Post by Mojmír Zálešák Jr

Let me start this post with a well-known, extremely cheesy, but truthful sentence: “When one chapter ends, another begins.” Four years ago, my close friend Martin Kylar and I met at a meeting that set the course of our high school careers and, ultimately, changed our lives. During that meeting, Otakar Korinek, Pavel Králík, and Martina Bacik handed us the (at the time) small organization called ECONET. It had one simple vision: to unite young, talented people interested in economics and finance and to build a community that would serve not only as a networking hub but also as a platform to increase financial literacy among Czech youth. Looking back, I was incredibly fortunate to receive this opportunity alongside Martin. Even though that meeting was when we first properly met, I quickly realized he is someone I can rely on and someone with whom we could turn ECONET into a legacy project with a lasting place in Czechia. Still, despite both of us being certified workaholics, we could never have done this alone. We were surrounded by people who shared our vision and who (for free) worked their butts off to deliver products and services that would motivate and shape a new generation of economists and investors. It wasn’t easy, and there were many hurdles along the way, but I truly believe we achieved something meaningful. Today, ECONET is one of the most recognizable club brands in the country: over 300 official members, the most successful European club in the Wharton Investment Competition (with seven teams reaching at least the semifinals), more than 250 published articles, the largest investment competition Investomania, and the globally unique J&T NextGen fund, where young people actively manage over $21 million. However, as my dad always said, a good leader knows how to turn a vision into reality with the resources at hand, but a great leader knows how to do that and when to step back and let the next generation take over. And while I can’t say what kind of leader I am, January 2026 marks the month I officially hang up my ECONET boots. Over the past years, I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside my friends Josef Ďarmek and Tomáš Jodas, who have shown immense discipline, drive, and creativity. All these traits Martin and I sought in our successors gave us confidence that ECONET will be in the right hands. With this post, I wish them the very best during their tenure and every success in the future of our beloved club. Martin and I will continue working on our competition, Investomania, aiming to turn it into a legacy project of its own, while I will remain on the investment committee of the J&T NextGen fund. Last but not least, I would like to thank ECONET’s most prominent partner, J&T INVESTIČNÍ SPOLEČNOST, a.s., which has supported our club for years and helped us launch some of our most ambitious projects. Thank you, Tomas Martinec and Michal Semotan. We are eternally grateful for your continued trust and support! #econet