Nowhere else but Brno

August 6, 2020

In the past few weeks, we have received much support and we are grateful for it. We know that you all want to see more details of our hybrid smartwatch Ad Maiora, and we share the same desire to reveal more about our watch. But before that, we would like to lead you to Brno, Czech Republic. This is the city where Leitners watch is based, and where Ad Maiora is born. This is the city of inspiration for us. We would like to take you to Brno and understand how cool it is for us to create in Brno.

Brno, old but young

The first impression Brno usually gave tourists is a classical European city. Peaceful, elegant, and old. Standing out against the sky on Petrov hill, the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul can date back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The buildings around the center, like the old town hall, or the Moravian museum, easily hold hundreds of years of history. Walking around the city center, you can hear history echoes in your every step on the old stone streets.

But later you will find Brno also so young. If you pay attention, you will meet a lot of young people around the corner of the streets, talking about dreams and careers over a cup of coffee or a bottle of good Czech made beer. University students and young professionals make up a big portion of the population in Brno, for it is one of the best university cities in the world.

In Brno the search for truth and the passion for creating a better future is passing through ages. At the Augustinian Abbey in 19th century, Mendel established the foundation of modern genetics science. Now, up to 80,000 university students, studying in Brno University of Technology, Masaryk University, and more, bear the spirit of science and work together to make Brno the center of academic research and innovation.

Brno, the city of engineering

Brno has been one of the most important industrial cities in Czech Republic since 19th century. There is one of the oldest engineering plants in Europe with a longer history than Siemens or General Electric. Located in the center of previous Czechoslovakia, which was also a highly advanced industrial country, Brno was the engineering center and developing into an industrial, scientific and logistics center in Central Europe. Therefore, the tradition of trade fairs in Brno is long. Now there is the largest exhibition facility of its kind in Central Europe, and the MSV – International Engineering Fair has been held annually in Brno since 1959. Grand Prix Motocycle Racing of Czech Republic is held in Brno every year.

Not everyone is an engineer in Brno, of course. But the engineering history certainly gives the city and its people a shared mentality and work ethics. In Brno we admire hard-working, cherish rigorous way of doing, and pursue precision into details.

Technology hub and Czech “Silicon Valley”

Brno is a city driven by new ideas, creativity, and pursuit of perfection. With the engineering background and the presence of quality universities, Brno has a high concentration of IT and technology companies, including large foreign corporations such as IBM, Red Hat and SAP. Brno is also a favorite for local technology companies such as Moravia IT, the successful Czech internet ticket search engine Kiwi.com, and the world-leading cybersecurity company Avast.

In these years, more and more companies are moving to Brno for lower costs and the city’s great support on IT industry and young startups. There are various great projects and platforms for young generations to grow business, like CzechInvest or Impact Hub. As a result, more and more talents are moving to Brno. As one of the startups in Brno, we truly feel the dynamics here. The more diverse culture, the vitality, and the desire for making a difference.

This is Brno. The city where Leitners’ journey started. The city where Ad Maiora was born. It’s an astonishing scene when you hike to the hills and watch from afar the twin towers of the cathedral and the tallest building in Czech Republic – AZ Tower at the same time. This is the city where the best parts of past and future converge.

In Brno we dream bold. In Brno we make dreams come true.

Interested in how we proceed in fulfilling our dreams? In case you missed our journal last week, check here: From Idea to Functional Prototype.

Nowhere else but Brno

Brno, old but young

Brno, the city of engineering

Technology hub and Czech “Silicon Valley”

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