| Success stories
MotoKeška: When passion for one track meets business. Czech startup wants to conquer Europe with gamification
When intuition meets reality: How MotoKeška teaches Czech bikers to rediscover the world
It's a classic scenario. You have a great job, you travel the world, but an idea sprouts in your head that won't let you sleep. In David's case, the idea came thousands of kilometers from home. As the director of the popular show Auto Moto Svet on Czech Television, he spent hours on the saddle of a motorcycle across Europe and Africa. It was there, in the dust of the roads and the roar of engines, that the vision was born. He didn't just want to ride. He wanted to convey the same adventurous feeling he felt during his reports.
„"The idea came about when I was traveling with the presenter around Europe. We wanted to hide parts of the coordinates on motorcycle routes in different countries, which, when put together, would reveal a place with a hidden new motorcycle," the author of the project recalls today about the wild beginnings. The originally megalomaniacal vision of an international treasure hunt gradually, thanks to the pragmatic perspective of colleagues, became a down-to-earth reality: MotoKeška. A unique web application that combines motorcycle tourism with elements of geocaching and competition.
From "punk" beginnings to a working product
While most motorcycle apps solve the problem of how to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible or by the most winding route, MotoKeška solves what you will do at point B. Users collect points, look for QR codes at viewpoints and complete quizzes. „The rider notices things that he would otherwise miss,“ David explains the added value.
However, the beginnings were like riding a motorbike without brakes. The project was created intuitively, literally on my knees. "The hardest part was finding another 'crazy' who would join me in this," he admits. The key piece to the puzzle was developer Honza, who was able to transform visionary ideas into ones and zeros. Convincing partners to donate prizes to a non-existent project then required years of trust built up in the media environment.
Today, MotoKeška is no longer just an idea on paper. It is a community. When a new route is launched, dozens of people meet at the start. „It’s riders who meet each other, ride the route together and share experiences,“ the founder describes the atmosphere. It is this community that drives the project forward, even when it’s not going well. „Negative reactions come mainly from people who don’t want to pay the registration fee. But those who have tried it rate the game as addictive,“ he adds.
When you need "Big Brother"„
Every startup founder sooner or later hits the ceiling of their abilities. For MotoKeška, this moment came after two years. The project was running, people were riding, but a clear strategy was missing. The turning point came with a recommendation from Josef Beneš, the author of the successful startup Stavario, who had gone through the incubator a few years ago. He showed the founder of MotoKeška the door to the incubator from ICUK.
Entering the business incubator acted as a catalyst. Intuitive management became planning. "For me, ICUK is not just a program, but a reliable partner. A big brother who doesn't do anything for you, but stands by you when you make decisions or fail," the founder evaluates the cooperation with humility in his voice.
It was in the incubator that the long-term vision began to take shape. Until then, the approach was „trial and error“. With the help of mentors, finances, marketing and customer segments were defined. „If I could go back to the beginning, I would tell myself: slow down, plan, be more efficient,“ the creator reflects. The incubator helped him not only validate ideas, but also find marketing specialists and expand the technology team. For the solo-founder, who had previously „flew from place to place“, this was a fundamental change in mindset.
The future has no boundaries (but it has a plan)
Today, the MotoKeška offices are no longer talking about next weekend, but about 2027. The ambitions are not small. "In 2026, we will plan routes in neighboring countries, and a year later we want to open the market to Germany and Slovakia," reveals the founder's plans.
A full-fledged mobile application is in development, which will take gamification to a new level – badges, rankings, virtual points. The vision even extends beyond the world of combustion engines; the plan is a „Cyclokeška“, which would transfer the game principle to cycle paths.
But there is also potential in the B2B sector. Counties and regions are looking for ways to attract tourists to specific places, and MotoKeška has a tool in its hands to bring hundreds of paying customers there. "We would like to support the local economy and bring people to places worth visiting," explains the business side of the project.
More than just an app
Despite all the graphs, expansion plans and marketing strategies, the most important thing remains at the heart of the project – emotion. When you ask the founder if, after all these years, motorcycling is more of a job or a passion for him, he doesn’t hesitate. „When I get off the highway and reach a magical place, the experience of riding completely consumes me.“
And that's exactly what users get out of it. It's not about collecting the most points. It's about memories of a flat tire in the middle of the Vysočina Mountains, which turned into the best day of the season thanks to a bunch of people around. "I would like to give people experiences that they will remember for the rest of their lives," the founder concludes the interview.
MotoKeška is proof that a project with global potential can be created even in the region. All it takes is "just" three things: a good idea, the courage to make mistakes, and a strong partner like ICUK, who will not let you go astray.
