
About us
As a rapidly expanding corporate venture builder, we leverage the power of AI and innovation to help large companies across Europe and MENA uncover new sources of revenue.
We create cutting-edge products and services that enable our partners to grow their business and stay ahead of the competition. We are committed to increasing the value of our clients' existing assets by developing new business models and building high-growth ventures with tangible results. Our expertise spans multiple industries and we rely exclusively on in-house resources to deliver end-to-end solutions that cover everything from ideation to design to scaling and operations.
With AI-powered insights and an unwavering focus on delivering exceptional value to our clients, we are confident in our ability to drive sustainable growth and unlock new opportunities for businesses of all sizes.
Industries
Fintech
In the world of banking, fintech and embedded finance are the words on everyone's lips. With over 35,000 fintech companies around the world but only about 30% of bank clients using at least one non-banking financial service, there is a whole world of opportunities for various types of large companies to build cutting-edge, customer-centric ventures.
Our know-how spans just the right categories of the industry, from the strive for simplicity and convenience of digital banking to the latest trends such as the use of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and even overlap with other areas like blockchain or telco. Let us identify the right proposition for your customers to expand the power of your assets, create ventures that further push the boundaries of your industry, and turn you into a love brand.
fintech case studies
Insurtech
Insurance is boring, you might hear people say. But the ones who are paying attention understand that some of the most interesting work in technology is taking place in insurance these days. Recently, trends and technologies such as digital client interaction, embedded distribution, telematics & IOT, touchless claims management, API insurance, AI, and blockchain have been transforming the basics of centuries-old insurance business models.
Insurance companies have become some of the largest funders of technology-driven corporate ventures and startups, recognizing that teaming up with technology firms can be a game-changer. They value modernizing systems, improving policyholder experience, and developing new products, platforms, and services that have a positive impact on people's lives. And that’s exactly what we do at Creative Dock. Let’s explore our options together.
Retail & FMCG
With the fusion of digital and physical experiences already being at the core of Retail & FMCG and expected only to accelerate, significant investments into meeting the e-commerce needs of the present as well as those of the future are every retailer’s best bet right now.
Organizations can benefit from applying new technologies on multiple levels, including the implementation of state-of-the-art software solutions to a variety of issues: from improved logistics and optimized processes to driving sales and keeping the “fast” in FMCG. At Creative Dock, we observe current trends and employ technologies such as marketplaces, e-commerce systems, omnichannel approach, direct-to-consumer distribution, supply chain optimization, and loyalty and engagement apps to help retailers move forward. Let us find the perfect solution for your company.
Retail & FMCG case studies
Construction & Manufacturing
Lack of skilled workers and growing pressure for sustainability are among the biggest challenges of both the construction and manufacturing industries today. Implementation of the Industry 4.0 principles is just not enough; companies need to embrace circularity, digitally disrupt current processes, and explore ways to collaborate remotely.
This is all happening in the background of a fast-changing B2C sector, where the transformation of products into services is essential to retain an understanding of the end-customer needs. And this is also where our expertise comes in, combining our knowledge of automation, digital services, and customer-first approach. Let us help you find and implement the perfect solutions to drive your business into a sustainable future.
Research & Development
What are the future scenarios we believe in? And can “the next big thing” be found in such scenarios? How can we address topics such as sustainability, digital identity, or data analysis across industries? What are the practical opportunities arising from the different levels of maturity of industries’ value chains?
Our expertise within R&D focuses on specific topic fields which resonate with both the needs of the future (top-bottom approach) and the practical needs of every day (bottom-up approach). With an understanding of Big Data, digital identity, sustainability, new approaches to energy creation and consumption, loyalty, and a range of other topics, we are able to connect the dots, leverage our know-how, and create new value for clients across industries. Let us show you how.
Research & Development case studies
selected case studies
selected insights
Our blog
selected clients
Manifesto
Insight. Execute. Iterate. Impact.
“Big companies often possess big assets that are not fully utilized. By connecting these assets with our strengths – entrepreneurial talent, experience, fast execution –, we build, scale, and operate new products and services. This synergy between corporate assets and our capabilities is the sweet spot that enables us to create significant value for our clients’ organizations.” martin pejša, founder & ceo

Corporate Venture Building: How Entrepreneurs Unlock the Hidden Potential of Corporate Assets
In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, a multi-billion dollar industry is quietly gaining momentum: Corporate Venture Building. This innovative approach allows entrepreneurs to unlock the hidden potential of corporate assets, creating game-changing digital businesses with a real market advantage. With a total addressable worldwide market of over $20 billion annually*, Corporate Venture Building has become a powerful asset class, experiencing exponential growth in recent years.
