Brno microscopy hub heads to Liverpool to court global partners

Brnoregion Microscopy is taking its regional microscope ecosystem to IMC21 in Liverpool from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, 2026, to showcase Brno’s role as a global center for electron microscope development, manufacturing and research. The push underscores how the Czech region’s companies, universities and startups are using the congress to attract talent, partners and business.

Why it matters: - The Brno Region says its microscopy cluster makes roughly a third of the world’s electron microscopes, giving the Czech hub an outsized role in a field used for advanced research and chip manufacturing. - The IMC21 presence is meant to turn that industrial and scientific strength into new international partnerships, talent pipelines and commercial opportunities. - Electron microscopes rank among the seven most complex products traded in the world, according to the OEC (2024).

What happened: - Brnoregion Microscopy is presenting the Brno Region’s microscopy ecosystem at the 21st International Microscopy Congress in Liverpool. - The delegation brings together global manufacturers, research institutions, universities and startups from the Brno Region. - IMC21 runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, 2026, in Liverpool. - Booth 436 is serving as the platform’s main entry point at the congress.

The details: - The Brno ecosystem includes Tescan, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Delong Instruments on the manufacturing side. - The research and education network includes CEITEC, Masaryk University, Brno University of Technology, Mendel University, the Institute of Scientific Instruments, the Institute of Physics of Materials of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Czechoslovak Microscopy Society. - The region’s microscopy companies employ more than 3,000 people and generate combined annual turnover of about €1.5 billion. - The platform is backed by the innovation agency JIC. - A QR Quiz Game at the booth is designed to help visitors navigate the ecosystem and find contacts for research, technology, business or talent. - Members and partners will also take part in talks, poster sessions and other scientific programming at IMC21. - The mission to Liverpool is carried out under the Centre for International Trade project, run by the Brno Regional Chamber of Commerce with financial support from the City of Brno.

Between the lines: - Brno is positioning itself as an end-to-end microscopy hub, not just a manufacturing base. - The startup examples suggest the region is trying to show it can also generate new tools and applications, not only established industrial output. - The NVIDIA reference gives the ecosystem a concrete example of global validation. - The emphasis on openness to international talent suggests Brno is using the congress as both a sales pitch and a recruiting campaign.

What's next: - Brnoregion Microscopy will use the Liverpool congress to connect visitors with companies, labs and universities across the cluster. - The platform is likely to follow up on research, business and talent leads generated during IMC21. - Ongoing talks and poster sessions will keep the region visible across the congress program.

The bottom line: - Brno is using IMC21 to sell a simple message: the region can build, study and commercialize electron microscopy at global scale.