JIC Ventures Fund I

Czech Republic

Pre Seed

About JIC Ventures Fund I

JIC Ventures is a €16.3M pre-seed/seed fund (€13M first close) targeting CEE deep tech founders in cybersecurity, space tech, semiconductors, precision instruments, and dual-use technologies. Backed by CTP, Česká spořitelna, and South Moravian Region. ~20 companies planned.

Investment Focus

Location / RegionCzech Republic

Funding StagePre Seed

Industry Focus

Cybersecurity

Deep Tech

Semiconductors

Space

Investor Signals Profile

active

Sweet Spot

CEE-based PhD or engineering founder in deep tech needing first €1M institutional check

CEE deep tech

dual-use & defense

pre-seed first check

semiconductors & space

engineering-led founders

Bullish Signals

€13M+ already closed from 40 LPs including CTP and Česká spořitelnablog

€1M first check fills real CEE funding gap; few competitors in this nicheblog

NATO spending and European sovereignty agenda create tailwinds for dual-use betsblog

20-year JIC deal flow and founder relationships institutionalized into dedicated vehicleblog

14+ portfolio companies across deep tech, biotech, SaaS, spaceexternal

Exited founders as LPs and advisors — rare alignment signalexternal

University spinoff pipeline: Masaryk, BUT, CEITEC partnerships activeexternal

Portfolio spans 14 named companies incl. GINA (50 countries, UN)website

Fast term sheet to close: weeks, not monthswebsite

Biotech bets: CasInvent, AI|ffinity, Myco — diversified deep science exposurewebsite

Lead investor role: sets pace, stays hands-onwebsite

Pre-investment mentoring available via JIC programswebsite

Aiviro AI agents: 35% cost savings — commercial traction signalwebsite

Leading with courage tagline; Brno-born 20+ year ecosystem foundationwebsite

JIC expert network: top CEOs, CTOs, CFOs strategic guidancewebsite

Customerscore.io AI scoring for B2B churn prevention; proven valuewebsite

Groundcom satellite comms: global infrastructure play from CEEwebsite

Myco biotech: sustainable packaging from mycelium; ESG + commercewebsite

NenoVision LiteScope: 3D nanoscale imaging breakthrough spinoffwebsite

Wereldo logistics optimization: 20% cost savings; real B2B tractionwebsite

AI|ffinity protein 3D modeling via NMR+AI; Masaryk/CEITEC spinoffwebsite

GINA rescue software: 50 countries, UN peacekeeping missionswebsite

Radim Kocourek: 20+ yrs startup support; known for focus & idea radarwebsite

Miloš Sochor: 15+ yrs startups, ex-banker, Y Soft Ventures MPwebsite

Investment process streamlined: pitch → meet → term sheet → DD → investwebsite

Contrarian Signals

Deep tech CEE exits historically slow; may take decade longer than expectedblog

Fund too small and Czech-anchored for founders needing pan-European scaleblog

Portfolio mix includes SaaS/logistics — thesis breadth may dilute focusexternal

Eterny, Symfio, Wereldo stretch beyond deep tech corewebsite

Pitch deck max 4MB cap — signals lean ops, not institutionalized processwebsite

Yedem mobility/logistics add more non-deep-tech breadth to portfoliowebsite

Arbo greenery/forestry software tangential to core tech thesiswebsite

Localazy translation tool dilutes focus from hardware/nanotech/biotechwebsite

Founder Do's

Be CEE-based (CZE/SVK priority) with strong technical or PhD background

Target deep tech, cybersecurity, space, nanotech, biotech or B2B SaaS

Come at pre-seed or seed — earlier and riskier = better fit

Leverage JIC ecosystem: lab access, university ties, EU grant readiness

Show global potential + path to Series A; have traction over slides

Founder Don'ts

Don't pitch B2C consumer internet or non-deep-tech plays

Don't expect US late-stage intros — wrong value-add profile

Don't come post-Series A or with heavy commercial traction — too late

Key GPs & Partners

Radim Kocourek

Managing Partner

ex-founderhands-onthesis-driven

Miloš Sochor

Managing Partner

ex-bankerradical-transparencyexit-focused

MŠ

Milan Šimek

Fund Advisor (SW/HW)

ex-founderSW/HW

Marek Polčák

Fund Advisor (Space/Dual-use)

ex-founderspacedual-use

Lukáš Maňásek

Fund Advisor (B2B Sales)

operatorB2B-sales

Martin Zadražil

Fund Advisor (Nanotech/HW/SW)

deep-technanotech

Ondřej Krajíček

Fund Advisor (HW/SW)

operatorprecision-instruments

Jan Neuman

Fund Advisor (SW) & Portfolio Founder

ex-foundernanotech

JŠ

Juraj Šabatka

Fund Advisor (SW)

ex-founderprecision-instruments

Karel Obluk

Fund Advisor (Cybersecurity)

cybersecurityoperator

Unlock Investor Signals

$29/month for full signal access. Cancel anytime.

View Plans Browse all Signal Profiles →

Fund Overview

Fund Size€16.3M

Saves0

Website

Key People

Radim Kocourek, Miloš Sochor

Radim KocourekManaging Partner

Miloš SochorManaging Partner

Milan ŠimekFund Advisor (SW/HW)

Marek PolčákFund Advisor (Space/Dual-use)

Lukáš MaňásekFund Advisor (B2B Sales)

Martin ZadražilFund Advisor (Nanotech/HW/SW)

Ondřej KrajíčekFund Advisor (HW/SW)

Jan NeumanFund Advisor (SW) & Portfolio Founder

Juraj ŠabatkaFund Advisor (SW)

Karel OblukFund Advisor (Cybersecurity)

Related Funds

Kaya VC Fund V

€70M

Czech Republic

Pre Seed

Digital Health, Ecommerce, Saas

Fund Manager:Avel Mucha, Martin Rajcan, Tomas Acinda

Pre Seed

Digital Health

Ecommerce

Saas

ARX Equity Partners

€78M

Czech Republic

Pre Seed

Digital Education Consumer

Fund Manager:Brian Wardrop

Pre Seed

Digital Education Consumer

Tensor Ventures

€50M

Czech Republic

Pre Seed

Climate Sustainability, Ai Ml, Saas, Deep Tech

Fund Manager:Roman Smola, Etr Ulvr

Pre Seed

Climate Sustainability

Ai Ml

Saas

Deep Tech