The Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TA CR) is a state organisation that supports and finances applied research and experimental development. It was founded in 2009 and its initial funds were distributed about two years later. The task of the TA CR is to concentrate support for applied research in one place and facilitate the commercialisation of research results in practice. TA CR administers 9 programmes which assist in the process of introducing the results of research to the market, while others focus on promoting research activities in the field of social sciences and on international collaboration. All of the supported projects must result in practically usable outputs. In addition to direct funding of applied research, the TA CR also provides advice to the supported institutions, especially legal and financial advice and in the field of intellectual-property protection. It also collaborates with similar organisations abroad. By the end of 2015, the TA CR had supported 1,487 projects and distributed more than CZK 17.7 billion from the state budget. Within these projects, private companies received assistance over 1,800 times and research organizations almost 1,900 times. As a result, accurate satellite guidance systems for trains, water and air purification using nanoparticles, inoculation of plants enabling them to live in nutrient-poor soils and many other results useful for society are currently being developed in the Czech Republic.

For more information, visit www.tacr.cz