At a time when Europe is facing declining growth and a loss of technological dynamism, the following question was heard in the very heart of New York, which would have seemed improbable only a few years: “Can the countries of Central Europe make up for the structural weaknesses of the European Union?” This was the issue discussed by representatives of the American financial sector, private equity and venture capital along with experts on the Czech and Slovak markets at the end of the year at Bohemian National Hall in New York. The Slovak & Czech Investment forum was not a social event involving diplomatic protocol, but rather a factual business briefing on where the region is heading and why global capital should not overlook it.
The basic premise of the forum was clear: the image of Central Europe as an inexpensive manufacturing base is out of date. Today, both Czechia and Slovakia are aiming for investments with high value added in digital infrastructure, data centres, research and development, and advanced engineering. And the data presented at the forum showed this to be true. In the context of the region, Czechia has the highest volume of foreign direct investment per capita in the overall value of roughly USD 215 billion. At the same time, the country maintains relatively low sovereign debt at the level of 42% of GDP and, according to the OECD, its economy grew at a rate in excess of 2% in 2025. “New York is a place where globally impactful investment trends take shape. And today Czechia resonates as a stable, predictable and technologically ambitious economy,” says Jiří Maňák, director of CzechInvest’s foreign office in New York.
Security, stability, predictability
Security and institutional stability play an essential role for American investors who are sensitive to geopolitical risks in Europe. Even in this respect, Czechia has powerful arguments: the country has long ranked among the world’s safest countries in the Global Peace Index. At the same time, the country advanced to sixth place among the world’s best-performing developed economies in a ranking issued by The Economist in December. The twelve-place jump in the ranking over the course of a single year did not escape the attention of investors who are looking for a less volatile environment for their long-term projects in Europe.
The forum’s first panel discussion was focused on an area in which the region’s future competitiveness will be decided, namely digital infrastructure. Those taking part in the discussion on the development of cloud services and data centres included, among others, representatives of Goldman Sachs and investors in digital infrastructure. In their view, Czechia has a unique combination of advantages, particularly its strategic location within Europe, relatively stable energy grid and high degree of economic complexity, which makes the country an attractive destination not only for industry, but also for investments in technology, which require a reliable environment and long-term predictability. Central Europe is thus ceasing to be “the factory of Europe” in the eyes of American investors and is increasingly being seen as a safe hub for digital and technology projects.
Another part of the forum was focused on long-term growth strategy. The region possesses strong human capital, particularly in technical and engineering fields, and a deep industrial tradition, which is increasingly being reflected in sophisticated research. This is confirmed by investments of global companies such as onsemi, Honeywell and GE Aerospace, which are further developing their research and development centres in the Czech Republic. According to representatives of Zhiva & VC Fund CB ESPRI and the company Lazard, the combination of infrastructure, stability and a skilled workforce is the main enticement for such projects.
However, a critical note was also sounded during the forum. The region is currently unable to put research results into commercial practice in a way that is sufficiently effective. Its weaker venture-capital market and fragmented innovation ecosystem remain a hindrance which, however, could be overcome through closer cooperation with American investors. Economist Jan Švejnar of Columbia University noted that if Europe – including Czechia and Slovakia – wants to keep pace with the United States, it must find the resolve to implement deeper reforms. Deregulation, strengthening of research institutes and larger investments in digital infrastructure and STEM education are not optional, but necessary. The European economy has the potential to be bigger than that of the United States, but it is being held back by numerous internal factors in the form of regulations, disunity and insufficiently effective use of capital.
Fewer proclamations, more results
The joint Czech-Slovak approach to the American market is proving to be a pragmatic strategy that gives the region a stronger voice. At the same time, it confirms that Czechia has a chance to present itself as a reliable technology partner, not just as a manufacturing base. Representatives of the consulates general of Czechia and Slovakia in New York, CzechInvest and the Slovak organisations SARIO and Slovak PRO have already affirmed that they will continue to hold similar meetings in the new year.
“Success on the highly competitive American market is not automatic. The decisive factor is the ability to offer unique solutions that can stand up to global competition,” Jiří Maňák, according to whom the Slovak & Czech Investment Forum demonstrated that factual dialogue based on concrete results is a way to hold Wall Street’s attention and to attract investments that will truly change the structure of the economy.
Contact for media
Zdeněk Vesecký
PR manager and and spokesman
+420 724 591 667
zdenek.vesecky@czechinvest.gov.cz