Speakers

Igor Paulíček, Ph.D, has experience in business development, especially in technology startups. He has worked as a project manager on several projects focused on technology transfer, international cooperation, innovative technologies, smart solutions and Industry 4.0. In the area of so-called. new space segment has been around for several years. He works for Groundcom, a technology start-up working on satellite communication solutions for small satellites in low Earth orbit. Groundcom is a technology start-up that aims to provide affordable ground segment infrastructure for communication with small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO). The company develops ground stations for satellite operation, TT&C and downlink data from satellites. These ground stations are designed to support Earth Observation (EO) or telecommunications satellite constellations on LEO. Groundcom also builds and operates a network of shared ground stations located in different parts of the world.

Jaroslav Dzuba is an experienced R&D project manager with a focus on microelectronics. He is currently leading an IPCEI project on “RnD memristor in industry”. Previously, he was involved in management and engineering in the development of plasma milling and drilling tools for geothermal applications. In addition, he has extensive experience in the industrial automation and sensing business, as well as in scientific activities focused on the development of sensors based on semiconductor heterostructures for pressure sensing in hostile environments.

Juraj Dudáš is the director of the Space Division at the Research and Test Institute of Aeronautics with branches in Prague and Brno. He began his studies at Brno University of Technology, where he became enthusiastic about electric drives for aerospace applications. Subsequently, he partly continued his studies and started his professional career in a company that dealt with the application of unmanned aerial vehicles mainly in industrial enterprises, agriculture and construction. He joined Space in 2019, and has long been involved in Earth exploration applications and their use in practice. His hobbies include air sports of all kinds from flying drones to competing in real gliders.

Kristián Ondáč is part of the industrial component of the Slovak Space Office within the SARIO agency. As Sector Development Manager, he is dedicated to the systematic development of the Slovak space ecosystem. He leads the development of technology clusters and the Spaceport incubator project.

Owner of DC VISION s.r.o., expert Strojcar s.r.o.

Ľubomír Klieštik has spent more than 30 years in business, during which he has gained many valuable experiences – good, but also bad and difficult. Also thanks to TOC, he turned a failing company into a profitable one and got rid of debts. TOC and has passed on his experience to many entrepreneurs whom he has helped to achieve successful results. He and his wife Janka live in Čadec and together they have eight children, two of whom are already in heaven. More information about his company can be found at www.kliestik.sk.

Computer scientist, researcher, pilot of new ideas and director of the Kempelen Institute of Intelligent Technologies, she is a key figure in the field of artificial intelligence in Slovakia. She has developed a long-term vision and strategy for the Kempelen Institute, which brings a new perspective on innovation involving science to the research and innovation ecosystem in Slovakia and Central and Eastern (post-communist) Europe. He is also involved in research focused on human-computer interaction analysis. She is active in discussions on trustworthy AI at national and European level. She was a member of the Governing Board of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the High Level Expert Group on AI. Prior to KInIT, she was a professor and dean at the Slovak University of Technology.

Martin Jančura is the co-founder and CEO of iTranSys, a company dedicated to creating optimization software solutions for public transport providers. In less than a year (2022-2023), Martin and his team, who have many years of experience in public transport innovation, have managed to sign contracts with almost all suburban bus transport providers in Slovakia. At the moment iTranSys is focusing on expansion abroad, where they are discussing the possibility of using their tools in countries such as Indonesia, Jordan or the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Martin cooperates closely with the University of Žilina, especially in the field of research on the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in public transport.

M2M Solutions

Dr. Michaela Musilová is an astrobiologist, author and so-called analogue astronaut or marsonaut. Michaela has conducted space-related research at institutions around the world such as CalTech, University College London and Chiba University (Japan). She has existing collaborations with NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and has worked for world-class observatories such as the London and Canada-France-Hawaii Observatories. As a crew commander, she has led over 30 simulated missions to Mars and the Moon, under the auspices of NASA, ESA and many international organizations. Michaela was also the director of the HI-SEAS space research station in Hawaii for several years. She is currently at the International Space University and is the head of research at the space technology firm NEEDRONIX. Among the awards she has received are Emerging Space Leaders Grant, Women in Aerospace – Europe Young Professional Award and she has been listed among the 30 most talented young Slovaks under 30 in Forbes Slovakia, as well as in the 100 top professionals in the space and aeronautics sector to follow via LinkedIn (2021 & 2022). Michaela is currently working on her unique global project called Astro Crown of the Earth. It represents a world first in combining a climb to the Earth’s Crown (the highest mountain on each continent) with scientific research and in collaboration with NASA, educational and popularization activities to inspire. Michaela regularly teaches and makes presentations to audiences of all ages around the world; and works with international media. In addition, she writes articles for Space.com and co-authored her biography, The Woman from Mars.

Michal Brichta is the Director of the industrial component of the Slovak Space Office operating within the SARIO agency. In 2019, he initiated a new comprehensive approach to building a national space ecosystem and today, together with his team, he is building on these activities and continuing to build the Slovak space sector and its internationalisation. He also serves as Slovak delegate to ESA and Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation.

