Rudolf Fryček, Ph.D. is the CEO of AMIRES and he has more than 15 years’ experience in the European project management and consultancy.

He was a consultant to several SMEs in the field of production, innovation and company development, including preparation of project for governmental incentive and for several business oriented bank loans. In 2006 he was nominated as a Seconded National Expert to the European Commission, DG Research and Innovation’s Directorate for Industrial Technologies. Beside his technological expertise and daily project officer work (more than 13 projects under his responsibility) he has been active in the policy structuring for exploitation and commercialisation of EU framework projects. He helped to analyze the overall nanotechnology unit project portfolio in terms of generated IPR and also co-organized the workshop with European Patent Office and US Patent and Trade Office on IPR in nanotechnology – lessons from experiences worldwide, held in Brussels. He was a Scientific Coordinator of the EuroNanoForum 2009, the bi-annual conference financed by the European Commission. Since 2011 he is an accredited coach of Innovation Platform – PLATINN, which provides hands-on coaching to SMEs. Rudolf is a cooperation coach, which helps companies to increase their innovation capacity.

Rudolf founded AMIRES company in 2009, runs the Swiss branch and was responsible for FP7 projects iONE-FP7 (Implantable Organic Nano-Electronics) and UnivSEM (Universal scanning electron microscope as a multi-nano-analytical tool).

Lenka Bajarová is a Managing Director of AMIRES s. r. o., that she joined in 2011. She graduated from the University of Economics, Faculty of International Relations in 2004. Before joining AMIRES Lenka gained her experience in European Union’s Framework Programme for R&D as a National Contact Point for several FP7 priorities. She was working in this position at Technology Centre CAS for 5 years and was also a Deputy Head of the Department National Information Centre for European Research, co-leading team of Czech FP7 NCPs.

During the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2009 she was actively involved in the preparation of two conferences – EUFORDIA 2009 (impact assessment of research and development) and EuroNanoForum 2009.In AMIRES, during the last 10 years, Lenka was personally involved as Project and Dissemination Manager in many FP7 and H2020 projects such as AMBASSADOR (Autonomous Management System Developed for Building and District Levels), PI-SCALE (Bringing flexible organic electronics to pilot innovation scale), SABINA (Smart bi-directional multi energy gateway) or currently Switch2Save (Lightweight switchable smart solutions for energy saving large windows and glass facades) and RoLA-FLEX (addressing Innovative manufacturing processes for flexible photovoltaics and wearable displays).

At the same time, she has been overseeing management activities in other projects with AMIRES involvement. Building on this broad experience, she has contributed to the set-up of internal management procedures for EU projects supported by the company and to the transfer of this knowledge and internal standards to new colleagues. Lenka is also involved in proposal preparation at this moment especially in the Horizon Europe Widening topics.

Václav Smítka, Ph.D. joined AMIRES in 2013 and currently has the position of a Chief Technology Officer and Programme Manager in the domain of Energy and Sustainability. He graduated from the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering in 2009. At the same faculty he finished his Ph.D. in 2013. During his studies he took part in many research and development programmes and projects as a coordinator as well as a member of a research team. All these projects were mainly focused on the deformation measurement methods in the field of civil engineering. As an assistant professor at the Department of Special Geodesy at FCE, CTU in Prague he was also actively involved in teaching and publication activities. During his studies at the Institute of Property Valuation at the University of Economics in Prague he gained knowledge in the field of Real Estate Appraisal.

Václav is responsible for Horizon Europe project proposals preparation.

Marika Kůrová joined AMIRES team in March 2021 and is now in the position of Programme Manager in the domain of Deep Tech. Marika holds a Master Degree in European Studies from Masaryk University. She gained a deep insight into EU Research & Innovation landscape as European Research Officer in Czech Liaison Office for Research and Development in Brussels. At her position at University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, she was responsible for financial implementation and management of Horizon 2020 projects funded by Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking and EIT Food.

In AMIRES, Marika is in charge of the photonics portfolio. Specifically, she managed H2020 projects InPulse (Indium-Phosphide Pilot Line for up-scaled, low-barrier, self-sustained, PIC ecosystem) and INSPIRE (InP on SiN Photonic Integrated circuits REalized through wafer-scale micro-transfer Printing). Additionally, she is responsible for Horizon Europe project proposals preparation.

