AmCham CZ’s Post

My favorite photo (see below) of Milan Slapak, who was re-appointed by his fellow board members as president at AmCham CZ’s General Assembly, is the one below of him addressing an audience of dignitaries in onsemi’s meeting room. Despite having a thousand and one things he had to in his new role leading RSBC Holding, including meetings that would lead to the purchase of STEYR ARMS GmbH , MIlan insisted on driving down the D1 and out into the rolling lands of Moravia to support Josef Svejda (also joining the board) and his team’s efforts to channel development and production of silicon carbide semiconductors into Czechia. He knew the country needed much more development of advanced technology. He also understood how hard securing such investment is, and how aggressively other countries are pursuing the same investment. He had experienced how some decision-makers focused on different objectives- jobs, headquarters, ribbon-cuttings, geopolitical public relations- instead of the hard day-to-day of getting a deal done and implemented. He wanted to do everything he could, and AmCham could, to help Josef win this deal for onsemi, Roznov, and Czechia. When he spoke that day, he put the investment in its proper context, as one of the many Big Bets that we will need to make on each other to build an innovative economy. We will need Ladislav Janíček and Brno University of Technology to bet on onsemi . We will need the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic to bet on onsemi and VUTB to bet on onsemi. We will need thousands of high school and university student to bet on onsemi. We will need leaders of onsemi in the US- such as Catherine Côté and Steven Grasso- to bet that we can deliver the quality engineering and high level management they need to compete in the intense global semiconductor industry. Leadership is pointing a finger in the direction of where we should go, and then moving in that direction. Milan has been moving the country towards innovation for his entire career. AmCham is fortunate to have him at our helm for another year. https://lnkd.in/eet_EyuP

Very grateful to Chihuahua Global EDC for trusting us with their business Agenda in Arizona and their participation a the 3rd Annual Global Chamber Semiconductor Summit. We are moving forward  to unlocking Growth with an Arizona-Chihuahua Partnership. Arizona and Chihuahua, two economic powerhouses, are at the brink of a transformative collaboration. Beyond borders, this partnership holds the key to unlocking unparalleled opportunities for both regions. Thriving Industries: Arizona, a hub for #semiconductorindustry, #aerospacemanufacturing, technology, and renewable energy, aligns seamlessly with Chihuahua's strengths in manufacturing in these sectors. I am sure together, they can create a symbiotic relationship that fosters innovation and accelerates growth across these vital sectors. Strategic Connectivity: As we strive for streamlined supply chains, connecting Arizona and Chihuahua presents a strategic advantage. Proximity fosters efficient trade, reducing transit times and costs for businesses on both sides. This direct link can act as a catalyst for a seamless flow of goods and services, enhancing the competitiveness of both economies. Workforce, Educational and Cultural Exchange: Beyond economic ties, the Arizona-Chihuahua connection opens avenues for cultural and educational exchange. Joint initiatives in academia, arts, and cultural events can enrich the experiences of residents. Thank you to the Arizona Commerce Authority City of Phoenix City of Peoria, Arizona CANAZ Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations The Global Chamber Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations (PCFR) Fernando Alba Chihuahua Global EDC #ArizonaChihuahuaPartnership #CrossBorderCollaboration #EconomicAlliance #fdi #contractmanufacturing #ArizonaMexico

Ondrej Krajicek of Y Soft serves as the AmCham CZ board's quantum disrupter. He lives in the world of the successful start-up that was born locally and now operates globally. That has conditioned him to recognize that volatility opens opportunity and that niches can expand exponentially. When he applies this to economic policy, it challenges the widespread National Technical Museum orthodoxy that insists that every traditional industry must be the industry of the future. He understands that the economy is in flux at all times, that we never know what and where and when and how every impulse that drives the economy will act, and that what appears to be a calm, steady equilibrium can be the first signs of stagnation. So, when a policymaker says we must do this, he asks why. When another policymaker says we cannot do this, he questions why not. We know he is going to insert a new way of thinking into our discussions, but we never know exactly what or how it will shift the pathway of the conversation. That sort of entrepreneurial approach to policy helped craft our Letter of Innovation last year, and has made Ondrej a central voice in our meetings with the government and universities over the last year. His input was especially valuable as we examined how start-ups and spin-offs can generate more advanced technology. It confirmed that the goal should not be to accumulate new start-ups for the sake of having start-ups, but to accumulate the development of advanced technology, because the bigger the base of high tech we have, the more opportunities for success in university research, major investment, and successful start-ups. This is the message we just reiterated in our progress report on creating an innovative economy. (If you are interested in the document, contact kbendikova@amcham.cz). We therefore are glad that Ondrej agreed to continue as our Vice-President of Technology for another year. He- like fellow board members Milan Slapak of RSBC Holding, Michal Pechoucek, Josef Svejda of onsemi, Jaroslav Skvrna of Deloitte and Michal Zavisek of Honeywell- are driving our advocacy to turn Czechia into the leading innovative economy. We need Ondrej to keep saying why and why not again and again until we arrive at the answers we need to get there. https://lnkd.in/dE2FHrwm https://lnkd.in/df3Ha8Uq

