22. 09. 2025
Author: Zuzana Novotná

Innovation brokering – a new way to put innovation into practice in municipalities

In a world where social, economic, and climate challenges are rapidly changing, there is increasing talk of concepts such as "smart city," "smart region," and "smart village." These approaches show that the use of modern technologies, data, citizen participation, and innovative methods can significantly improve the quality of life, public administration efficiency, sustainability, and regional resilience to crises. That is why innovation in the public sector is now seen as an essential part of modern state governance: municipalities must learn to experiment, test new procedures, and share experiences.

Examples from Czechia and abroad show that smart solutions can increase efficiency, save money, make decision-making accessible to citizens, and strengthen trust in public institutions. However, smaller municipalities in particular often lack the capacity and necessary information to seek out and implement new opportunities on their own.

The CESMOD project responds to this need by creating the national innovation platform SMARTNET.cz, which connects regional innovation centers with each other in the field of public innovation and, above all, with public administration.

SMARTNET.cz network of innovation centers

The SMARTNET.cz platform was created as a joint initiative of regional innovation centers, which decided to join forces and systematically support the implementation of smart solutions in cities, municipalities, and entire regions. The memorandum on the creation of the SMARTNET.cz platform was ceremoniously signed at the URBIS 2025 trade fair. The importance of this event was also underlined by the involvement of the state through the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry for Regional Development. The first signatories of the memorandum include not only the CESMOD project partners themselves, but the project is also expanding its scope to other regions of the Czech Republic.

South Moravian Agency for Public Innovation JINAG
Technology Innovation Center of the Zlín Region - TIC: visit the website
Regional Innovation Center of the Karlovy Vary Region - KIC KK: visit the website
Innovation Center of the Ústí Region ICUK: visit the website
Liberec Regional Development Agency - ARR: visit website
Center for Investment, Development and Innovation - Hradec Králové Region - CIRI: visit website
Central Bohemian Innovation Center - SIC: visit website

Innovation brokering as a mediator in the regional environment

Innovation brokering is a comprehensive service in the region that connects various actors (ideas, people, companies, research institutions, public administration, communities) with the aim of co-creating and mediating innovative solutions to problems in the public sector. Ideally, it builds bridges between groups that do not normally cooperate with each other and seeks answers to the specific needs of municipalities or authorities.

Innovation brokering is not a technology supplier or vision author. Its task is to listen to the needs of city and municipality representatives and help them navigate the possibilities, explain complex topics in an understandable way, and show that even a small municipality can take a smart step forward. This role requires broad knowledge across disciplines and a rich network of contacts.

The importance of innovation brokering

For municipalities, innovation brokering primarily means practical support in implementing innovations. It helps to connect theory with practice and brings research and innovation into the everyday life of municipalities. It involves sharing examples of good practice and making effective use of existing solutions instead of reinventing the wheel. Municipalities do not have to experiment unnecessarily or purchase expensive solutions without certainty of results. Thanks to the "test before invest" concept, municipalities with a specific problem can verify whether the proposed technology actually works before making a larger investment. For active partners in the innovation process, it offers the opportunity to participate in living labs, i.e., environments where new technologies are developed and tested directly in real-world conditions.

It helps municipalities with financing, searching for resources, grants, and subsidies, as well as with project management, preparing applications, and finding suitable partners. Support also includes involvement in international networks and projects, organizing pilot activities, evaluating them, and measuring their benefits.

Innovation brokering thus contributes to the more sustainable development of municipalities, which, thanks to the inspiration, experience, and contacts they gain, are able to implement innovations more quickly, more efficiently, and at lower cost.

Innovation activities in the region

Innovation brokering in the South Moravian Region

In its role as an innovation broker, the JINAG agency systematically focuses on municipalities throughout the South Moravian Region. From March 2024 to September 2025, it made a total of 288 visits to the region.

These visits include identifying the needs of local governments, identifying barriers to development, understanding local needs, and gaining a better understanding of their everyday reality. Many municipalities struggle with a lack of basic infrastructure, such as sewage systems or transport services. Other challenges relate to technical services, the restoration of public spaces, the development of community life, and social housing planning. The discussion clearly showed that rural areas are keen to develop. However, they often lack the capacity, information, or courage to try new approaches.

Overview of the topics of projects that municipalities in the South Moravian Region are most focused on

Mayors who work with brokers learn to look beyond the current agenda, think strategically, and see innovation as a means to improve quality of life in their communities.

Any municipality can participate. Contact our innovation brokers:

Eva Sedláčková
E-mail: eva.sedlackova@jinag.eu

tel: +420 774 314 218

Petr Navrátil
E-mail: petr.navratil@jinag.eu

Tel: +420 724 103 466

The project "RESEARCH CENTER FOR A RESILIENT, SMART, INNOVATIVE, AND SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY" (CESMOD No. TQ12000017) is co-financed with state support from the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic as part of the 5th public competition of the SIGMA Program for the Support of Applied Research and Innovation.