ZRIA brings businesses and institutions new opportunities to cooperate with Texas partners, having entered into a partnership with the region to which Elon Musk is also relocating his companies

Companies and institutions from the Zlín Region have a new tool to help them cooperate build lasting relationships and find synergies more easily with current or new partners in the US state of Texas. This takes the form of a memorandum of understanding signed by the regional development agency ZRIA with the Bastrop County, located in the immediate vicinity of Austin and San Antonio. This is the area where Elon Musk is currently building a new campus for his companies, including xAI and SpaceX.

“We are entering a region that, given Musk’s extensive activities, is positioned for exponential economic expansion and will see a host of opportunities in modern technology sectors. The memorandum is a practical tool for navigating finding partners and new opportunities in that market, presenting ourselves there, and doing so with the support of local authorities. It also opens up the possibility for Texas companies and institutions to expand their activities in our region and use it as a gateway to Europe. We appreciate that our American partners see a range of opportunities for companies and institutions on both sides in our mutual cooperation,” said Petr Kubíček, Director of Strategic Development at ZRIA.

The signing took place during a trip by ZRIA, representatives of the Zlín Region, and companies from the region to SXSW 2026 in Austin, one of the world’s most significant conferences focused on technology and innovation. The document addresses forms of cooperation between companies, educational and cultural institutions, and approaches to joint work on research and innovation projects in both regions.

“The partnership with the Bastrop region in Texas opens doors for us to a very dynamic technology environment and will help our companies, university, and other regional partners forge new contacts and projects. Every such partnership is important for the Zlín Region, as it expands opportunities for our region. Through ZRIA’s activities, we are systematically strengthening the connection between the Zlín Region and one of the fastest-growing technology hubs in the USA,” commented Radim Holiš, Governor of the Zlín Region, on the signing of the memorandum.

Representatives of Bastrop also see a range of opportunities for gaining new partners and opportunities in the European Union market. “This agreement represents more than a formal partnership — it reflects the spirit of cooperation and opportunity that defines Bastrop County. We are honoured to have welcomed our partners from the Zlín Region and look forward to building relationships that will benefit our businesses, our workforce, and future generations,” said Gregory Klaus, Chairman of the Bastrop Regional Council.

The memorandum has three core operational pillars: cooperation in business and entrepreneurial opportunities, education, internships, and talent development, and joint research and innovation projects.

“Our companies will, for example, have easier access to the business ecosystem in the Bastrop region. Education will focus on internships and cooperation in key sectors such as semiconductors, aerospace, automotive, and CleanTech — areas with significant potential. Research projects will be directed towards topics such as smart cities, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and advanced materials,” explained Kubíček, noting that specific companies are already benefiting in practice from ZRIA’s activities in Texas.

Representatives of the technology companies that formed part of the Zlín delegation at SXSW took part in, among other things, a tour of Elon Musk’s companies — including the Tesla car manufacturer — and had the opportunity to meet with representatives of the technology company SpaceX. The memorandum was signed in a building in the immediate vicinity of Musk’s The Boring Company, SpaceX, and the global headquarters of xAI. “Both regions have a great deal in common — whether it is an emphasis on aerospace, defence, or the semiconductor industry, both also have strong creative and film industries. At the same time, they are safe and pleasant places for everyday life. I believe we will make full use of the potential that this cooperation offers,” said Petr Kubíček.

The Zlín representatives formed part of the official Czech delegation to the USA, led by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Karel Havlíček, which, in addition to SXSW, attended further events and meetings with American representatives. ZRIA’s activities in Texas, which have been systematically connecting both regions for two years, were also praised by Miloslav Stašek, the Czech Republic’s Ambassador to the United States.

“The United States is a key partner for the Czech Republic in the fields of innovation, technology, and business. I therefore greatly appreciate the activities of the regional development agency ZRIA, which has been systematically creating concrete opportunities for cooperation between Czech and American companies and institutions in Texas practically since its inception. The partnership with the promising Bastrop region clearly confirms this and is a further example of how such initiatives contribute to the development of Czech-American relations and open up new opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic,” said the Ambassador.

The trip to the United States was organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic together with the CzechTrade agency, the Czech Embassy in Washington, D.C., the CzechTourism USA organisation, and the CzechInvest foreign office in San Francisco. The regional development agency ZRIA also played a key role in organising the trip for companies and the Zlín Region delegation.

Companies and institutions from the Zlín Region that presented at the SXSW 2026 conference:

Tomas Bata University in Zlín

Technologické inovační centrum s.r.o.

FYSCON s.r.o.

AI Produkce s.r.o.

PRINCIPIA SOLUTIONS s.r.o.

OlaOla s.r.o.

MAKERACER s.r.o.

WrapStyle Zlín, s.r.o.