The states in the South East of the US, especially Georgia, North and South Carolina but also Alabama and Tennessee attrat a lot of international investment. Also Austrian companies are looking more closely at this region with a lot of benefits. Having one of the biggest deep sea harbors in Savannah, excellent logistics, a favorable tax system, highly skilled personnel and a big consumer market, the region has attracted FDI from all over the world. Especially the manufacturing industry and here in particular the automotive and greentech industry is growing fast. With recent legal changes and new investment regimes the development of e-mobility solutions and prodcution of batteries is rising sharply. Do you want to learn more about the mobility industry, recent investment incentives and how to be commercially successful there, join our forum on Automotive Industry in the South East of the US in Vienna on March 19th. I hope to see many of you there. My colleagues from New York Peter Hasslacher and Eliot Leadem, as well as experts from Georgia Tycho Stahl and Stefan Harrigan will be ready to answer all your questions. Register here Vienna | March 19 ⏭ https://lnkd.in/ebf5fEjc #automotive #investment #usa #greentech #batteries #solutions #usa #austria Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, AUSSENWIRTSCHAFT AUSTRIA, ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA USA, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, Metro Atlanta Chamber, Beatriz Schönstein-Wippel, Ken Walsh, Marta Haustein, American Chamber of Commerce in Austria - AmCham Austria, Eric Savoye

During the recent Semiconductor and Technology Investment Forum, President Chaves unveiled Costa Rica's ambitious plan to become a major player in the global semiconductor industry. Representatives from international semiconductor associations, financial institutions, multinational corporations, and academia gathered alongside a US delegation led by Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and General Laura Richardson to witness this exciting announcement. This strategy builds on Costa Rica's existing strengths. Following Intel's successful establishment near San José in the 1990s, the country has seen a surge in tech-oriented industries and a highly skilled workforce. Today, medical devices, not coffee or bananas, are Costa Rica's top export. President Chaves emphasized streamlined processes and a commitment to renewable energy (Costa Rica boasts a 99% renewable grid!) as key plan components. Tax incentives and regulatory reforms will further entice investment. "Welcome to Costa Rica," President Chaves declared, "a country where red tape won't hold you back!" This initiative holds significant geopolitical implications. As the US seeks to diversify its supply chain, Costa Rica's strategic move could foster stronger relationships in Latin America, particularly amidst rising tensions with China. Costa Rica and Panama have already received funding from the CHIPS Act to bolster workforce development and infrastructure, with the Dominican Republic potentially following suit. Costa Rica's bold vision is turning heads. Media outlets are dubbing it the next Silicon Valley of Latin America, and whispers of joining the USMCA's proposed expansion are swirling. This is just the beginning! Stay tuned to see how Costa Rica continues to solidify its economic strength and establish itself as a leading tech hub in Latin America. #WeAreConquista #CostaRica #Semiconductors #Technology #Business #Investment #USMCA #Development #LatinAmerica