Marina de Souza Faria joined the AMIRES team as a Project Manager in November 2022. She holds a bachelor’s and teaching degree in Geography from the University of São Paulo, in Brazil. During her studies, she received a merit scholarship to study one semester at Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

For her master’s degree, she studied at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, the Faculty of Environmental Science in the program Landscape Planning/Landscape Engineering from which she graduated with honors. Her master’s thesis “Spatiotemporal Changes at Krkonoše Mountains Alpine Tundra” was completed as part of her internship at the Botanic Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Thanks to her research background in environmental science and spatial technologies, she continued to expand her expertise at INRAE in Grenoble, France working on a biodiversity project focused on the spatial analyses of invasive species using AI tools.

Within the Deep Tech team, Marina is responisble for proposal preparation and negotiation process. In addition she is involved in the following projects: Made-3D; HyperImage and MultiSpin.AI

Eva Černá joined AMIRES in October 2024 as a Project Manager in the Deep Tech team. She earned her master’s degree in Chemistry for Medical Applications from the Faculty of Chemistry at Brno University of Technology (BUT) in 2020. Following her graduation, she pursued a Ph.D. at CEITEC BUT, specializing in Advanced Materials within the Advanced Biomaterials research group. Her doctoral research focused on the development of innovative biomaterials for tissue engineering applications, where she gained extensive expertise in materials design, academic writing, and grant proposal development, successfully contributing to several national and international research projects.

At AMIRES, Eva is actively involved in the ECOBALLIFE (Research in Eco-Designed Ballistic Systems for Durable Lightweight Protections Against Current and New Threats in Platform and Personal Applications) and Digi4Circular (Digital platform for data-driven and physics-based product development enabling a circular economy) projects, and provides support for the LASER-PRO (Excellent Laser Technologies for the Sustainable

Prosperity of Europe) project. She also supports proposal preparation and activities within the Deep Tech team.

Raphaël Denneulin joined AMIRES as a Project Manager in January 2025.

After graduating in political science and Eastern European affairs, he obtained a master’s in public policy and social Innovation from Sciences po Paris. Following prior experiences in diplomacy and international public relations, across Russia, Germany and France; Raphael pursued his career in communication consulting, advising clients from the technology and e-mobility sectors. For two years, he then worked at the trade

mission of the French Embassy in Prague, where he was responsible of the digital affairs and financial services department.

In AMIRES, Raphaël is involved in the X-TREME 6G project, and in activities of DEEP TECH programme.

Martina Chopart joined the AMIRES team as a Project Manager in August 2021. After graduating from the Bachelor’s program in Translation and Interpreting at the Charles University of Prague, she continued her studies at the University of Valencia, following the Master in European Studies program at the Faculty of Law. In 2019, she obtained a Master of Science degree in International Development from the University of Manchester, focusing her research on the impacts of fossil fuels extraction in South America.She gained her first professional experience in Chameleon Events Ltd., where she organized international conferences in the Energy sector. After returning to Prague, she worked for the Investment and Business Development Agency under the Ministry of Trade, supporting strategic investment projects from the EcoTech and HealthTech sectors in establishing themselves in the Czech Republic.

In AMIRES, Martina is involved in Convert2Green (Converting Facilities Network for accelerating uptake of climate neutral materials in innovative products) projects, and is responsible for Horizon Europe project proposals preparation.

Anastasia Grozdanova joined AMIRES team as a Project Manager in February 2020. After graduating Master in Business Administration at the University of Sofia, she gained profound knowledge in the EU affairs by completing several trainings/courses organised by reputable institutions, including the prestigious French École Nationale d’Administration. Anastasia worked both in public and private sector in Bulgaria with a focus on finance and environment. During her term in the Ministry of Environment and Water, she was particularly involved in the management of European funds and developed her expertise in programme management and coordination.

In AMIRES, Anastasia is responsible for managing BOOSTER (Next generation of thin-film PV technologies) and LUMINOSITY (Large area uniform industry compatible perovskite solar cell technology) projects.

