New year, new faces, new drive to work
The Hradec Králové innovation centre Plus inovace is entering its next chapter of working with young talents. On December 22, it will connect talents and mentors from across the Czech Republic in Prague. A day later, an informal regional kick-off will take place within the online community. In January, the second year of the TalentHUB +innovation Academy will officially launch with a joint retreat in Broumov.
Twenty proactive talents from the region—high school students and university freshmen who want to work systematically on themselves and develop their gifts in the fields of innovation, entrepreneurship, science, and technology—were selected for the new year. During the selection process, emphasis was placed not only on academic results but primarily on personality profiles, individual projects, motivation, engagement, contribution to the community, and potential for long-term growth.
The Academy is based on personal mentoring of talents by experts from the field.
The TalentHUB +innovation Academy is designed as a long-term development program that is not just about transferring knowledge. A key role is played by personal mentoring by experts from the field, working with motivation, resilience, values, and the strengths of the participants, as well as creating a safe space for sharing and feedback. An important pillar is putting knowledge into practice and not being afraid to make mistakes—through six levels of the academy with clearly set parameters.
The pilot year revealed the region’s potential
The first year, which ran from January to June 2025, confirmed that systematic work with talent makes sense in the region. Fifteen participants went through a combination of individual mentoring sessions, joint workshops, teamwork, and discussions on topics of personal development, responsibility, and long-term vision. The program allowed them to gain insight into professional practice through job shadowing, meet inspiring personalities, and advance their own projects.
Talent does not develop by chance—it grows where it faces demanding challenges, receives quality feedback, and has a safe space. We are building the Academy as a long-term ecosystem: for young people who want to work hard, and for a region that wants to see results. We view the connection with mentors and talents across the country, including companies and institutions from the region, as a key acceleration cycle in a long-distance run. I am particularly pleased with the strengthening of the implementation team.
Rado Vejchoda
Author of the Academy
The second year with a more community-oriented character
The second year builds on these experiences and is even more community-focused. Graduates of the first run are now actively involved as buddies, sharing their experiences, inspiring new participants, and helping to co-create an environment where talent develops naturally across different years. Collaboration with strong partners and mentors remains an integral part, including the involvement of the national Yoda Mentorship Programme, which opens up new perspectives and contacts outside the region for participants.
Space for developing a talent network
The goal of the TalentHUB +innovation Academy is to create an environment where young people can find the support and courage for their future projects, learn to work with feedback, and gradually clarify the direction they want to take. The program is intended for those who are ready to accept the challenge of intensive cooperation and become part of a community that wants to improve itself and its surroundings.
The TalentHUB +innovation Academy is thus not just an educational program, but a long-term investment in the future value of the region. It connects personal development with real-world experience, relationship building, and the creation of a network of young people who want to be active creators of their own future as well as the future of the Hradec Králové Region.