How does Czechia compare with its neighbors in the digital world? At AmCham CZ's #DigitizingCzechia, we asked Microsoft's Renate Strazdina, who knows the region well as the regional national technology officer, to give us a thumbnail sketch of our strengths and weaknesses. Czechia is doing pretty well. Especially in business. We have strong foundational technologies both in the physical stuff- for instance, semiconductors by onsemi (led by Josef Svejda and Ales Cab) and electron microscopes (needed for semiconductor design and production) by Thermo Fisher Scientific (led by Petr Strelec)- and software- Y Soft, Gen, among many others. Universities here produce high quality IT graduates in higher numbers than most countries in the region. The challenge is with the government. Does the political community and the bureaucracy really want to be in the digital world? Creating the portfolio of a Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization is a good symbolic gesture. Giving that minister the power, the budget, and the people to do the job would be more significant. This is not a criticism of the man who asked for that portfolio. You only need to spend a few minutes with Ivan Bartoš to recognize he wants Czechia to lead in digitization, and that he is willing to stake his political future on achieving that task. Now we just need the other ministers and the parties to place an equal priority on it. If they do not, digitization will be bogged down in bureaucratic battles over domain. Most governmental digital projects require multiple government authorities- at the national, regional, and local level- to coordinate. Without all the parties in government making digitization a top priority and working together to achieve it, bureaucracies will view each digital project as a chance to seize more authority and budget, and the project will be crippled with infighting and infested with scandal. The Digitální a informační agentura – DIA is a good start toward unifying the government's digital toolkit. The goal should be to strengthen its ability after the next election.

The challenges for the Mittelstand companies in Germany remain high due to economic developments worldwide and in Germany. Through its research activities, the Institut für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) Bonn will again highlight the current situation, developments and problems in the Mittelstand in 2024.

Chinese and German companies are increasingly becoming close competitors - both in China itself and in global markets. Our new survey shows the status quo - also informing the preparation of Chancellor Scholz' China visit: 🔸 German companies consider themselves superior to their Chinese competitors in terms of product quality, technological leadership, and innovation strength. 🔸 They rate their cost efficiency, time to market readiness, and innovation speed as weakest compared to Chinese competition. 🔸 Competitive disadvantages are particularly seen in market access and access to networks (e.g., government, local authorities, access to public tenders, etc.). 🔸 The heightened competition is expected to cause increased cost pressures, reduced profit margins, and lower market shares. 🔸 Two-thirds of the surveyed companies say they are affected by unfair competition. The unfair competition situation together with specific examples will be brought to the attention of the Chinese leadership during Chancellor Scholz' visit and beyond. #china #competition #advocacy #AHK #GermanChamber

A Big Bet has been made. Today, onsemi announced one of the largest investments in Czechia's history to expand its silicon and silicon carbide development and manufacturing capabilities in Roznov nad Radhostem. When up and running, the new investment will contribute more than CZK 6 billion annually to the country's GDP. What is perhaps more important is that it expands our ability to research and develop semiconductors. It creates an enormous base of advanced technologies that will spur young people to study engineering and computer science, encourage universities to push the boundaries of scientific research in this field, and inspire entrepreneurs to create start-ups in the industry. This is the Country for the Future. This is the Second Economic Transformation. Every businessperson in the country recognizes the enormous effort Josef Svejda, Ales Cab, Michal Lorenc and other executives at onsemi made to bring this investment here. They were the primary champions of the project, and the country, and navigated every difficult corner and every unexpected obstacle to get the investment here. Keep going guys! Jozef Sikela, Ivan Bartoš and others in the government ensured the work of CzechInvest and Office of the Government of the Czech Republic received the political support it needed. Karel Havlíček made it clear that this was a project of national importance. Politics and government worked how it is supposed to work on this project. Ladislav Janíček of Brno University of Technology was also essential. He will be supplying the hundreds of engineers this project needs, and the teams of researchers that will build on this investment. He has been involved since the beginning to drive this decision to a yes. Business leaders like Milan Slapak, Ondrej Krajicek, and Martin Jahn lent their considerable influence to persuading the government that this was a bet we had to take. It does not end here. Josef Svejda joined AmCham CZ's General Assembly this morning as a new board member. Our members will focus on turning this second bet- after GE Aerospace's Catalyst engine project- into a steady pipeline of major investments into the development of advanced and sustainable technologies. Big bet by big bet by big bet is how Czechia will become a leading innovative economy.

🌟 We're thrilled to announce that we've been nominated for the Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises (Großer Preis des Mittelstandes | Netzwerk der Besten)! 🌟 The award by the Oskar Patzelt Foundation is one of the most prestigious German business awards. Under the motto "With Confidence Towards the Future," it is being presented for the 30th time this year 🏆 The "Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises" is the only business award in Germany that doesn't just focus on numbers, innovations, or jobs, but views the company as a whole, for its complex role in society. Intelligent fluids has reached the final round for this year's Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises, and through the nomination, automatically joins the "Network of the Best" (Netzwerk der Besten) – where all companies nominated for the award since 1994 come together.   We are very excited about the nomination and the wonderful networking opportunities it brings! 🚀 #award #nomination #networking #intelligentfluids