Pavel Hrica co-founded and leads the organization Way Out, which works to address generational poverty. He pledged to devote the rest of his life to this subject. The prestigious international network of social innovators Ashoka has selected Pavel as one of the 2022 Ashoka Fellows. In the past he was in the leadership of Slovak Scouting and helped open it to Roma. He then worked for 10 years as Programme Director of the Pontis Foundation. He ran corporate volunteering in Slovakia and managed philanthropic programs of dozens of companies. In 2018, together with his wife and former colleague, he founded Way Out, which after a few years became one of the largest non-profit organizations in our country.

He is an associate professor at the Department of Air Transport of the University of Žilina. He is mainly engaged in research in the field of design, testing, operation and deployment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in specialized applications within research projects. He closely links his research with the requirements of practice in the field. In the past, he was the principal investigator of the national UAV LIFE project for the University of Žilina in Žilina, which resulted in results in the field of transport of medical material in groups or in a swarm of drones. Within his own projects, he is the founder and responsible researcher of the STRATON project, with which he won the national round of the start-up competition SPACEPORT_SK under the auspices of the Slovak Space Office.

Peter Cuninka received his Ph. in 2020 in cybernetics at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology of the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Trnava (MTF STU). Since completing his engineering studies, he has been involved in the Horizon 2020 framework programme and subsequently the EIT scheme within the faculty. He coordinated the H2020 project in the Teaming call as the member responsible for the organisational and financial aspects of the project. In 2017, when STU joined the EIT Raw Materials, he covered the activities of the university from the position of Project Manager. Since 2018 he has been Head of the Department of International Projects and International Relations at MTF STU, where he implemented several projects from the EIT scheme (Raw Materials as well as Manufacturing). In 2021 he started to work partly for the EIT Manufacturing RIS HUB Slovakia and since 2022 he has been working as the Director of the STU Project Centre, which also coordinates this HUB. Since 2024 he has been the Director of the Centre for European Projects, Cooperation with Practice, Innovation and Technology Transfer at STU. He continues to be actively involved in the development of project proposals and the search for collaborations for the development of STU.

Peter is an experienced robotic equipment and systems developer with patented solutions in robotics, automation and manufacturing technology. He gained a strong technical background during his studies at the Technical University in Košice with a focus on robotics. After graduating, he specialised in robotics and worked at a research institute where he led a robotics team and collaborated on major EU projects, including with CERN. In 2020, he founded Spinbotics, where he is dedicated to developing a modular robotic kit that helps increase production capacity and relieve skilled personnel from the simple and repetitive manual tasks of manufacturing SMEs. Outside of work, he is an avid chess player, follows news in the field of science and technology and reads psychological literature. He spends his free time with his family and friends.

They love movement. Movement is life. And just as it fulfills them, they want it to fulfill everyone, regardless of age or current fitness status. And it was with this idea in mind that they developed all the products. STRONG POWER brings unique regenerative products and services for freedom of movement to the market. This concept is applicable for professional athletes, hobby athletes, companies and the general public from three years old to seniors. FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT motivates people to take up sport and promotes an active life full of experiences without limits. They are part of international sporting events and support domestic athletes in various disciplines. STRONG POWER is a diamond that has been shaped under pressure to promote the idea of “SERVICE and HELP”.

Simona Kubán is a digital marketing entrepreneur and co-owner of the renowned digital agency SCR interactive. SCR interactive agency is a family-owned company and specializes in sales marketing. The company is one of the few advertising agencies to be remunerated on the basis of the results achieved – the sales of its clients. SCR interactive has become a national champion and won the prestigious European Business Awards™ for business excellence and progressiveness. In the Digital PIE competition, it was among the awarded agencies in the performance category. SCR interactive belongs to the top 15% of Czech and Slovak Google partner agencies and has been included in the Sales Guru program – intensive sales support of the agency by Google. He has experience in communication from large clients such as Niké, OTP Banka, Amundsen and smaller and medium-sized clients such as Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Kellys – bicycle manufacturer, Mobilonline, EXIsport, Kinekus, ABB and others.

In 1992, he founded KOMA MODULAR, which focused first on container construction and later on modular construction. He built the company on pillars such as quality and innovation. As a result, it continues to push the boundaries of modularity and, together with KOMA, has completed complex construction projects such as around 100 educational facilities, the architecturally award-winning EXPO pavilion in Milan in 2015, the first modular hospital pavilion and now the delivery of modular airports in Senegal. It is one of the leading Czech manufacturers of modular buildings. He is also a supporter of T. Bata, who inspires him to this day. He introduced the so-called “freedom of movement” in society. KOMA Comprehensive School, which is attended by every employee of the company. The aim is to introduce the company’s mission, vision and values, the progress of the contract by the company and the company’s external and internal customers. This co-creates KOMA’s corporate culture and the sense of belonging of individual employees to the company.

Vladimír Šucha is the Head of the Representation of the European Commission in Slovakia from 2022. In 2021 he was seconded by the EC to UNESCO in Paris and before that, since 2012, he managed the European Commission’s science and knowledge service, the Joint Research Centre. From 2006-2012 he was Director in the EC’s Directorate-General for Education and Culture. Before joining the European Commission, he held several positions related to European and international policies. In 2005-2006 he founded the Agency for Research and Development Support in Bratislava. In 2000-2004 he was a member of the Slovak team that negotiated Slovakia’s accession to the EU in Brussels. In parallel, he was engaged in scientific and pedagogical work in Slovakia and several places in the world. He has published more than 100 scientific papers.