Prague-based start-up accelerator StartupYard will distribute up to CZK20mn (€782,000) to young companies to help them grow their businesses. The money was raised via a crowdfunding campaign in 2017, which was among the biggest in the CEE and SEE region.

A total of 150 candidates from 43 countries had applied for support. Of the six selected companies, four are from Czechia, one from neighbouring Poland, and the sixth based in the UK. All are connected to an effort to better living conditions. 

Czech start-up AdiQuit, for example, is "a handheld therapist" that helps people stick to their nicotine addiction treatment regime through a mobile assistant. It does so by offering financial incentives, including daily cash rewards, discounts, and other benefits.

Another young Czech company, Deaf Travel wants to make it easier for people with hearing impairments to see the world. The online deaf platform provides guided tours, reviews, and information in text and sign language.

The Polish start-up Turtle Rover, meanwhile, is developing an open-source robotic platform that aims to facilitate the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. 

Elefinity, the British project, wants to help people in financial distress with AI. 

StartupYard is the oldest private accelerator in Central and Eastern Europe, founded in 2011. It has invested so far in 65 startups with a total value of more than CZK2.2bn (€859mn). The goal is to help selected startups grow and attract further investment.

In the first quarter of 2018, StartupYard distributed CZK84mn among companies, more than it had in all of 2017.