Technological entrepreneurship: the basis of Russia’s economic development
Support for technological entrepreneurship will significantly increase labour productivity and economic efficiency and attract investment to high-tech industries. Such was the conclusion of the participants of the ‘Technological Entrepreneurship: The Basis of Russia’s Economic Development’ session held as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
KEY CONCLUSIONS
Businesses need international markets where demand is high
“Our ministry is now undertaking a very big task... the production of iron, microelectronics. Because we have made good progress in terms of software. [...] I think we need to set a task... not in the number of UAVs produced or something like that. We have to bring our companies to international markets. Our six-year task is... to help these companies,” Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov.
“The markets of Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa are very important to us. They are just waiting to get their hands on technology. This [reaching the market in these countries. – Ed.] is very promising. You need to think globally from the very start when you think about a startup, with Russia as the first step and then raise the bar even higher,” General Director, Platform of the National Technology Initiative; Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation on Digital and Technological Development; Head of Young Professionals Direction, Agency for Strategic Initiatives to Promote New Projects Dmitry Peskov.
Shortages of personnel and inefficient use of human capital
“The automation of transport holds promise. [...] In my opinion, it is a very good way to make up for the lack of people in industry. We estimate it to be somewhere between 240,000 and 250,000 people. [...] This is probably the industry where we see the most interest in terms of artificial intelligence and new developments – Deep Tech,” Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov.
“Labour productivity is at an extremely low level,” Chairman of the Committee of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Economic Policy Maxim Topilin.
“The main problem is that labour productivity is at rock bottom, and only technology can raise it. Without disruptive technologies, we will continue to tread water and talk about the things we lack. And what we lack is people, and that overloads the economy,” First Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board at Sberbank Alexander Vedyakhin.
SOLUTIONS
Involving universities in the development of technological entrepreneurship
“The regions are playing an active role in the development of universities and university teams. [...] Now we have regions creating separate funds, developing technologies, university startups. This is a great mechanism, and it could help supplement the instruments we have to re-engineer, to develop engineering centres, for SME programmes from the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Industry Development Fund. It would complement this line and help distribute loans instead of grants, on favorable terms, but nevertheless to be returned,” Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Anton Alikhanov.
“Students should be taught... to be entrepreneurs. We either teach them to be entrepreneurs or engineers. In this sense, SkolTech has experience we could learn from. [...] Because the university was built from scratch, with the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation as an important component of the educational programme. Students learn entrepreneurship at the same time as they do Deep Tech. [...] [After their studies. – Ed.] some of them get into science, and some go on to become entrepreneurs,” General Director, AIRI – Artificial Intelligence Research Institute; Director, Center for Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (SkolTech) Ivan Oseledets.
“Our company is socially responsible. [...] We have created a special fund in co-operation with a special development institute of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). We put money there, and it goes to startups on the condition that they... are applied here, in our production technologies. What’s the logic here? We train young entrepreneurs, start-ups. After learning and benefiting our company, they can compete in the market with their product,” Сhief Executive Officer – Chairman of the Executive Committee at ALROSA Pavel Marinychev.
* This is a translation of material that was originally generated in Russian using artificial intelligence.
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