Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela delivered the keynote address at the US-Czech Business Forum before a large audience at the Darcy Hotel in Washington, D.C., on March 13, 2023. The US-Czech Business Forum was envisioned and organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Washington, DC, the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic, and the Czech Chamber of Commerce.

Minister Síkela stated, “The trade exchange between the Czech Republic and the United States has significantly expanded – the value of our mutual trade turnover is six times what it was in 2000, reaching $12.2 billion last year. What is more, the United States is the top export destination for Czech businesses outside of the EU.”

To the business forum, Minister Síkela was accompanied by 45 companies and their 62 representatives from the Czech Republic. The Minister stressed, “We have come here to foster existing partnerships and to help create new business ventures. I am accompanied by one of the largest business missions to ever visit the United States. The size of the delegation highlights how important the United States’ partnerships are for Czech businesses.”  

Next, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to the United States, Miloslav Stašek, offered his opening remarks. He emphasized the massive trade exchange potential between the Czech Republic and the United States and noted that Czech and American companies are experiencing a “honeymoon” phase at the moment.

President of the Czech Chamber of Commerce Radek Jakubský then spoke, pointing out that the delegation is traveling next to Texas and California to explore new relationships in these vital regions. Jiří Hansl, Foreign Department Director of the Czech Chamber of Commerce, followed by introducing the Czech companies, which represented several sectors, including software development, cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, aviation, energy, healthcare, and more.

With the Czech companies’ interests in mind, the US-Czech Business Forum was created to give insight in regards to how to expand onto the US market, to explore the differences between US and Czech business cultures, and to learn about US government incentives for foreign companies.

Hence, notable speakers gave presentations on these topics, including Executive Director for Select USA at the U.S. Department of Commerce Jasjit Singh, Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce at the U.S. Embassy in Prague Doug Jacobson, President and Founder of the American-Czech Business Council Eric Stewart, Executive Vice-President of the Information Technology Industry Council Robert Strayer, and President & CEO of the DC Chamber of Commerce Angela Franco.

Lastly, several presenters offered their insight into Czech-US business relationships, including Certantum Strategies’ Strategic Consultant & Owner Gregory Caprara, Executive Director of Principal Technologies US Marek Hajn, Superintendent of the River Valley School District Philip Martell, and Founder of Startup Disrupt Patrik Juránek.

The US-Czech Business Forum concluded with important and confidential B2B matchmaking discussions and opportunities between the Czech and American companies in attendance.

 

As business to business is absolutely vital to communities, economies, and, on an international scale, to bilateral relations, Jan Hladík, the Head of the Economic Section of the Embassy of the Czech Republic, and his team thank everyone for participating.

Zpracovala: Andrea Pohl, Velvyslanectví ČR v USA