For 20 years, JIC has been supporting innovators from across the South Moravian Region and contributing to the development of the innovation ecosystem. It provides support for businesses at all stages, from early-stage start-ups to established unicorns, through educational workshops, seminars, networking events, and professional mentoring in business.
During and after the pandemic, when the company began an internal renewal process, its working model started evolving towards greater openness and collaboration. As a result, the original rigid and structural arrangement of the research laboratory building, where the company is based, became outdated. However, in 2023, the JIC building underwent a renovation by the renowned architectural studio KOGAA. The renovation was designed to reflect the increasingly strong values of the organization – openness, transparency, and collaboration. KOGAA managed to create spaces that embody these values through a retrofit approach, which together function as a showcase for innovation.
To achieve the change, the entire building's closed partitions were replaced with transparent organic walls, within which meeting rooms and private workspaces are located. This fluid design eliminated the original corridor-based layout and replaced it with organic in-between spaces that foster interpersonal relationships. A bold colour zoning system now informs users about areas for work and meetings. While the blue zone is ideal for quiet, independent work, the red and orange spaces are designed for more interactive use. The ground floor is dedicated primarily to emerging entrepreneurs through an open coworking space, while the upper floors serve the JIC team, established start-ups, and established companies.
The spaces are designed to attract entrepreneurs, emerging businesses, and digital companies. To this end, the ground floor features an iconic installation that represents JIC's identity and interacts with the space. It consists of a colourful plexiglass shade that casts colourful reflections onto surrounding surfaces during the day, visually connecting the ground floor with the upper levels.
