About Bakala Foundation

We are a family foundation established in 2007 by Michaela and Zdeněk Bakala. Our goal is to help talented youth get a high-quality education so they can realize their dreams and improve society.

Education is the best investment

The Bakala Foundation is unique in the Czech Republic for the breadth of its support for education and other programs for talented young people. Through our own programs and in cooperation with independent partners in the Czech Republic and abroad, we support the values of freedom, democracy, human rights, and independent and professional journalism.
The Foundation’s long-term programs
  • Since 2010, the Scholarship Program has helped Czech students realize their dreams of studying at some of the world’s best universities.
  • High School Scholarships provide students with the opportunity to spend one or two years at select high schools in the US or UK.
  • Journey: Journalism Bootcamp is a summer school focusing on modern journalism, which enables aspiring journalists from the Czech Republic and abroad to learn from world class journalists.
  • Achillles Data is an intensive course in investigative journalism and mentoring for students and aspiring journalists from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary.
  • The Kaplicky Internship is designed for aspiring architecture graduates and paves the way for the most talented to gain work experience in prestigious, world-class architecture firms.
  • The Student Hub is a space where students can come to study and relax. The modern study room with a library also offers interesting lectures and workshops.
In addition to funding a wide range of its own programs, the Foundation also supports strategically important, third-party projects. More information is available here.

Bakala Foundation is about people

Board of trustees

Iva Baranová
Iva Baranová
Iva Baranová
Paul Casciato
Paul Casciato
Paul Casciato

Supervisory board

Daniel Rosický
Daniel Rosický
Daniel Rosický
Kateřina Šimonová
Kateřina Šimonová
Kateřina Šimonová
Zdeněk Tůma
Zdeněk Tůma
Zdeněk Tůma

Our team

Václav Pecha
Václav Pecha
Václav Pecha
Director
Kristýna Burdová Borsodi
Kristýna Burdová Borsodi
Kristýna Burdová Borsodi
Study Advisor
Jana Eremiášová
Jana Eremiášová
Jana Eremiášová
PR & Communications Manager
Lenka Hotařová
Lenka Hotařová
Lenka Hotařová
Social Media Specialist
Karolina Jiřelová
Karolina Jiřelová
Karolina Jiřelová
High School Scholarships Program Coordinator
Petra Judová
Petra Judová
Petra Judová
Program Manager
Igor Klimeš
Igor Klimeš
Igor Klimeš
Chief Operations Officer
Tereza Lucková
Tereza Lucková
Tereza Lucková
Student Hub & Events Manager
Pavla Pavková
Pavla Pavková
Pavla Pavková
Finance Manager
Jana Wittbergerová
Jana Wittbergerová
Jana Wittbergerová
Scholarship Program Manager
The Bakala Foundation team in 2023. Photo: Ondřej Besperát.