81% of Czech Companies See the Defence Sector as a Strategic Opportunity, Half Are Already Investing

Prague, 26 March 2026 – 81% of manufacturing and technology companies in the Czech Republic consider cooperation with the defence sector a strategic growth opportunity, and half of businesses are already actively investing with a view to potential involvement in joint projects with defence firms. This is according to a flash survey by CzechInvest among participants of the Tech4Defence networking event in Zlín.

The main motivation cited by respondents for seeking cooperation with the defence sector is the diversification of their customer portfolio. 66% of businesses want to act as sub-suppliers of parts or components, and 55% are prepared to supply complete technologies or production equipment. Every fifth company declared available capacity for engineering or development work or production space, and 29% of businesses can provide a qualified workforce for joint defence projects. Representatives of 65 companies from the fields of electronics, IT, engineering, and plastics expressed these views in an anonymous survey at the Tech4Defence event on 25 March 2026 in Zlín.

81% of respondents identified cooperation with the defence industry as a strategic opportunity for their further development. 17% of those surveyed see it as a complementary area to their existing activities. The survey results also show that for one fifth of companies (21%), this cooperation represents an opportunity for technological development and innovation, and for one tenth (9%) it would also be a chance to enter new export markets.

“The growing interest of companies in the defence sector is a natural response to changes in the security environment and the adaptation of European industry. For the Czech economy, the development of defence technologies represents a significant opportunity for diversifying production, strengthening exports, and further technological development. Entering the supply chains of the defence industry is not easy, but it is a major opportunity for many domestic companies,” says Jan Michal, Director General of CzechInvest.

“The Czech Republic has a long and strong tradition in the aerospace and defence industry, which is today being developed by both large system integrators and an extensive network of small and medium-sized companies. These businesses offer world-class development, manufacturing, testing, and certification, enabling us to cover the entire supply chain from design to final products. An increasingly important role is also being played by companies originally operating outside the defence and aerospace sector, which are bringing new technologies, capacities, and innovative solutions to the industry. Our role is to help them navigate this specific environment and at the same time connect them with leaders in these sectors around the world,” states Petr Tomášek, Executive Manager of the Moravian Aviation Cluster.

 Companies Are Ready to Start Cooperating Immediately

According to 91% of respondents, the defence sector will become one of the key drivers of European industry in the coming years, and this perception is beginning to be reflected in companies’ investment plans. Half of the surveyed companies (50%) are already making investments to support their readiness to participate in defence projects, and a further 40% plan to invest in the coming years. Only one tenth of businesses have no investment plans at present.

Also significant is companies’ readiness to commence cooperation in a relatively short timeframe. Up to 81% of businesses stated they are able to begin commercial relations virtually immediately, 15% estimate cooperation could start within one year, and the remaining 5% within a two-to-three year horizon.

One of the organisers, the regional development agency ZRIA, considers the holding of Tech4Defence in Zlín and the linking of local companies with global programmes to be essential. “The entire aerospace and defence area is key for the Zlín Region. We are among the top 3 regions in the Czech Republic in terms of the number of companies and employees in this sector, and in defence our companies produce the second-highest EBITDA in the national comparison. Today offers unique opportunities for integrating further companies into defence supply chains. This makes sense because the Zlín Region has many skilled companies in engineering, polymers, materials, and information technology — and the defence area can also be interesting for these,” comments Petr Kubíček, Director of Strategic Development at ZRIA.

The region can also offer further added value — the Holešov Industrial Zone, which is one of the largest prepared industrial zones in the country. ZRIA’s ambition is for this zone to have a strategic focus, which could be precisely aerospace and defence.

About Tech4Defence

Tech4Defence is a networking platform focused on connecting manufacturing companies with the defence industry and supporting their integration into supply chains in the field of defence technologies. The event programme includes themed roundtables with representatives of defence companies and space for individual networking. At this year’s first event, the defence sector was represented by PBS Velká Bíteš, Ray Service, Tatra Defence Vehicle, and the Military Technical Institute, which presented their current needs in terms of supply capacity and technological solutions.

“We have recently seen a significantly growing interest from companies in cooperation with the defence sector. From our procurement perspective, we see this positively, as new cooperation possibilities are opening up and we often discover competencies in partners that we were not previously aware of. Our mutual discussions have brought us much new information; we have managed to map a range of company capabilities in the region and also agreed on specific follow-up steps. The defence market today offers companies great opportunities, but it depends primarily on their strategy, courage, and ability to actively exploit these opportunities,” says Martin Olejník, Head of Strategic Purchasing at Ray Service.

“Such events significantly save time and resources when searching for suppliers and enable relationships to be built at a personal level as well. The Tech4Defence initiative significantly facilitates the effective formation of partnerships that would otherwise develop more slowly and less efficiently,” adds Lukáš Kobolka, Executive Director of PBS Velká Bíteš.

“The goal is to help companies become part of valuable projects, develop their technological competencies, and build long-term partnerships that deliver success for both sides,” says Leoš Mauer, Director of the Defence Hub at CzechInvest.

The need for systematic support is also confirmed by findings regarding the role of the public sector. According to 83% of survey respondents, the state should actively connect civilian industrial companies with defence enterprises. A further 14% would also welcome financial support in the form of grants or subsidised loans focused on the development of defence technologies. Only 3% of respondents prefer minimal state involvement.

“The long-term growing interest of traditional companies and defence manufacturers confirms a trend that CzechInvest correctly identified at the very outset through the organisation of such events,” adds Vít Čermák, Director of the Regional Office for the South Moravian Region.

The Zlín event was held under the patronage of the Association of the Defence and Security Industry of the Czech Republic and with the financial support of partners ZRIA and the Moravian Aviation Cluster.

Media Contact:

Zdeněk Vesecký
PR Manager, Press Spokesperson

zdenek.vesecky@czechinvest.gov.cz
+420 724 591 667