Anna Korytářová joined AMIRES as a Project Manager in May 2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in European Studies and Environmental Studies from Masaryk University in Brno, and a master’s degree in Area Studies with a focus on Central Eastern Europe from Charles University in Prague. Throughout her studies, she worked in both the public and private sectors with a focus on EU affairs. After graduation, she joined a consultancy firm where she collaborated with local stakeholders on projects funded by the European Social Fund. She gained further experience at the Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, where she supported strategic investment projects from negotiations to the launch of operations.

In AMIRES, Anna is involved in ECOTRON and InVECOF.

Betina Debastiani Benato is working in AMIRES as a Project Manager in Energy & Sustainability team. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, in Brazil. During her Master’s degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology she was researching mechanisms to enhance nutrient content in rice and was granted a scholarship to finalize her project at the Free University of Bolzano, in Italy. After graduating, she worked in a project to mitigate the effects of climate change in maize, at Technical University of Munich, in Germany, where she led the development of an AI tool to speed up plant phenotyping. She gained experience working on projects that connected the university, company, and State Ministry, being responsible for reporting the findings to stakeholders.

In AMIRES, Betina is involved in the ALGAESOL and Shine PV projects.

Cristina-Florentina Dinca is working in AMIRES as a Project Manager in Energy & Sustainability team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations and European Studies, followed by a master’s degree in Security and Diplomacy both from the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Bucharest. Her academic journey continued with an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Programme in Euroculture at the University of Groningen and the University of Gottingen, during which she was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus scholarships and completed a research track at Indiana University-Purdue University in the USA.

Cristina’s professional experience spans across both governmental and private sectors. After completing the Official Internship Programme of the Romanian Government, she worked as a Counsellor for European Affairs for the Romanian Ministry of Environment, where she focused on biodiversity initiatives and policies. She also gained experience in strategic planning and stakeholder engagement while working with consulting companies, where she collaborated with local authorities, contributed to sustainable development strategies, and managed an Interreg project. During her Blue Book traineeship at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Trade, she further enhanced her expertise in integrating sustainable development into trade agreements.

In AMIRES, Cristina contributes her expertise to the H2020 project ComBioTES (Compact bio-based thermal energy storage for buildings) and to Horizon Europe TRIATHLON project (Thermodynamics-driven control management of hydrogen powered and electrified propulsion for aviation).

Martina Nešverová is a Programme Manager at AMIRES in the domain of Health and Biotechnology. She gained her bachelor’s degree at the University of Economics in Prague, Faculty of International Relations, major: International Trade in 2009 and her master’s degree at Touro College in New York, Graduate School of Business, major: International Finance in 2011. Martina has been developing her expertise with grant preparation and management since 2010. In the capacity of the Executive Assistant to the Dean at Touro College’s Graduate School of Education she, among other responsibilities, participated in preparation and management of two grants funded by the US Department of Education. As the Manager of International Projects and, subsequently, Member of the Board of Directors at AGEL Research a.s. she coordinated involvement of the AGEL Healthcare Group entities in international research consortia projects submitted for funding into Horizon 2020 competition.

Martina also serves as Director of Program Management and Chief Liaison for EU at IMPACT Leadership 21, a New York based global platform providing leadership solutions that drive change toward inclusive and sustainable economies. She is a representative to the United Nations.

In AMIRES, Martina is active in MedPhab  and HEU-EFS projects and is responsible for Horizon Europe project proposals preparation.

Mariana Pacheco Blanco, Ph.D. is a Programme Manager at AMIRES in the domain of Health and Biotechnology. She joined AMIRES in January 2020. She has a bachelor in Biomedicine from the University of Puebla in Mexico and received her Master’s of Science degree in 2012. In 2016 she got her Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Muenster in Germany. In the Czech Republic, she participated in cancer research project as scientist in Biocev research centre. During this time, she participated in the design, development and execution of different research projects in biomedical sciences from medical microbiology to cancer.

