NCUI is a platform for developing artificial intelligence solutions in direct collaboration with companies that are actively involved in specific research topics. It focuses on practical applications across key sectors such as industry, transportation, IT, energy, and healthcare. The research will take the form of pilot solutions that will enable rapid validation and subsequent deployment in practice.
“It is crucial for us that the results do not remain merely on paper. We want to create solutions that will actually be used in practice and that will hold their own against international competition,” says the project’s principal investigator, Assoc. Prof. Přemysl Šůcha, head of the Department of Industrial Informatics at CIIRC CTU. “Direct integration of companies into joint research is essential for achieving these goals. It is not just about collaboration, but about jointly developing solutions for specific application scenarios,” adds Assoc. Prof. Tomáš Kroupa from the Department of Computers at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL) of CTU, the NCUI principal investigator’s representative.
The project anticipates the delivery of dozens of outputs, including, for example, digital twins, multimodal computing platforms, agent-based architectures, and specialized AI algorithms. These technologies bridge advanced artificial intelligence methods with the specific application needs of partners and have a direct impact on the competitiveness of the Czech economy.
“The NCUI represents a crucial step toward translating cutting-edge research in the field of artificial intelligence into concrete innovations that will have an impact on both the economy and society,” said Prof. Michal Pěchouček, Rector of CTU, emphasizing: “Thanks in part to this project, CTU can fulfill its mission and live up to the responsibility the university has toward society.”
The project is funded by the SIGMA program of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic, which will provide support amounting to nearly 400 million crowns. The total project budget exceeds 500 million crowns, with a significant portion of the costs borne by the industrial partners themselves. They are participating in the project primarily because of the expected results and long-term cooperation, not because of grant support—large and medium-sized enterprises are participating without claiming any grants.
The NCUI brings together a total of 36 partners across the academic, applied, and public sectors. The consortium consists of 6 leading technical universities, 25 industrial partners—including startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large corporations—as well as hospitals, municipal organizations, and state institutions. The non-profit sector is represented by prg.ai. The center is coordinated by the Czech Technical University in Prague, specifically the Czech Institute of Informatics, Robotics, and Cybernetics (CIIRC CTU), in close cooperation with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering (FEL CTU). Other departments of CTU are also involved in the project, specifically the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FS CTU), the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FSv CTU), the Faculty of Information Technology (FIT CTU), and the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering (FBMI CTU).
“The NCUI is an example of how the Czech Republic can systematically build capacity in the field of artificial intelligence while linking it to European initiatives and the needs of the state,” says Lukáš Kačena, the government’s representative for artificial intelligence, who is a member of the project’s board and, in this capacity, will contribute to the Center’s conceptual and strategic direction. “Supporting projects that link excellent research with industrial practice is a priority for TA CR. NCUI demonstrates that this model of cooperation has strong potential in the Czech Republic,” adds Prof. Petr Sklenička, Chairman of the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.
An important part of the NCUI’s activities is also supporting the development of public policies in the field of artificial intelligence. The Center will provide expert support for public administration decision-making and contribute to the development of explainable and trustworthy AI, including work with sensitive data, the protection of critical infrastructure, and safe human-machine collaboration.
Research activities are organized into nine work packages that link key areas of artificial intelligence with specific application domains—ranging from industrial manufacturing and autonomous systems to transportation, biomedicine, energy, construction, public services, and security. This interdisciplinary approach enables us to address complex challenges while creating solutions ready for real-world deployment. Each work package is thus linked to corporate partners who actively participate in both the research and the implementation of the results.
“NCUI is not merely a research project, but the foundation of a strong national AI ecosystem. Its added value lies in coordinating and connecting capabilities, sharing know-how, and systematically translating results into practice,” summarizes Prof. Vladimír Mařík, Scientific Director of CIIRC CTU and Chair of the Project Council. All NCUI research activities are guided by an emphasis on safe, trustworthy, and responsible artificial intelligence that takes into account ethical, legal, and societal aspects and enables the reliable use of AI in sensitive areas.
The following institutions are involved in the NCUI:
Czech Technical University in Prague (coordinator); Brno University of Technology, Palacký University Olomouc, Charles University, VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
AgentFly Technologies s.r.o.; AIRS, s.r.o.; Avast Software s.r.o.; BEMATECH, s.r.o.; Beckman Coulter Czech Republic s.r.o.; Blindspot Solutions s.r.o.; CAMEA, spol. s r.o.; ČEPS, a.s.; Černá kostka, a public benefit organization; Digiteq Automotive s.r.o.; EUDAMO a.s.; Eyedea Recognition s.r.o.; Bulovka University Hospital; MAMA AI Coolma, s.r.o.; Meopta s.r.o.; Metrostav a.s.; Panasonic Heating & Ventilation Air-Conditioning Czech, s. r. o.; Phonexia s.r.o; Powertica Commodites AG, branch office; prg.ai, z. s.; PromethistAI a.s.; Siemens, s.r.o.; Škoda Auto a.s.; SpeechTech, s.r.o.; STATUTORY CITY OF LIBEREC; Teplárna České Budějovice, a.s.; TGS Tools-Machines-Technological Services, spol. s r.o.; TOS VARNSDORF a.s.; VALEO AUTOKLIMATIZACE k.s.; Yunex, s.r.o..