Seznam.cz
 | |
| Type | Joint-stock company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Internet services |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Ivo Lukačovič |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Primarily Czech Republic |
| Key people | Ivo Lukačovič (founder and owner) Pavel Zima (senior executive) |
| Products | Search engine, digital advertising, mapping, media services, online marketplaces |
| Revenue | CZK 5.939 billion (2023)[1] |
1,640,000,000 Czech koruna (2020)  | |
| CZK 1.362 billion before tax (2023)[1] | |
| Total assets | 3,443,000,000 Czech koruna (2020) |
| Owner | Ivo Lukačovič |
Number of employees | 1,500–1,999 (2023) |
| Parent | Masaryk Holding |
| Website | www |
Seznam.cz (or Seznam, meaning "list" in Czech) is a Czech technology company that operates an internet portal, search engine, digital advertising platform, mapping service, media services, and online marketplaces. Founded in 1996 by Ivo Lukačovič in Prague, it began as an internet directory and search service and later expanded into a broader digital ecosystem.[2]
The company's services include the Seznam.cz search engine, Mapy.com, email services, Seznam Zprávy, Stream.cz, advertising system Sklik, and specialised services such as Sreality.cz, Sauto.cz, Zboží.cz, and Firmy.cz.[3] Seznam became one of the most significant Czech internet companies and was historically one of the few search engines outside the United States and China to maintain a substantial position against Google in its domestic market. It has maintained its importance through diversification into local-language content, mapping, advertising, and vertical online services.[4]
History
Seznam was founded in 1996 by Ivo Lukačovič in Prague as the first Czech internet directory and search engine. Lukačovič started the company with 50,000 Czech koruna from his own savings. In 1998, Seznam launched its email service using the @seznam.cz domain and gradually expanded into other online services, including news, weather, dictionaries, maps, and community features.[5]
In 2000, Swedish internet company Spray International invested in Seznam, helping the company transition into a joint-stock company. Following the collapse of the dot-com bubble, plans for a possible public offering were abandoned. Lukačovič later regained a controlling position in the company and has remained its main shareholder.[6]
In the early 2000s, Seznam used a full-text search technology developed by the Czech company Jyxo. In 2005, the company introduced its own search technology and acquired ATC, the operator of Email.cz. The acquisition expanded Seznam's email services, which were later integrated with its existing Seznam.cz email platform.
In 2006, Seznam entered a new phase of development as Ivo Lukačovič stepped back from day-to-day management and Pavel Zima became CEO. The company continued expanding its services, including through the acquisition of users of the Czech On Line portal's @post.cz email service.[7] In this period, Seznam was the main competitor to Google in the Czech search market.[8]
In 2007, Seznam acquired a 50% stake in Global Inspiration, the company operating the Czech online video platform Stream.cz, expanding its services into online video and original content. In 2011, Seznam acquired the remaining shares and became the sole owner of Stream.cz's operator.[9][10]
Google gradually became the dominant search engine in the Czech Republic during the early 2010s. Instead of competing only in search, Seznam increasingly focused on building a wider digital ecosystem of Czech-language services.[11]
Since 2016, Seznam has expanded its media activities through Seznam Zprávy, an online news outlet, and Televize Seznam, launched in 2018. Its mapping service Mapy.com (originally Mapy.cz) became one of its most important products, offering navigation, hiking, cycling, and outdoor mapping features. Seznam also operates specialised services such as Sreality.cz, Sauto.cz, Zboží.cz, and Firmy.cz, which support its broader advertising and marketplace ecosystem.
In 2022, Seznam adopted the IndexNow protocol to allow websites to notify search engines about content changes more efficiently.[12]
Services
Seznam.cz operates a portfolio of internet services focused primarily on Czech-language users. Its services include search, digital advertising, mapping, communication, media, and online marketplaces.
| Service | Category | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Seznam.cz | Portal and search | Main web portal and search engine |
| Seznam Email | Communication | Email service |
| Sklik | Advertising | Online advertising platform |
| Firmy.cz | Business services | Business directory and listings |
| Mapy.com (formerly Mapy.cz) | Maps and navigation | Mapping and navigation service with route planning, hiking, cycling and outdoor features |
| Seznam Zprávy | Media | Online news service |
| Novinky.cz | Media | News portal operated with Borgis |
| Sport.cz | Media | Sports news portal |
| Super.cz | Media | Entertainment news portal |
| Stream.cz | Media | Video platform and original content service |
| Televize Seznam | Media | Television and online broadcasting service |
| Sreality.cz | Marketplace | Real estate marketplace |
| Sauto.cz | Marketplace | Vehicle marketplace |
| Zboží.cz | Marketplace | Shopping comparison service |
| Sbazar.cz | Marketplace | Classified advertisements |
| Volná místa.cz | Marketplace | Jobs portal |
| Lidé.cz | Community | Social networking and community service |
| Počasí.cz | Weather | Weather forecasts |
| Seznam Slovník | Language | Online dictionary service |
Seznam has also operated several community and portal services that were later discontinued, such as Spolužáci.cz (a platform for classmates).[13]
Search technology
Seznam operates its own search engine technology and uses its own web ranking system known as S-Rank, which evaluates websites on a scale from 0 to 10 and serves as an indicator of website importance.[14]
See also
References
- 1 2 "Seznam.cz reported the revenues in the total value of CZK 5.939 billion for 2023". Seznam.cz.
- ↑ "Historie Seznamu". Seznam.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "About us". Seznam.cz. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "About us". Seznam.cz. Retrieved 2026-08-24.
- ↑ "Historie Seznamu". Seznam.cz.
- ↑ "Kdo vlastně koupil podíl v Seznamu?". Lupa.cz.
- ↑ "Výměna uživatelů: Seznam získal Post.cz, Volný jeho dial-up". Lupa.cz.
- ↑ "Proč Seznam koupil Email.cz". Lupa.cz.
- ↑ "Seznam koupil podíl v internetové TV Stream.cz". Kurzy.cz. 2007-09-27.
- ↑ "Seznam se stal stoprocentním vlastníkem Stream.cz". Novinky.cz. 2011-03-25.
- ↑ "European Commission search competition overview". European Commission.
- ↑ "SeznamBot and IndexNow". Seznam.cz.
- ↑ "Seznam.cz zavírá komunitní službu Spolužáci.cz, fungovala 14 let". Lupa.cz.
- ↑ "S-Rank". Seznam.cz.
External links
Media related to Seznam.cz at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- Google still struggling to conquer outposts
- Ivo Lukačovič on the Czech Internet, media and politics