A quick survey conducted by CzechInvest among the attendees of the Tech4Defence networking event in Zlín reveals that 81% of manufacturing and technology companies in Czechia consider cooperation with the defence sector to be a strategic opportunity for their growth. Half of such companies are already actively investing in that sector with the aim of possibly becoming involved in joint projects with arms manufacturers.
According to respondents, a significant driver of interest in establishing cooperation with the defence industry is particularly diversification of their client portfolios. Sixty-six percent of the companies want to operate as suppliers of parts and components, while 55% are prepared to deliver complete technologies or production equipment. Every fifth company stated that it has available capacity for design or development work as well as production facilities, and 29% of the companies can provide skilled workers for the needs of joint defence projects. These were the findings of the anonymous survey of representatives of 65 companies in the fields of electronics, IT, mechanical engineering and plastics at the Tech4Defence event held in Zlín on 25 March 2026.
Eighty-one percent of the respondents described cooperation with the defence industry as a strategic opportunity for their further growth. Seventeen percent of those surveyed see defence as supplementary to their existing operations. At the same time, the survey results indicate that for one-fifth of the companies (21%) such cooperation represents an opportunity for their technological development and innovation, while for one-tenth of them (9%) it would be an opportunity to enter new export markets.
“Companies’ rising interest in the defence sector is a natural response to changes in the security environment and the adaptation of European industry. For the Czech economy, the development of defence technologies represents a major opportunity with respect to diversification of production, strengthening of exports and further technological development. Getting involved in defence-industry supply chains is not easy, but it is a great opportunity for a number of domestic companies,” says Jan Michal, CEO of CzechInvest.
“The Czech Republic has a long and strong tradition in the aerospace and defence industries. That tradition is now being further developed by both large systems integrators and an extensive network of small and medium-sized enterprises. These companies offer top-rate development, manufacturing, testing and certification, thanks to which we are able to cover the entire supply chain from design to final products. Furthermore, companies that originally operated outside of the defence and aerospace sectors are playing a growing role, as they bring new technologies, capacities and innovation solutions into these sectors. Our task is to help them find their bearings in this specific environment and to connect them with the leaders in these sectors around the world,” says Petr Tomášek, executive manager of the Czech Aerospace Cluster.
Companies are ready to start collaborating immediately
Ninety-one percent of the respondents are of the opinion that the defence sector will become one of the key drivers of European industry in the coming years and this perception is starting to be reflected in companies’ investment plans. Half of the surveyed companies (50%) are already implementing investments aimed at bolstering their readiness to get involved in defence projects, while another 40% are planning to invest in the following years. Only one-tenth of the surveyed companies do not currently anticipate making any such investments.
Another important aspect is the readiness of companies to commence cooperation within a relatively short timeframe. As many as 81% of the companies stated that they are able to establish business relationships practically immediately, 15% within one year and the remaining 5% within two to three years.
One of the organisers of Tech4Defence, the Zlín Regional Investment Agency (ZRIA), considers the event in Zlín and connecting local companies with global programmes to be of fundamental importance. “The entire aerospace and defence industry is crucial for the Zlín region. We rank among the top three regions in Czechia in terms of both the number of companies and employees in these sectors and, in a nationwide comparison, our companies generate the second-highest EBITDA in the defence sector. The present day offers unique opportunities to integrate more companies into defence supply chains. This makes sense, given that there are a lot of capable firms in the areas of engineering, polymers, materials and information technology in the Zlín region. And defence could also pose an interesting opportunity for them,” says Petr Kubíček, director of strategic development at ZRIA.
The region can also offer additional value added, namely in the form of the industrial zone in Holešov, which is one of the biggest prepared industrial zones in the country. ZRIA’s ambition is for this zone to have a strategic orientation, which could involve aerospace and defence.
About Tech4Defence
Tech4Defence is a networking platform focused on bringing manufacturing companies into contact with the defence industry and supporting their involvement in supply chains in the area of defence technologies. The event’s programme includes thematic roundtable discussions with representatives of defence companies, and space is also dedicated to individual networking. At this year’s first edition of the event, the defence sector was represented by PBS Velká Bíteš, Ray Service, Tatra Defence Vehicle and the Military Technical Institute, which set forth their current needs in the area of supply capacities and technological solutions.
“We have recently seen significantly rising interest from companies in cooperating with the defence sector. From the purchasing perspective, we view this positively, as it opens up new opportunities for cooperation and we are frequently discovering competencies among our partners that we were previously unaware of. Our discussions have brought us a lot of new information, and we have managed to map out a range of capabilities among companies in the region and to agree on specific subsequent steps. The defence market offers companies major opportunities, but that primarily depends on their strategy, courage and ability to actively exploit those opportunities," says Martin Olejník, head of strategic purchasing at Ray Service.
“Events like this save a lot of time and capacities when searching for suppliers and they enable us to establish relationships on a personal level. The Tech4Defence initiative greatly facilitates the effective establishment of partnerships that would otherwise emerge more slowly and less effectively,” adds Lukáš Kobolka, COO of PBS Velká Bíteš.
“The aim is to help companies become part of valuable projects, develop their technological competencies and build long-term partnerships that bring success to both sides,” says Leoš Mauer, director of CzechInvest’s Defence Hub.
The need for systematic support is also confirmed by findings relating to the role of the public sector. According to 83% of the survey respondents, the state should actively bring civilian industrial companies together with defence firms. Another 14% would welcome financial support in the form of subsidies and favourable loans focused on development of defence technologies. Only 3% of the respondents prefer minimal state involvement.
“The long-term rising interest among traditional companies and arms manufacturers confirms the trend that CzechInvest correctly identified from the very beginning when it began organising events like this,” adds Vít Čermák, director of CzechInvest’s regional office for South Moravia.
The Tech4Defence event in Zlín was held under the auspices of the Defence and Security Industry Association of the Czech Republic and with financial support from the partners ZRIA and the Czech Aerospace Cluster.
Photo credit Bezeslov Production
Contact for media
Zdeněk Vesecký
PR manager and spokesman
+420 724 591 667
zdenek.vesecky@czechinvest.gov.cz