UPPER

Obrázek

The story of UPPER Center

  • Established in 2016: Following the mapping of creative industries by Lia Ghilardi (Noema Research), UPPER positioned Zlín as a pioneer of the creative industry in the Czech Republic alongside Brno and Ostrava.
  • Five Years in Building U11: It incubated creatives and offered coworking, networking, and space for 100 people.
  • Relocation in 2021: Due to the reconstruction of the Faculty of Technology, UPPER moved to TIC Zlín without incubation and networking spaces.
  • Move to ROBOTA in 2024: The center's management relocated to the creative technology workshop ROBOTA in Building 44 of the Svit area.
  • Current Operations: UPPER now operates without its own premises but continues to support creatives, collaborates with the faculty, and runs the ROBOTA workshop.
  • Plans: The center's management and the faculty are seeking new spaces and partners to establish a creative center in Zlín.
Obrázek

What we do?

UPPER supports talented students and creatives through workshops, talent competitions, discussion panels, and industry meet-ups that bridge the gap between academia and practice. We organize events such as Talent FMK, Ideathon UTB, Meet & Greet, Game Jam, and Bonfire@Zlín, which are open not only to FMK TBU students but also to the wider public, including high school students, professionals, and those interested in creative fields. Our activities help develop skills, build networks, and succeed on both national and international levels.
Obrázek

Talent FMK

A competition organized by UPPER in collaboration with the Faculty of Multimedia Communications at TBU, where FMK students have 24 hours to prepare a marketing assignment from real companies. Students then present their ideas in front of a talent board, which selects the winner. The competition aims to connect students with companies and offer creative solutions that can lead to job opportunities and internships.  

Go to website

Obrázek

Ideathon TBU

A 24-hour workshop for all TBU students, during which participants work in teams on challenges set by institutions of the Zlín Region. After 24 hours, they present their solutions to a jury for evaluation. Participants gain valuable real-world experience, the opportunity to collaborate with institutions, and the chance to build professional contacts.

Go to website

Obrázek

Meet & Greet

A discussion panel that serves as a meeting point for marketers and creatives. The aim is to create a platform for inspiring debates, knowledge exchange, and networking. This event was created to connect talented individuals who stayed in Zlín after their studies and contribute to the development of local brands.
Obrázek

Game Jam

A creative marathon where teams of university and high school students create computer games on a given theme within 48 hours. The event connects students from various fields, especially the Faculty of Multimedia Communications and Faculty of Applied Informatics, encouraging their creativity and collaboration and allowing them to experience game development in real time. It is organized by Tomas Bata University in Zlín, specifically its two most involved faculties, in collaboration with UPPER – Center for Creative Industries and Business, the Technology Innovation Center Zlín, and game studios Polyperfect, Flying Rat Studio, and Visiongame.cz.
Obrázek

Bonfire@Zlín

A gathering of game developers aimed at uniting the local community and promoting knowledge sharing in the field. The event offers inspiring presentations from industry experts and space for informal networking and discussions. It is organized by UPPER – Center for Creative Industries and Business in collaboration with the Faculty of Multimedia Communications and the Faculty of Applied Informatics at Tomas Bata University in Zlín.
Team members

Vít Mach – Studio Roost

“I praise UPPER  everywhere – but it’s not just for nothing! The managers have created the great space with great prerequisite for attracting great people and is an excellent foundation for a new entrepreneur or business. Thanks for the opportunity to be here, it was wonderful! “

Team members

Filip Tomanec – Company Solvetech

“Upper is certainly a great place for beginner entrepreneurs who want to surround themselves with similarly minded people with ideas and experiences that will help accelerate the initial stage of realizing individual creative projects.”

Team members

David Hliněný – Studio Urbanist

“From UPPER, we have taken on an invaluable, everyday experience in the sense of how, by what means and to what ends, the people who are temporarily housed in a tenancy relationship are led. It is educating companies for interdisciplinary cooperation. At the moment, we are standing on our own feet, in a commercial space, under harsh commercial conditions, and of course we chose co-workers who are most comfortable with us and we continue to develop the idea of UPPER by ourselves. “

What our
ex members
say

The satisfaction of our members is important to us, so we like every feedback that helps us to improve. All creative enthusiasts are warmly welcome! Whether as members or as an enthusiast of our actions.

Actual members >>

Here we are

write us
or call us

+420 734 785 320