Programme

Collaboration between higher education institutions and business community is key to successful innovations in the economy and development of social sector and youth technological entrepreneurship in particular. The world has longstanding experience of commercializing innovations and introducing them into the market. By building strategic partnerships with institutions of higher education, business community is supporting a range of activities starting with R&D to implementation of technologies in practice. Support for youth technological entrepreneurship allows large businesses to both mitigate risks of technological developments and to attract talented young entrepreneurs. What place does youth technology entrepreneurship occupy in the development of the innovation economy? How is the ecosystem for supporting youth entrepreneurship shaped at the levels of the state, regions, municipalities and business communities? What are the approaches, programmes and mechanisms for encouraging youth entrepreneurship? What role does collaboration between higher education institutions and the business community plays in supporting and developing youth entrepreneurship?

Moderator
Nikolai Toivonen, Vice Rector for Strategic Development, St. Petersburg State University of Economics

Nikolai Toivonen

Vice Rector for Strategic Development, St. Petersburg State University of Economics

N.Toivonen graduated from Leningrad State University named after A.A.Zhdanov with degree in Physics. He is PhD holder in Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Associate Professor. He has extensive experience working for different Russian Higher Educational Institutions, in particular, Petrozavodsk State University, St. Petersburg State University, ITMO University, St. Petersburg State University of Economics in various positions. From 2014 to 2016, he headed the International Department of the Russian Federation Ministry of Education and Science.
The competence of N.Toivonen - strategic, including international, development of scientific and educational organizations, development of project and innovation activities, R&D. He has extensive experience in fundraising.
Awarded the badge "Honorary Worker of Higher Professional Education of the Russian Federation."

Panellists
Alexey Borovkov, Vice Rector for Innovative Projects, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University
Maxim Gashkov, Head of Research, MTS
Martin Gitsels, Vice President, Siemens in Russia
Dmitry Ivanov, Innovative Development Director, UEC-Saturn
Ilya Komarov, Co-Director, Stanford U.S.–Russia Forum
Eugeny Kuznetsov, Chief Executive Officer, Orbita Capital Partners
Sen Lin, Associate, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.

Alexey Borovkov

Vice Rector for Innovative Projects, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University

Alexey Borovkov is Vice-Rector for Advanced Projects of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU), Head of the National Technology Initiative (NTI) Center for Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Head of the SPbPU Computer-Aided Engineering Centre of Excellence (CompMechLab®), Leader (Co-Head) of the NTI Technet Working Group, Leader of the “Factories of the Future” megaproject, Founder of CompMechLab® Group.
Alexey Borovkov holds a Ph.D. degree in Engineering. He is a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Engineering and the International Higher Education Academy of Sciences, Professor at the SPbPU Department of Mechanics and Control Processes. Alexey Borovkov co-authored over 100 scientific publications, 7 books and university coursebooks, supervised 9 successful Ph.D. students, over 500 bachelor’s, master’s and engineer’s theses and graduation projects. He is also an Honorary Worker of Education of the Russian Federation.
Alexey Borovkov leads scientific and technical projects carried out for the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Russian and foreign high-tech companies.

Maxim Gashkov

Head of Research, MTS

Martin Gitsels

Vice President, Siemens in Russia

Dr. Gitsels is a specialist in computer science and control systems, Dr. Sc. Techn. of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (Switzerland), Honorary Professor of Moscow Institute of Electronic Technology and National Research University “Moscow Power Engineering Institute”, Doctor of Science of Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University.
In Siemens Dr. Gitsels started in 1997 as a project engineer in the department of Multimedia Communication & Network Protocols in Munich, in 2002 headed “Application Software Development” department in Wetzlar, and in 2005 became Head of Corporate Research & Technology in Siemens Russia.

Dmitry Ivanov

Innovative Development Director, UEC-Saturn

Dmitry S. Ivanov
was born on July 20, 1975 in Dubna, Moscow region.
Educational background:
1999 – graduated from the Kharkov Aviation Institute, speciality Rocket-and-Space Design Engineering.
2008-2009 – The President Program for Management Training for National Economy Organizations of the Russian Federation.
2015 – European consortium for advanced training in aerospace. Aerospace business integration programme.
1999-2002 – design engineer, FGUP GosMKB Raduga named after A.Ya.Bereznyak.
2002-2006 – Head of IT Department, Pelcom Limited Liability Company (Austria, equipment manufacture).
2006-2009 – IT Director, N.P.Fedorov Dubnencky Machine-Building Plant JSC (production of aircraft, components and accessories for various type aircraft).
2010 – Director, Innovative Development, UEC-Saturn PJSC, member of the Scientific-Technical Council of the company, Deputy Leader (Co-Director) of the TechNet Working Group.

Eugeny Kuznetsov

Chief Executive Officer, Orbita Capital Partners

Yevgeny Kuznetsov joined RVK in 2009 as Head of the Development and Communications Department. Later appointed Deputy CEO/ Head of Project Office (2014); Deputy CEO/Programme Director (December 2015); Acting CEO (July – December 2016).
2014–2015: supervised the work RVK was doing as part of the National Technology initiative (RVK serves as its project office). Holds the position of the Chairman of the NTI Projects Support Foundation.
2015–2016: head of the group that prepared the National Innovation report drafted for the Government of the Russian Federation.
2006–2009: head of the Fund for Science, Education and Health Care Support together with Simon Kordonsky. Developed a number of state programmes and initiatives for science, hi-tech and health care development. Previously employed at Edelman and the North-West Centre for Strategic Research.
Member of the Expert Council under the Government of the Russian Federation, as well as the General Committee of the Foreign and Defence Policy Council. An expert in technological policy, interaction between innovations and social development, state and corporate innovation development.

Sen Lin

Associate, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P.

Sen Lin recently graduated from Stanford University with a bachelor’s degree
in mathematics and a master’s degree in statistics. Born in Singapore, he now
lives in New York City where he works as an investing analyst for a global private
equity fund. Before college, Lin spent two years in the Singapore military.
As an undergraduate, he studied math and statistics but also spent a significant
amount of time exploring law, business and political science. Lin is deeply
interested in developmental economics and entrepreneurship, particularly
in the areas of technology, financial systems and international relations.