Corporate venture building: create new value for your company by using existing assets
As businesses face continuous disruption and economic challenges, they're seeking new ways to create lasting value. A category that has gained a lot of popularity in the field of corporate growth and brand valuation in recent times is corporate venture building. It offers several advantages over traditional venture capital, corporate venture capital, or mergers and acquisitions. And it is extremely effective. Here we will explore the concept of corporate venture building, compare it to alternative methods of value creation, and discuss why more companies are choosing this approach.
Her professional sports background taught her many lessons. “I always had to be sure that I had done everything in training. That gave me confidence for the tournament,” says Gabriela Teissing. With the same determination, she took on the role of CEO of corporate venture builder Creative Dock, in which she succeeded company founder Martin Pejsa. If you go through her CV, you can definitely tell that she always chooses the more challenging path. But if you ask, Gabi will probably tell you that she doesn't see it that way. And that she definitely believes in dreams. Only she's also convinced that you must work hard to achieve them.
Human creativity has always fascinated me. And also the mystery that comes with it. Why does it work sometimes—but other times it just doesn't? Is creativity a limited resource? Do people, at one point or another, just get exhausted from thinking and aren’t motivated to think outside the box anymore? Or do we simply need some extra help to kick-start creative thinking? Let's see what psychology would have to say on the topic. What creativity is, how it works, and how you can make it work for you.
“We are in the midst of the biggest masonry innovation in the last 6,000 years,” says Jiri Devat
Creative Dock recently presented corporate venture building at its best in a project for Wienerberger. It is no coincidence that the introduction of the new head of the Manufacturing and Construction industrial vertical, Jiri Devat, accompanied it, as he was one of the main actors behind this innovation. During his long career before that, he headed one of Microsoft’s national offices for several years. During that time, Bill Gates made the nickname G9 popular, which became synonymous with his complex name. And what is this disruptive innovation in construction?
AI technologies are being used to improve efficiency, enhance the customer experience, and gain valuable insights. One of the most significant developments in recent years has been the creation of large language models (LLMs). One of the most advanced LLMs currently available is the conversational AI system ChatGPT, based on GPT-3.5 from research and deployment company Open AI. Despite the rather primitive use of machine learning and statistical models (suggesting the most likely continuation or the answer to the question statistically), ChatGPT gained almost divine status among Internet users within a few weeks.
In recent years, the world has seen how the market evolved to be more fragmented, and any existing SME or striving business owner must be able to anticipate the best steps to stay ahead of the game. Using strategic foresight enables a company to strike the right balance between the need for short-term results and long-term competitiveness. They can prepare better for future uncertainties with robust strategies. Let’s see a summary of the experts’ from Rohrbeck Heger by Creative Dock expectations for 2023. Plus recommendations on which areas to pay more attention.
“Societies and businesses around the globe are facing unprecedented challenges and the threat of prolonged difficulties — be they related to war, climate, energy, inflation, etc. But despite these gloomy perspectives, Davos turned into cautious optimism among executives leaders, as the global economic outlook for the year ahead looked better than feared. Large corporations can play a major role in overcoming these hurdles,” Martin Pejsa, founder and executive chairman of corporate venture builder Creative Dock, said at the event hosted by Creative Dock and Roland Berger at the margins of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2023.
Name entity recognition in the insurance industry: a case study
Companies from a wide variety of domains like insurance, real estate, or medical institutions are concerned with the complexity of retrieving specific information from documents. This has become a major problem in recent years with the digitalization of documents and the enormous amount of data exchanged between businesses.
When you say you’re building fintech in the Middle East, Westerners usually think of the strict Sharia banking rules and think it must be terribly complicated. But when you build ventures for banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), you’re in for exactly the opposite type of culture shock. E-Government there has made such progress during Covid-19 that we can be envious. Even financial applications under the tightest security are simpler, more user-friendly, and faster.
