Sustainable University

Brno is a leader in research and innovation and BUT plays a key role

The South Moravian Region confirms its position as one of the most important innovation hubs in Central Europe. This is evident from the latest Brno Tech Region 2026 data report. Its main themes include investments in research as well as the development of fields such as cybersecurity, the defense industry, chip design, electron microscopy, and the aerospace sector. Alongside the private sector, Brno University of Technology also plays a significant role in advancing all these areas, contributing to the dynamic growth of the region.

BUT contributes to the innovative potential of the South Moravian Region. | Author: Václav Koníček

The data report, published annually by the innovation agency JIC, maps the region’s research and technological progress. It is primarily built on a strong connection between research, the corporate sector, and technical education. The university is therefore an integral part of this ecosystem and continuously strengthens the region’s innovation potential.

Research as a Driver of the Economy

The latest data report shows that companies in the region have significantly increased their investments in research and development over the past ten years. Key drivers include the IT sector, the production of electronic and optical devices, and mechanical engineering. Total R&D investments reached €1.04 billion last year, according to available data, with major investors including international companies Honeywell and Thermo Fisher Scientific.

In addition to private companies, Brno University of Technology is also heavily involved, long connecting cutting-edge research with practice, collaborating with industrial partners in the Czech Republic and abroad, and educating experts who find employment in technology companies as well as in their own start-ups, whose creation the university supports while fostering favorable conditions for their establishment.

Author: Václav Koníček

The high quality of the scientific environment is also demonstrated by the remarkable success of Brno and South Moravian institutions in European research programmes. Since 2021, they have received more than €167.5 million from the Horizon Europe programme and a total of 24 prestigious ERC grants, approximately half of which went to life sciences and about one-third to technical fields. Funding is largely concentrated among five leading recipients – Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Honeywell, Codasip, and St. Anne’s University Hospital. At BUT, these prestigious grants have been awarded to researchers such as Petr Neugebauer, Vojtěch Adam, Eric Glowacki, and most recently Miroslav Vořechovský.

Key Fields of the Future

The report also confirms the growing importance of fields such as cybersecurity, space technologies, advanced manufacturing, and semiconductors – areas in which Brno University of Technology has long excelled and continues to expand its capacities.

Author: Václav Koníček

At the Faculty of Information Technology, the research group Speech@FIT provides Brno with a strong foundation in speech technologies. The research center CEITEC BUT and selected faculties contribute to the development of chips and electron microscopes. In addition, the recently established Czech Semiconductor Centre, part of the university, aims to connect academia with industry, support technology transfer, and facilitate the involvement of small and emerging companies in chip development.

Moreover, the university, together with institutions and companies such as Honeywell, VZLU AEROSPACE, and OHB, plays a significant role in the development of the defense and aerospace industries and is among the key centers of Brno’s space activities. University experts focus on the development of drones and unmanned aircraft, technologies for satellites and space missions, and teaching within the Space Applications study programme. Some are also involved in selected projects currently being developed by regional space actors, such as the HERA scientific mission focused on planetary defense or the development of a satellite for the CIMER mission, carried out by the student team YSpace.

Author: Václav Koníček

Another key field of the future is the gaming industry. According to the report, the quality of Brno-based games is high, with major titles including the Mafia series, Gray Zone Warfare, and Farming Simulator 25. Game development, where art meets modern technology and innovative ideas, is also supported by the Game Media Studio at the Faculty of Fine Arts, focusing on digital, traditional, as well as board and card games. BUT students also organize the successful game development festival Lektvar, which will hold its third edition this year.

Talent as the Greatest Competitive Advantage

The strength of research and development is reflected not only in investments but above all in people. One of the main reasons for the region’s success is its strong base of talent in technical and natural science fields, as evidenced by the fact that one in ten people in Brno works in science. In South Moravia, this amounts to more than 23,000 people, placing the region on par with European technology hubs such as Dresden, Nuremberg, and Malmö. Universities therefore represent one of the key pillars of the entire innovation ecosystem, educating future technical and research talent.

Author: Václav Koníček

In 2025, more than 68,000 students studied at Brno universities according to the report, representing a 7.3% increase since 2020. The largest share of students is drawn to engineering, manufacturing, and construction, while the field of IT and communication technologies is also growing rapidly.

Brno University of Technology is active in all these areas. It offers students a wide range of study programmes, state-of-the-art facilities, and the opportunity to engage in real-world technological challenges during their studies. Graduates gain the knowledge and experience needed to join established technology companies and contribute to innovations with a global impact.
Author: Václav Koníček

The full Brno Tech Region 2026 data report is available here.

Published
Link https://www.vut.cz/en/sustainability/what-do-we-do/quality-education/f163596/d324580

Responsibility: Bc. Tereza Kučerová