Innovation Centre of the Usti Region (ICUK) contributes to the positive transformation of the region and to higher competitiveness by supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, including social innovation. 

 The center creates opportunities for cooperation and support for R & D and innovation activities. The most important project implemented by ICUK is Smart Accelerator.

Established in 2015, ICUK's goal is to: 

• Promote innovation for greater business competitiveness
• Business support for startups and scaleups
• Link support to strengthen the transfer of knowledge from research organisations and universities to companies.

Target groups:

• Students and  entrepreneurs who are not afraid to start their own business
• SMEs that lack a research-development base but want to innovate and expand
• Marginal and  large businesses looking for inspiration and innovative impulses from the open environment (the so-called open innovation principle)
• Research organisations looking for better targeting and utilisation of R & D capacities