ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author comments on the startup ecosystem in the Visegrad Group. By "startup", the author means any new company that is looking for a business model, creates some innovation and, by doing so, is taking the high risk of failure. The startup ecosystem consists of a startup as well as public and private institutions enabling startups to grow by providing them with capital, knowledge or both. The author highlights different challenges that startups are facing, particularly in the area of what is understood here as a business culture, mentality, and skills, identified as "people" and "culture," that seems to be the most important factor differentiating the region from other more developed startup ecosystems. Infrastructure here means: mobile infrastructure, meaning Internet access and the popularity of mobile devices, as well as traditional infrastructure, that is vital when it comes to both e-commerce and connecting biggest cities to enable more extensive participation in local startup communities.