Since December 2019, she is in charge of the Scientific, Academic and Innovation sector of the Mexicans group in the Czech Republic, which belongs to the Global Mexican network (Red global Mx) and works closely with the Mexican Embassy in the Czech  Republic and other Mexican institutions in the development of projects improving the link and collaboration between the two countries.

Mariana is in charge of NetZeroAICT (NetZero Artificial Intelligence Computerised Tomography) and NAP4DIVE (Non-Animal Platform for Nanoparticle-Based Delivery across the bloodbrain barrier Interface with Vehicle Evolution) projects, and is responsible for Horizon Europe project proposals preparation.

Kristin Aldag is a Project Manager at AMIRES since September 2021. She graduated from Jagiellonian University in Krakow in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in International Relations and Area Studies and finished the Joint Master’s Degree in European Politics and Society with Charles University in Prague and Leiden University in 2021. Through her studies and participation in various conferences and Model European Union events, she gained a profound understanding of EU affairs, policies, rules and procedures. She previously worked with Interreg projects supporting the integrated territorial development and cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region, and further developed her expertise in EU funding during a dedicated course on EU Cohesion policy. As an avid supporter of European Integration, she is engaged in multiple civil society initiatives and has actively managed several educational projects funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme.

In AMIRES, Kristin is involved in the H2020 projects PANCAIM (Pancreatic cancer AI for genomics and personalized Medicine) and TUMOR-ln-oC (Tumor and Lymph Node on Chip for cancer studies).

Kristin Saar joined AMIRES as a Project Manager in February 2022.  After graduating from a bachelor’s programme in Politics and Government at University of Tartu, Kristin obtained her master’s degree in European Affairs at Sciences Po Paris where she specialised in Social Policy. She developed a thorough understanding of EU policies while working at the EU Directorate of the Government Office of Estonia, Ministry of the Interior and Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU.Kristin has wide-ranging experience in the field of health and pharmaceuticals. Working at the Health Division of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), she co-authored a report on patient safety governance. Prior to joining AMIRES, she was advising global pharmaceutical companies in a public affairs consultancy in Brussels and a regulatory affairs consultancy in Prague.

Kristin is currently on the maternity leave.

Marco Messina is a Senior Project Manager for Deep Tech projects. Marco joined AMIRES team in April 2023. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree in International and Diplomatic Affairs at University of Bologna, Italy, Marco obtained his Master’ degree in International Relations at University of Bologna. Before joining AMIRES, Marco has worked in a Public Administration, in Alberobello, Italy, as a support for the programming and planning of public projects, as well as their management, monitor and control.

In AMIRES, Marco is managing MatEl project (PZT and Graphene MATerials innovations for advanced opto-Electronic applications in AR and biosensing) and Next-2Digits project (the next generation of sensors and imagers enabled by 2D materials digital integration). He is also responsible for project proposal preparation.

Roman Pašek is a Community Manager for Quantum Technologies. He joined AMIRES in March 2019. He has finished his Master’s degree from International Relations and European Studies at Palacky University in Olomouc in 2013. After graduation he’s worked for the Investment and Business Development Agency CzechInvest, specifically its R&D Support Department. This department helps Czech companies and R&D institutions find international partners, supports high-tech investments and deals in technology scouting. Roman has also worked for Ricardo, a multi-national technical consulting company managing Horizon 2020 research projects in the automotive industry. Since 2015 he has also been a member of a number of Programme Boards at the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic assessing various types of research project proposals. In AMIRES, Roman is managing the PROMISE project (PROtotypes of Magnetic Imaging Systems for Europe), Qu-Test project (Supporting open testing and experimentation for quantum technologies in Europe) and is responsible for project proposals preparation.

Jana Mwangi is an experienced professional in project management, business development, and science communication, with a focus on quantum technology. Since joining AMIRES in December 2016, she has led several EU-funded projects, driven by her passion for making science accessible for everyone. Jana holds a Master’s degree in International Relations and Communication from National Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan. Before joining AMIRES, she worked at one of Asia’s largest Research, Innovation, and Development centers, focusing on international trade and business expansion in Eastern and Central Europe.