Organic growth is great. But it’s time-consuming. And if you want to expand, you can’t invest years just to establish your business in each new market. “We needed to accelerate our growth and impact, to increase our expertise and service portfolio. Rapidly. Such a thing is only possible by well-selected acquisitions,” says Martin Pejsa, Creative Dock’s CEO. And it was actually these successful acquisitions that turned his European corporate venture builder into the largest independent player in its category — rivaling the venture-building activities of the “Big Four”.
“Only time will tell. We will see. Let’s hope.” Those are the words running through many a managers' head when deciding what innovations their company will invest in. But imagine having a tool that helps you choose which of your services are worth investing in, or which of your innovations are less likely to gain traction. Now imagine that such a thing exists. It’s called Ideapoly® and it is built and run by the European company IdeaSense, now part of Creative Dock Group.
5 key elements that drive innovation and growth in a business
Since the pandemic, we have observed a steady recovery and steep rise in corporate venture building, especially innovative ideas that are constantly responding to changes in technology, and filling in the market gaps. However, as the reality of growing a business is not a bed of roses, not all companies are successful in executing their plans. In this 3 min read, we explore the core factors that could make or break a company.
Ron van Oijen studied actuarial science at the University of Amsterdam and worked in the insurance and finance industries across the US, Europe, and Asia. He is the former CEO of one of the largest Dutch insurance companies, VIVAT. As a long-time believer in innovations, he always pursued change even in big corporations. That meant close cooperation with startups, resetting the mindset of thousands of employees, and assigning real responsibility from the top down. Ron is now an advisor to Creative Dock.
Corporate venture building is out to save the world. No, really
Combine the vast resources of a corporate and the speedy and disruptive spirit of a startup and what do you get? Powerful, innovative solutions at scale to solve our most pressing problems. It’s really that simple, and it’s what corporate venture builder Creative Dock has set out to do.
Innovation — it's more than just a buzzword
“If creativity is about inventing new things, then innovation is about making them real,” said the American economist, Theodore Levitt. Is that right and does Creative Dock's statement Creation by Doing correspond to reality? We sat down with Linda Armbruster, Director of Innovation at Creative Dock to get her perspective on innovation and impact.
This should be taken for granted: “Sustainability is no longer a choice — it’s survival.” And far from regarding sustainability as a drain on resources globally recognized companies such as Booking.com, Uber, and Starbucks, have all seen exponential growth through putting sustainability models at the core of their business. And in so doing altering the landscape of their particular industry.
Daniel Falque on venture building in Belgium, banking, corporate culture, and the importance of distribution
If you happened to come across Daniel’s resume with his name missing, you might think some parents had sketched a perfect career for their child. You can almost hear them advising: “Start from scratch, little boy, as an insurance salesman and credit analyst, and through tireless hard work, you’ll work your way up to board member and CEO of the strongest bank in the country.” Yet, Daniel’s resume isn’t a sketch; it’s a real career.
Albert Van Veen: I dream of a world without ID cards, keys, multiple different tickets and passes
It might not be surprising that a man who founded FastID, a service to manage your digital identity, would leave very little track online. Therefore, when doing research, you need to challenge your LinkedIn bubble and one of the suggestions you can get is something like “Don’t forget he has four children and he loves talking about them!” So, starting with a question about childhood and the internet seems just appropriate.
With energy rationing imminent, photovoltaics can help Europe overcome energy shortages
Photovoltaics are on the rise — at Creative Dock, we know that firsthand. Learning to save energy and using alternative energy sources independent of the political situation are the main ways to reduce Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. Are energy shortages a real threat? Experts certainly say so. “If gas imports from Russia are stopped, energy will be rationed,” Jiri Gavor, head of the ANDE (Czech Association of Independent Energy Suppliers), told the media.
“As an individual, you can probably survive if you decide to avoid digitalization. But not as a society,” claims Heinrich Arnold drawing upon his experiences as a lifelong innovator. He significantly contributed to turning Berlin and Israel into high-tech hot spots, received an honorary professorship at TU Berlin, and helped build over 70 businesses either as director of research and innovation at Deutsche Telekom AG or as a supervisor and investor.
“Corporate venture building is on the rise and it’s the new gold in times of inflation and uncertainty,” says Felix Staeritz, co-founder & CEO of FoundersLane and Creative Dock Group’s new board member.
“I had never even googled Czechia.“ How a French marketing student landed an internship in Prague
Before Juliette Cordillot (19) came to Prague for her internship, she knew almost nothing about the city. However, her three-month internship has placed Prague, and Creative Dock in particular, firmly in her heart. Maybe it’s because no two workdays are the same, the office is directly in one of Prague’s beautiful parks — and, as a bonus, we have packs of dogs running around.
