The Czech Ambassador to Sweden Anita Grmelová was accompanying the Neuron Foundation representatives during their stay in Stockholm.

The programme of the Neuron Foundation mission focused on:

• transfer of best practices in the field of funding of RDI by leading Swedish private foundations in order to more effectively support the development and funding of RDI in the Czech Republic by private entities,
• comparison of the motivational components of Czech and Swedish models of private funding of R&D,
• examining the possibility of Czech-Swedish synergies in funding R&D and supporting scientists and their research/innovation;

Representatives of the Neuron Foundation met with the leadership of prestigious Swedish foundations: the Torsten Sodeberg Foundation, the Beijer Foundation, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and with the Chairman of the Board of 8 of the 16 Wallenberg family foundations, Peter Wallenberg. The programme also included a meeting with the Trustee of the Crafoord Prize of the Royal Academy of Sciences.

Peter Wallenberg and representatives of other foundations expressed interest in a reciprocal study/networking visit to the Czech Republic next year. The OC is ready to assist in the implementation of this mission.

The mission also included a meeting and discussion with representatives of the Innovation Hub at the Stockholm School of Economics and a meeting with Petra Szeszula, Czech scientist and founder of the successful innovation spin-off Brainzell operating in Sweden. Stockholm School of Economics is interested in cooperation with the Neuron Foundation to organize a meeting of Czech and Swedish businessmen - philanthropists, which would most likely take place next year in Stockholm.

Jaromír Vejrych, Deputy Ambassador and Economic Diplomat