Pavel Podruh

Renewable energy is the central vision and goal of Pavel Podruh, a businessman, UNYP alumnus, and the founder and CEO of the Czech Sustainable House company. He is also the founder of iBatt Energy, a startup focused on developing home battery storage solutions. By integrating powerful, easy-to-implement technology into an elegant, affordable design, iBatt uniquely empowers end users, energy companies, and traders in their transition to greener energy. This design enhances the efficiency of energy systems and opens up new possibilities for renewable energy adoption.

In his late 20s, Pavel graduated from the University of New York in Prague with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and International Economic Relations. “I finished high school in the U.S. and wanted to continue with that ethos. At that time, I also began touring extensively with my band in the Czech Republic. Attending UNYP was a win-win for me. I’m glad I made that choice.”After graduation, Pavel began to focus on his future family and realized the importance of making the world a better place for future generations. This led him to conceive the idea for Český Ostrovní Dům, or Czech Sustainable House, a startup dedicated to building sustainable, technologically advanced homes that could transform the way people live in the Czech Republic. The dream for many is to have an eco-friendly house that generates all its electricity from solar power, stores it in batteries, and uses it efficiently. Additionally, it captures the maximum amount of rainwater for flushing toilets and for showering (after proper cleaning). Pavel established the Czech Sustainable House project in 2016, bringing together experts from both academic and private sectors. The project’s goal is to accelerate the development of buildings with varying degrees of energy self-sufficiency and to promote cleaner technologies for households.

The Czech Sustainable House project engages university students each year in an architectural and technological competition of the same name. Each annual competition task is to design buildings with a specific degree of energy self-sufficiency for a designated plot of land. The project has also begun construction on a test implementation of two fully energy self-sufficient houses, which will soon be open to the public. Additionally, the project collaborates with Hypoteční banka, its leading partner, to establish a Green Mortgage to accelerate the construction of homes that use integrated renewable resources. Pavel’s exceptional contributions to urbanism and sustainability have garnered recognition both in the Czech Republic and internationally. In 2017, he received the Manager of the Year award (from the Czech Management Association in the category of Energy Innovation). The program encompasses all aspects of business, providing a solid foundation for growth. In many cases, this knowledge has proven vital—particularly in accounting. Investors frequently comment that they have never encountered such meticulous financial accounting from a company at such an early stage. In 2018, he was honored with the UN Award for Social Responsibility, the European Commission’s highest award in the category of Innovation in Energy. Last year, he also received the prestigious international award for Outstanding Young Person in Japan.

What is the current stage of the Czech Sustainable House project, and what is your strategy for further development?

After four years of research and development, we are currently constructing our first prototype house. This house is off the grid and generates all the energy it requires, which is a significant technical challenge. In the future, we plan to assist in the development of similar projects by leveraging our extensive expertise. As a result of our research, we have launched a plug-and-play home battery storage startup called iBatt.energy. We are actively seeking the right partner globally to pilot our business model and, hopefully, make it mainstream. While it might fail, this journey is incredibly exciting.

What do you love most about your work, and what is your biggest challenge?

I feel fulfilled in my work. Each of my projects is focused on finding effective ways to transition to sustainable energy. This mission often involves a lot of trial and error, especially with technology, which sometimes fails. Building startups is never an easy journey; it comes with numerous challenges. But that is a part of life.

What have been the biggest rewards?

This project engages the public, universities, the government, and businesses, which aligns with our objectives. Staying true to our mission is one of our greatest rewards.