Consortium of the International TwinVECTOR Project Met in Zlín
20. November 2024A meeting of the TwinVECTOR project consortium, coordinated by Tomas Bata University in Zlín, took place on 12 November 2024.
Launched on 1 November 2022 and scheduled to run until October 2025, this European project received a funding of EUR 1.3 million from Horizon Europe. The consortium includes partners from the Czech Republic, Germany, Finland and Austria: AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Bavarian Research Alliance GmbH, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.
“Our goal is to establish Tomas Bata University in Zlín as a centre of excellence in energy storage research, with a focus on materials research, but also on socio-economic and environmental analysis. Thanks to cooperation with international partners, we will strengthen both the technical and institutional capacities of the university,” said Dr. Viera Pechancová, project coordinator and researcher at TBU. The project, which focuses on new technologies for the production of affordable and sustainable batteries, is key to achieving the goals of the Green Deal for Europe.
On the following day, 13 November 2024, a follow-up workshop to the project called “Fostering Innovation in the Battery & Automotive Industry” took place in Zlín, with the aim of promoting cooperation between research and industry in the field of batteries and the automotive industry. It brought together representatives from start-ups, SMEs, industry leaders and innovation agencies to discuss research trends, collaboration strategies and the importance of sustainability and social responsibility.
The workshop programme included the following inspiring presentations:
- Libor Dobeš, Autoklastr – “On a Shared Journey Towards New Opportunities in the Automotive Industry” – focused on opportunities in the automotive industry and the emphasis on cooperation between key players.
- Marek Sedláček, ESGROVIA – “Opportunities and Risks of Cooperation between Universities and Companies” – presented the opportunities and challenges of cooperation between academic institutions and the commercial sector.
- Joshua Wheeler, Zlín Region Investment Agency – “ZRIA and Its Development Activities with an Emphasis on International Cooperation” – presented the development activities of the Zlín Region Investment Agency and its support for international cooperation.
- Petr Kaštovský, Zlín Region Investment Agency – “From Academic Research, Through Commercial Application, to a Company Exit” – shared his experience of transferring academic research into commercial practice.
The workshop promoted the exchange of experience and know-how between academia and industry, contributed to strengthening cooperation and created a space for discussion on current trends, sustainability and social responsibility.