CactuX was established in 2020 and, since then, has experienced a growth trajectory. Today we would like to share the news that is and in the future will influence the further development of the company.
At the start of this year, we took a strategic decision to enhance our company’s structure and prepare for scalable growth. As a part of this evolution, we established an Advisory Board of three accomplished professionals.
Firstly two of our co-founders, Jozef Kaiser and Tomáš Zikmund, with their expertise in X-ray technology. They bring extensive technical knowledge that will contribute to our decision-making processes and future innovation.
In addition, we are excited to introduce Martin Zadražil as the newest member of our Advisory Board. Martin joins us with a remarkable background in business development and scaling operations. Formerly working as the COO and member of the board of directors at Tescan Orsay Holding, Martin brings experience driving growth and operational excellence. To find out more about his background and motivation to join us, we invite you to read the following interview with him.
For most of your professional life, you contributed to the development of one of the major companies in electron microscopy. What was your journey through Tescan?
Following my technical education, I began my career in Tescan as a developer in 1998. During that period, Tescan was a small company with a few employees involved in various tasks, resembling a typical startup atmosphere. Our activities included repairing and upgrading old analogue microscopes. However, as time progressed, electron microscopes emerged as a promising direction, ultimately surpassing all other activities in significance. As I moved within the company, I assumed different roles, eventually becoming the GM in 2009. I held this position until 2013, when Tescan merged with Orsay Physics, a French firm, leading to the establishment of the present-day TESCAN ORSAY HOLDING. From the position of GM, I transitioned to the role of board member and COO, which I held until June of 2022 when my BoD mandate ended and I decided to direct my path elsewhere.
After that, you decided to join JIC as a consultant for starting technological companies. What was your motivation for this decision? What are your plans in this area?
I have tasted various aspects of business makeup in my previous career. Despite my technical background, I have explored other areas as well. I aim to share this knowledge with as many aspiring companies as possible. To especially help them to avoid common mistakes and speed up their growth to become successful global players instead of staying small local businesses. I believe that local universities, schools and the whole Brno ecosystem can be strengthened by it. I decided to join JIC specifically because we have a shared history, and throughout it, I discovered that their activities are rarely in line with my plans.
JIC was also where you met CactuX right in our beginnings in 2020. How did you perceive the company back then?
In 2020 I met a very early-stage but promising startup offering an intriguing product that combined mechanics, electronics, and software. This fusion of disciplines caught my attention and resonated with my technical expertise.
How do you perceive the development that happened since then?
Since then, the company demonstrated its viability by fine-tuning this initial product for small-batch production. They have successfully brought the product to the targeted market and simultaneously expanded the offering by other products in a similar category. In the mids of this rather fast growth, the company has also shown a forward-thinking approach by exploring new potential areas and expanding its product portfolio with other products, ensuring its future stability. By the adaptation to market demands, CactuX has proven its ability to evolve and remain competitive in a dynamic business landscape.
“What I like about CactuX is its commitment to honestly tackling technical and business challenges, which reminds me of the early days of Tescan.”
A few months ago, you decided to join us and became part of our Advisory Board. What was the primary motivation for this decision?
What I like about CactuX is its commitment to honestly tackling technical and business challenges, which reminds me of the early days of Tescan. Being offered the opportunity to join the Advisory Board was a chance to relive the experience, from inside the company, of witnessing a company’s growth right from its beginnings.
Over your professional career, you have seen many starting and growing companies. According to you, what is the central premise of the successful ones? Do you see it in CactuX?
In my opinion, it is a combination of dedication to the product, commitment to the customer, a willingness to invest a lot of hours and effort and a stroke of luck. When it comes to CactuX, I am witnessing a solid dedication to creating high-quality solutions with a focus on the needs of their customers. As for luck, it is crucial to be at the right place at the right time and that only time shows.
And lastly, what are your plans regarding CactuX? Where would you like to see the company in five years?
In five years, I want to see CactuX evolve from a startup into a well-established and stable company recognized as a leading brand in its field.