At AMIRES, Jana currently acts as Senior Project Manager for the QU-PILOT (Supporting Experimental Production Capabilities for Quantum Technologies in Europe) and QUENCH (Quantum-Enhanced Benchtop NMR Spectrometer) projects. She is also the Host and Editor of Amires In Her Shoes, a podcast highlighting remarkable female scientists, innovators, and leaders in science.

Amelia Dominguez joined AMIRES team as a Project Manager in March 2025.

She holds a bachelor in Chemistry and a Master’s degree in Nanoscience and Nanomaterials from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. In 2022 she got her Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Zaragoza and the University Paul Sabatier – Toulouse in France.

As a researcher she has worked in different institutions across Europe and Australia. Her research was focused in structural and electronic characterization of low-dimensional materials for electronic devices.

In AMIRES, Amelia is involved in Horizon Europe projects eCAP and NEOLIVER.

Katarzyna Krzykawa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in French Studies from the University of Warsaw, where she built a solid foundation in language, culture, and communication. Katarzyna began her career at Education First as an Ambassador and Consultant, where she promoted language courses, enhanced customer experiences, and organized events. Her commitment to community service led her to volunteer in environmentally driven initiatives across Portugal and Italy, focusing on projects like crowdfunding and community building. She later joined Sitel Group (currently Foundever), where she managed logistics, resolved technical issues, and collaborated with various departments to ensure smooth operations.

In AMIRES, Katarzyna works as an Investment Analyst for quantum projects.

Petra Žárská works at AMIRES as an Intellectual Property Manager. She holds a Master’s degree in Intellectual Property Law from Queen Mary University of London and a Doctoral degree in Civil Law from Comenius University in Bratislava.

Petra is a versatile legal professional with a strong academic background, her experience spans both public service and private practice. Petra’s passion for science and art led her to pursue Intellectual Property Law in London, after which she continued as an Assistant Professor and provided legal counsel to private clients.

At AMIRES, Petra oversees the Intellectual Property aspects of Horizon Europe projects, conducts patent database searches, and prepares IP reports and strategies.

Irma Piskáčková joined AMIRES team in November 2024 as an Office Manager. She graduated from the Security Management specialisation in Prague with Bachelor’s degree, and she’s still studying Engineering degree in Economics and Management.

While doing her Bachelor’s degree, she worked at a research centre as receptionist being responsible for smooth running of the reception area. The latest Irma’s job was a Personal Assistant to a Managing Director.

In AMIRES, Irma is responsible for administrative and organizational support to our team, proposal and projects support as well as events management.

Ondřej Bajar is working at AMIRES at the position of IT & Multimedia Manager. Before joining AMIRES, Ondřej worked at Technology Centre Prague, where he has built a career as an IT specialist, focusing on complete ICT management (ICT maintenance, planning & implementing). At AMIRES Ondřej is involved in websites development, graphics and motion designs, as well as in keeping the ICT environment up-to date and secured.   

Alžbeta Vosátková joined the AMIRES team in September 2025 as a Junior Marketing Specialist.

Originally from Slovakia, she has a diverse background in both marketing and design. After spending six years in Denmark, she completed an AP degree in International Marketing Management at the International Business Academy, followed by a Bachelor’s in International Hospitality Management at the Erhvervsakademi og Professionshøjskole, and later earned a Master’s in IT Product Design at the University of Southern Denmark.

While studying, Alžbeta gained hands-on experience as a Growth Marketing Assistant at Umbraco, a Danish software company based in Odense. There, she managed everything from social media campaigns to email marketing, ensuring both organic and paid strategies were performing well and generating quality leads.

At AMIRES, she’s now diving into communications while supporting the Health and Biotech team on innovative projects, such as NetZeroAICT and HEU-EFS.

Monika Ježdíková joined AMIRES team as an Office Manager in September 2020. She graduated from the Institute of Hospitality Management with degree Ing. in Hospitality and Spa Management in 2014. Monika started as a receptionist and after she moved to London where she started working for Hilton Hotels. As a Front Office Shift Leader Monika came back to Prague and worked for Hilton Prague as a Duty Manager. The latest Monika’s job was a Front Office Manager for a 5* hotel in central Prague.

Monika is currently on the maternity leave.