Edhouse part of Czech representation in the US

June 21, 2011 – Mission of the Czech government to promote high quality and erudition of Czech IT in the United States took place from 27th May to 4th June 2011. The Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karel Schwarzenberg, accompanied the mission. The main destination of the trip was the heart of IT industry – Silicon Valley. The mission was initiated by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Czech ICT Alliance.

Eleven Czech IT companies were chosen, some of which already cooperate with US companies, other wanted to promote their services and products in the United States. One of the representing companies was an IT company from Zlin – Edhouse which specializes on custom made original software solutions. Edhouse has been operating on the IT market since 2006 and its solutions are designed especially for automation, finances and mobile payment. Other representatives of Czech IT were the popular Slevomat.cz or Prague company Candytech, which works for Facebook, Vodafone or Henkel to name a few.

The director of business and marketing department in Edhouse Monika Semancikova, who was present at the mission, evaluates the trip as very beneficial. She pointed out that it helped gain practical information about the US market and also business contacts.

“The Minister Karel Schwarzenberg is a very reputable person abroad. His presence in the mission helped in getting access to renowned companies in the US, for instance Google or Cisco Systems, where we presented our work. I was very surprised by the speed of business in Silicon Valley. If you have an interesting product or idea, which has some potential, investors want to meet you and make a contract. If possible the same day they hear about you. 70% of world venture funds are in the US, out of which 40% in Silicon Valley. There are twenty thousand business plans realised annually, 400,000 engineers and technologists work there. If you want to get funds from Silicon Valley, you must make a subsidiary there. However better is headquarters, as investors are interested especially in companies within 45 minute drive by car.“

Apart from the contracts for participating companies, Czech IT was dealt as a whole. Important step which may promote Czech technological companies internationally was negotiation between Karel Schwarzenberg and John Chambers, the global Cisco CEO.

Other important milestone of the mission was contract between Czech ICT Alliance and Silicon Valley Association of Start-up Entrepreneurs (SVASE) which is a substantial American organisation in Silicon Valley helping IT companies gain funds from the investors.

Contact Information

Monika Semancikova

marketing director

Edhouse s.r.o.

Contact via E-mail