It’s not a matter of sustainability anymore, but of survival. We discussed energy independence with European experts
Is energy self-sufficiency a responsibility of states, private investors or simply each and every one of us? At the June edition of Creative Talks, four speakers discussed social responsibility, the potential of green energy production and storage in Europe, and whether a future without nuclear power is even possible.
Slammed with crisis after crisis, executives are tasked with building resilient organizations and sustainable business models. As part of the World Economic Forum 2022, we invited European digital disruption leaders to talk about uncertainty and share their key insights into managing the unmanageable.
Fairo helps you manage all your financial transactions in one place. Send and personalize invoices, track payments and run tax reports, all in one app. How does gamification of accounting work?
“We are the gods of AI,” said economist Tomas Sedlacek in our talk show. But is the artificial intelligence going to make our lives truly divine in the near future? Watch the recording to find out what Swiss innovator Linda Armbruster, business foresight expert Tobias Heger, mathematician Karel Janecek, and AI expert Dita Maleckova think as well.
The ultimate metaverse metastudy. What are the smartest people in the world thinking?
A look into the different concepts, criticism, hope, and despair. Will today’s dreams turn into reality? And are we talking sweet dreams or rather a huge nightmare?
Forget leaps of faith. Strategic foresight is what you need to redirect your business
“Let’s emphasize that no one can predict the future. Our job is to anticipate alternative futures, enabling our clients to drive the desirable ones and build robust strategies against unfavorable ones,” says René Rohrbeck.
How to generate meaningful brand content and how to approach new trends? We asked Creative Dock’s Head of Content, Michal Schindler.
What do you do when your business is based on staffing restaurants and other gastro establishments? Would it still seem like a good idea to teach foreign tourists to seek out Prague’s best pubs and bars? And where can you find support if your therapist has barricaded himself at home and refuses to meet face to face for fear of contagion?
Creative Dock buys Swiss innovation company Spark Works
Where is Creative Dock headed and what does its latest acquisition mean for the clients? The companies’ respective CEOs, Martin Pejsa and Linda Armbruster answered our questions.
The story behind Hungary’s most successful eHealth project
“Our heatmap shows that people tend to choose doctors based on their pictures.” Interview with Zoltan Kaprinay, co-founder of the Dokio project.
It might be the great chemistry among the Creative Dock team developing the Muj Albert app that contributed to its success. How to achieve over a million downloads and the perfect balance of work and play?
How to innovate in times of Covid-19
Watch an interview with Edward Meegan, Creative Dock’s former Head of Innovation.
What have we started doing differently? Restarting the digitization of older apartment blocks
The Domy sobe project for Veolia has discovered a lot of things. Why is it that a carpet marketing blitz sometimes doesn’t work?
Startups need to hustle. Just like scientists.
Theoretical physicist Rudolf Krejcar now builds companies instead of particle accelerators. What’s so alluring about the startup life?
The next big thing: tokenize everything
In the near future, both people and things will be tokenized, believes Creative Dock’s Innovation Lead, Petr Vaclavek.
The best insurtech in Czechia, officially
Mutumutu, healthy life insurance, won the Zlata koruna award as the number one fintech project in the Czech Republic. But what exactly makes it the best? We asked the CEO, Jindrich Lenz.
Creative Dock’s Muj Albert app rocks the charts
Retail chain apps are on the rise in Czechia. As the longtime charts leader, Lidl has now been replaced by Albert CZ’s mobile app, Muj Albert, made by Creative Dock.
According to a BCG survey, an incredible 70% of digital transformation projects fall short of their goals. Expectations are high, but is it enough to flip your business to digital and keep going as usual? Read on for 5 tips on what to look out for.
Going bigger on smaller screens
About the shift of financial services from desktops to mobile applications or how different it is to build an international mobile bank when you have already built a P2P lending platform. This and much more in an interview with Stanislav Filipcik.
An Interview with Stanford Professor Yossi Feinberg by Sven Jungmann.
The future of work can only be anticipated. By the year 2030, working habits will have radically evolved due to trends such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, demographic changes and globalisation. With this in mind, employees face several questions. What will happen to our job? Will our skills be needed in the future or will robots be able to take over our work through automation?