Projev místopředsedy vlády P. Bělobrádka na Česko-švýcarském symposiu Biotech 2017

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Ladies and Gentlemen,
It was a great pleasure for me to give the patronage to this symposium. BioTech exemplifies the strength of Czech and Swiss biotechnologies. The importance of technologies steeped in a knowledge of how living systems function is growing all the time. They are crucial for our health and nutrition, they help us to protect the environment, and they are used in research into new energy sources and new materials.

It is pleasing that we are able to keep pace with the global elite in this prominent area of science and research. As we are a small country lacking the means to excel in a wide range of disciplines, we must focus primarily on research where we have the wherewithal to be first or second in the world. An alternative is to cooperate with the leading countries, as borne out by biotechnology and our work with our Swiss friends.

The Czech Republic boasts a long-standing tradition and quality in biotechnologies, an area where it also offers future potential. We are endowed with state-of-the-art infrastructure that has been built in recent years. I need only mention centres such as BIOCEV, Haná Regional Centre, and part of the CEITEC project. We also have numerous distinguished scientific figures and talented students.

Some of you may be aware how hard I, as the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for science, research and innovation,  must fight over the science budget with the finance ministers every year. I assure you that I will not give up and that the state support we have pledged will be forthcoming. What is more, biotechnologies are a priority area of both the National Research, Development and Innovation Policy and the National Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3).

Biotechnologies are important for us not simply because of their significance and the fact that we are able to excel in them. On top of that, researchers in this field are able to attract private and investors and venture capital. They have the ability to work with businesses to complete a chain that encompasses basic research, applied research, the commercialisation of new knowledge, and new products and technologies.

This remains our Achilles’ heel. Private capital and investments in science and research are in short supply, hence very few scientific results are applied in practice. Biotechnologies are an island of positive deviance. It is certainly no coincidence that this is a Czech-Swiss symposium. Switzerland is famed for the effective functioning of its education, research and innovation triangle.

This is an ascending spiral of prosperity. High-quality education is a source of young talent. These gifted scientists then drive forward our level of knowledge. And innovative companies capitalise on that knowledge to make commercially successful products. This then gives us more resources for high-quality education and research. It is the ability to master this innovation cycle that separates the successful from the unsuccessful.

I am confident that biotechnologies will remain a magnet for young talents. Just as they will for the visionary businesses that view them as fresh business opportunities.

I wish you success and thank you for your attention.