Prague, 7th April 2021 – Josef Průša, founder and owner of Prusa Research, which belongs among the largest 3D printer and cartridge manufacturers in the world, won the prestigious title of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 Czech Republic. Father and son Lubomír and Juraj Šabatka, of the development company IDEA StatiCa s.r.o., have, become EY Technological Entrepreneurs of the Year 2020. The title of EY New Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 was won by brothers Dominik Herka, Jan Herka and Václav Herka of the startup Wuders s.r.o. The duo of Jan Dobrovský and Petr Pudil, of bpd partners a.s., took home the Czech Television Award for Entrepreneurial Contribution to Culture and Art for their support of the Post Bellum project. This year, the title of EY Socially Beneficial Entrepreneur of the Year goes to Tomáš Šebek and Rudolf Ringelhán, founders of the virtual medical care platform uLékaře.cz, s.r.o. The tenth jubilee vote by readers of MF DNES and iDNES.cz for the best business story was won by Jan Vokurka from the beverage company KITL s.r.o.
The EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition has been held in the Czech Republic for twenty-one years. This year’s event was dominated by technology, successful entrepreneurial duos and their socially beneficial contribution during the pandemic.
”My company will only be as good as my people. So we’re probably quite good. And onwards we go,” Josef Průša of Prusa Research a.s., holder of the title of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 Czech Republic, shared his immediate impressions.
“Some great personalities once again came together in the last EY Entrepreneur of the Year. It certainly must have been difficult for the jury to decide on a winner. There can only ever be one person in first place; nevertheless, in the case of this competition, even participation is a personal victory for every entrepreneur, and proof that they do what they do very well. That’s why I’d like to congratulate not only the overall winner, but also all the other participants,” stated Federico Izzo, CEO of BMW Czech Republic s.r.o.
“Thirty-one-year old Josef Průša, who won the nationwide tournament this year on the basis of a jury decision, is historically the youngest representative of the Czech Republic, and will appear on our country’s behalf at the competition’s world finals. Due to the pandemic, these will take place virtually,” explained Magdalena Souček, Managing Partner in EY in the Czech Republic, and added: ”Josef is a very valuable inspiration for everyone, not only for his outstanding business results, but also for his active approach and assistance during the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite his youth, he’s already a role model for others. I’m convinced that his story will also captivate the jury at the world finals. We’re still waiting for a winner from the region of Central and Eastern Europe. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Josef to become the first, although the competition in the battle for the title of “EY World Entrepreneur of the Year” is enormous.”
Apart from the winner, the finalists in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 competition were:
- Michal Menšík, DoDo Group SE
- Martin Hausenblas, MALFINI, a.s.
- David Karásek, mmcité1 a.s.
- Martin Kasa, Petr Kasa, Pilulka Lékárny a.s.
The EY Technological Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 a EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 South Moravian Region award was won by father and son Lubomír and Juraj Šabatka of the development company IDEA StatiCa s.r.o. This family business is known in the Czech Republic to every project architect who works on building structures or bridges, and thanks to research and innovations also to a further 4,500 companies in 80 countries. IDEA StatiCa s.r.o. has a registered office in Brno, and branches in London, Dortmund and Rotterdam. The unique patent-protected software enables structural engineers around the world to more safely design structures that they could previously only estimate.
The trophy EY New Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 was won by brothers Dominik Herka, Jan Herka and Václav Herka of the startup Wuders s.r.o., which is celebrating success by manufacturing its own designer furniture. Jan, Dominik and Václav say that they complement each another, forming a strong trio, and that helped them show customers the path to sustainable furniture, whose production supports Czech craftsmanship and tradition.
Since 2006, EY has been giving out awards for socially beneficial entrepreneurship. This year’s holder of the title of EY Socially Beneficial Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 became entrepreneurial duo and long-time friends, Tomáš Šebek and Rudolf Ringelhán of uLékaře.cz, s.r.o., which even in its early stages was already ahead of its time, and is successfully building both preventive and emergency medical care, or professional consulting, on a digital platform.
The Czech Television Award – Entrepreneurial Contribution to Culture and Art, was given out again this year, for the fifth time in the competition’s history. Its recipients were Jan Dobrovský and Petr Pudil from the investment company bpd partners a.s., which supports historical and cultural heritage via the activities of the non-profit organisation Post Bellum.
Jan Dobrovský, bpd partners a.s.
The MF DNES and iDNES.cz Readers’ Award for the Best Business Story of the Year 2020 was won by Jan Vokurka of Kitl s.r.o., who was also awarded the regional title of EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 Liberec Region.