At Pale Fire Capital, we believe that Czech capital should aspire to succeed under the toughest conditions on global markets. We are convinced that the same ambition is relevant for Czech science. Sharing knowledge, research methods, and experience with leading international scholars is one of the key ways to strengthen the innovation capacity and competitiveness of the Czech Republic.

This is why we are launching the Superstars Welcome Talk and Superstars Welcome Chair programmes, initiatives designed to help public universities open their doors to outstanding scientific figures and the most promising research directions of today.

Superstars Welcome Talk
This programme offers up to CZK 250,000 to support a lecture by a prominent, internationally recognised scientist at a Czech public university or secondary school.

Eligibility and conditions:
– Applications may be submitted by a public secondary school, a public higher-education institution, its faculty, a verifiably functioning student association, or another academic body.
– The lecture must be free and open to the public, and the organising institution must announce it publicly and in advance. Including notifying the media.
– Applications must include a brief justification (max. 1,000 characters) explaining why the speaker qualifies as a “prominent, internationally recognised scientist of today.” Each application is assessed individually. Support is not guaranteed.
– Applications are accepted until 31 October 2027, and the lecture must take place no later than 30 April 2028.
– The programme will support a lecture by the same speaker only once per calendar year.

Superstars Welcome Chair
This programme provides a one-time contribution of CZK 10 million to support the relocation of a Nobel Prize laureate in any field to a Czech public university.

We fully understand that our support alone cannot fund a project of this ambition, a world-class academic requires significantly broader resources, including for their research team. However, we
believe this programme can serve as a catalyst for additional partnerships, funding, and donors.

Eligibility and conditions:
– Applications may only be submitted by a Czech public university.
– The application must be submitted by the institution as a whole (not by a faculty, department, individual researcher, or private entity). The university must provide an honor pledge confirming its ability to secure the project financially and organisationally for its entire duration.
– Applications are accepted until 31 November 2027, and the supported project must begin — including the full physical presence of the visiting academic in the Czech Republic — no later than 31 October 2030.
– The application must include:
a) a letter from the Nobel Prize laureate confirming their commitment to carry out the project in the Czech Republic, agreeing to be physically present at the institution, and expressing willingness to take on all related responsibilities (research, teaching, mentoring, outreach);
b) a letter from the applicant institution confirming its commitment to implement the project, briefly describing expected benefits for the institution and the Czech academic environment, and guaranteeing full project funding from additional sources.
– The project must ensure the laureate’s physical presence at the Czech public university for at least three years. The laureate must be on campus for a minimum of 12 weeks per year and actively participate in both teaching and research.