ZRIA Is Genuinely Helping Foreigners Launch Businesses in Zlín

British-Canadian entrepreneur and former professional ice hockey player Nick Rothwell is founding a mentoring and coaching startup, Re-Tribe, in Zlín with the support of the regional development agency ZRIA. Re-Tribe supports cultural change in both the sporting and corporate environment through values-based leadership. Although based in Zlín, it plans to deliver its specialised programmes not only in the Czech Republic but also internationally.

Nick has decades of experience in the sports world and strong ties to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), where he currently operates within its integrity programme. His vision extends beyond ice hockey to national and international sport in general and leadership in the corporate environment.

This Friday, he will speak at the player leadership seminar at the 2025 Women’s Ice Hockey World Championship, presenting the topic of integrity and values-driven leadership from a team captain’s perspective.

“It’s a classic case of an expat who can turn Zlín into a transnational project. We help with contacts, securing premises, and other practical matters. It is a textbook example of our Expat Centre, set up precisely to help foreigners who come here and can help elevate our region,” said ZRIA Director Petr Kubíček.

Nick came to this type of entrepreneurship after a successful career in sport and live broadcasting. He found the return from high-profile roles to everyday life difficult — an experience shared by many athletes and public figures. This personal experience motivated him to found Re-Tribe.

“I’ve been through a lot of challenges myself — and that’s precisely what motivates me to help others,” confirms Nick Rothwell. “ZRIA helped me enormously and made it easy to relocate from London to Zlín. They helped with company formation, contacts with potential partners and tech companies for app development. I really look forward to developing Re-Tribe in Zlín.”