The Story of Kolibrik

The story of Kolibrik is one of determination, perseverance, and innovation. Above all, it is the story of one man: Jirka Libra.

The Beginnings: A Child’s Fascination with the Stars 

When Jirka was 8 years old, his class visited a planetarium. He was fascinated by the stars. Together with his friends, he bought inexpensive children's telescopes so they could freeze on the balcony of their apartment block on winter evenings, observing the starry sky. At the time, he likely had no idea that something fundamental was happening, something that would shape his life.

Jirka's father was a teacher at a vocational high school specializing in electronics. He taught his sons how electricity works and explained the principles of electrical circuits. Eight-year-old Jirka not only played with circuits but also experimented and invented. When he connected diodes in a children's electronics kit to ensure the same polarity at the output regardless of the input, he proudly showed his father. His father was pleased with his son’s inventiveness but explained that Jirka had just rediscovered the Graetz bridge rectifier.

At the age of ten, Jirka joined a pioneer club, which served as a cover for a scouting group. During the communist era, many activities were either suppressed or reluctantly tolerated by the regime, and scouting was one of them. In this group, Jirka found lifelong friendships and a love for nature. They went on hikes, slept under the open sky, and gathered around campfires in the evening. When the singing faded, they would gaze at the stars, beautifully visible in the wilderness.

The Velvet Revolution and New Opportunities

In 1989, the Velvet Revolution took place. With the fall of the communist regime, not only was scouting legalized, but entirely new horizons opened up—computers. Jirka received his first computer at the age of ten. While other children may have longed for computers to play the new and fascinating games of the time, Jirka was captivated by something else. He began learning to program. Starting with Basic and Assembler, and with his father’s help, he reprogrammed the operating system.

At fifteen, he and his father built their own computer. Its components included a circuit board from a keyboard and even a flowerpot tray. But the computer worked. Jirka's life path was firmly set. It only needed a slight nudge in the right direction, which came through a physics correspondence seminar he joined. There, he found new friends who shared his love for physics and nature hikes. After high school, Jirka was accepted to the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics at Charles University in Prague (Matfyz), where he studied in the Department of Electronics and Vacuum Physics.

University Days and Scientific Research

At the university, as a student and later a PhD candidate, Jirka met senior colleagues who had gotten a bit closer to the stars. The department participated in space research, designing and testing circuits for the Magion satellite. During his research on surface alloys for catalysts, Jirka became acquainted with the method of angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. He developed his own software, KolXPD, to automate experiments, measurements, and rapid data analysis.

In 2002, Jirka Libra began working at the Elettra Synchrotron in Trieste, Italy, during a series of business trips. Matfyz (Charles University's Faculty of Mathematics and Physics) maintained a laboratory there. Jirka continued developing software for automating scientific experiments, familiarizing himself with new measurement methods and building international contacts. Through these connections, his software began spreading to various countries worldwide.

The Founding of Kolibrik.net

A pivotal moment came several years later. In 2009, Jirka started his own business under the name Kolibrik.net. This decision was both a leap into uncertainty and a return to his roots. Jirka moved back to his hometown of Žďár nad Sázavou, rented a small office, and began working as an independent developer of software and hardware. The name “Kolibrik” (hummingbird) originated from his last name, Libra. It was a nickname he had been given as a child during his scouting days, reflecting his love and respect for nature and his lifelong friendships.

Kolibrik.net continued to collaborate with Matfyz on a contractual basis. In 2012, Matfyz began research on catalysts for hydrogen fuel cells. The research facility needed its own test stations, and Jirka developed and supplied control electronics for these stations and scientific measuring devices. A potentiostat was required as part of the measuring station, but commercially available potentiostats were prohibitively expensive. Thus, Kolibrik.net embarked on developing its own potentiostat, marking its definitive entry into the world of hydrogen and hydrogen technologies.

At that time, few at Matfyz had extensive knowledge about potentiostats. Jirka soon realized that creating such a complex device was beyond the capacity of a single person. In 2014, he began hiring his first employees, and by 2015, the first generation of Kolibrik Potentiostats was complete. The development and production team for these devices grew steadily and organically.

Transition to Kolibrik.net, s.r.o.

