 proof-of-concept project with 2K Games, leading to the development of AI tools that automate motion capture cleanup, significantly reducing production time for animators. Its tools reduce cleanup time from hours to minutes, allowing smaller studios to compete with AAA production quality while helping large productions stay on schedule and under budget. The company’s AI solutions have attracted attention from major animation studios worldwide, including Disney

Zaira, is a Brno-based space-tech startup which uses onboard, local AI to process satellite imagery in real time, rather than downloading scads of data from space. The startup has partnered with organizations such as the European Space Agency (ESA) and participates in Biomission 19 on the International Space Station and other commercial and defence missions. By filtering out irrelevant data like cloud cover before transmission, Zaira cuts communication costs by up to 98 percent. Zaitra just raised €1.7 million to expand into the US.

Vrgineers, maker of the XTAL mixed-reality headset, just announced it’s expanding its relationship with Lockheed Martin. Their systems combine high-end graphics with AI-enhanced realism, delivering cockpit experiences that rival actual flight. Several years ago, I tried their 4K/eye headset and it’s dizzying to experience. I “sat” in a virtual BMW and for a moment I couldn’t get out because the virtual door did not open. VRfineers’ Mixed Reality training systems are employed by the U.S. Air Force, NASA, and Airbus Defense.

Over the past four years, $340 million in venture funding has flowed into Brno-region startups leading to $2.5 billion in VC exits. For investors, technologists, and founders alike, the message is clear: Brno is a rising force on Europe’s tech map.