In March 2017, Jirka Libra transformed his business into Kolibrik.net, s.r.o. The company was not driven by commercial success but by a shared passion for the project. Most of the core employees were Jirka’s friends who joined to support the endeavor. Like Jirka, they shared a deep respect for nature and the environment, and developing high-tech solutions for green energy felt like a natural fit.

Securing funding for such demanding research and development required resourcefulness. Banks were hesitant to lend to such a young company, so Jirka relied on scientific grants and support from friends. He personally guaranteed all loans, transitioning almost overnight from a developer to a businessman and managing director. Kolibrik.net dedicated all its energy to developing measuring devices for hydrogen fuel cells, quickly realizing that such technology was lacking in the market. Other potentiostat manufacturers generally focused on much lower currents and power levels. This small startup from Žďár began successfully expanding beyond Czech borders.

A collaboration with Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany, which was developing fuel cells for the automotive industry, motivated Kolibrik.net to create a potentiostat capable of handling 800 A loads, later increased to 1200 A. The technology continued to improve, with investments in both hardware and software. In addition to potentiostats, Kolibrik.net began producing Cell Voltage Monitors, DC/DC Converters, and customized solutions tailored to its customers' needs.

New challenges are coming

In a short span of time, the COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill. At the beginning of 2020, life in many companies around the globe came to a halt. What everyone feared but no one expected had arrived. However, Kolibrik had the energy and motivation to continue advancing its products, no matter the circumstances. During the pandemic, the entire company worked tirelessly to introduce its first multi-channel solution and a groundbreaking, globally unique system, MegaEIS, capable of performing EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy) measurements at high currents simultaneously across multiple channels. That same year, Kolibrik.net expanded its sales beyond the European Union, entering the Chinese market.

The year 2022 was another significant milestone for Jirka Libra and his team. While the world reeled from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, Europe faced the urgent challenge of securing energy independence from Russia. Renewable and alternative energy sources, once seen as technologies of the future, suddenly became essential solutions needed immediately. Alongside fuel cells, electrolyzers experienced a surge in demand, attracting more customers from this sector. Already firmly embedded in the hydrogen industry, Kolibrik.net experienced rapid growth, increasing both its workforce and revenue. Jirka faced critical decisions: how to scale the company and prepare it for further growth and transformation.

Strategic Investments and Transformation

Even before the pandemic, Jirka had met Constantin Norbert Kinský, a representative of the historic Kinský noble family. Constantin discussed business matters with Jirka, focusing on strategic questions about the company’s development. Similar discussions later took place with Aleš Studený and Igor Zahrádka. All three eventually became investors in the company, contributing not only capital but also their personal expertise. This marked a new chapter in Kolibrik.net’s history, one centered on transformation and growth.

As is often the case in life, the path was not without its challenges. Despite having unique products that were gaining increasing recognition, Kolibrik.net faced crises. One of the most devastating was the tragic death of a key colleague, Ivan Hudák, who managed the company’s sales and was killed in a car accident on his way to work. This unfortunate event deeply affected the entire company. Another difficult period came with the global shortage of electronic components at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted all electronics manufacturers.

Despite these challenges, the company continued to grow and evolve. It began operating in a new way, with an established management structure, shared responsibilities and decision-making powers, and greater operational efficiency.

Since its first potentiostat, Kolibrik.net has relied on EIS (Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy). This electrochemical measurement method is used in the development of hydrogen technologies as well as in battery and supercapacitor testing and development.

Key Partnerships and Global Reach

In 2023, Kolibrik.net signed a strategic distribution agreement with the American company Gamry Instruments, a traditional manufacturer and distributor of measurement technologies. Gamry added Kolibrik’s products to its catalog, opening new markets and providing access to additional researchers and developers in hydrogen technologies and batteries.

The Transition to a Joint-Stock Company

On January 1, 2025, Kolibrik.net, s.r.o. transitioned into a joint-stock company. This was not only another milestone in its growth journey but also a symbolic confirmation of its ambition to continuously innovate and improve its solutions and products.

A Vision for the Future

It all began with the wonder of a little boy gazing at the stars. That boy, who grew into a man, infused Kolibrik with not only his name but also his values: innovation, teamwork, perseverance, and a deep respect and love for nature. These values are the foundation of Kolibrik today. We look to the future with determination to deliver technologies that help people treat the planet more gently. We strive to innovate relentlessly, contributing to a better life on Earth. After all, we won’t get another planet.

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