On 25 April, at a meeting of the Skolkovo Board of Trustees, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that the Skolkovo Innovation Centre has become much more recognizable, both in Russia and abroad. Also, the head of state stressed that the atmosphere of trust around the project keeps growing.
"The informational support provided by the Innovation Centre has greatly improved. Compared to a year ago, Skolkovo is far better known by people and companies in Russia and abroad," said the President.
Dmitry Medvedev announced that 427 companies were now residents, including 17 of the world’s largest corporations. He emphasised that Skolkovo’s leadership must maintain the high levels of transparency, reporting on the work of the project to potential partners, investors and the general public.
The Russian President also considers it necessary create a single national expert system, which selects the innovative projects in need of state support. Currently, in order to receive grants or tax credits, all the long-term projects have apply to various different state agencies, which creates additional bureaucratic and financial barrier for business, said Dmitry Medvedev.
Separately, the President touched upon the G8 summit, which will be held in Skolkovo in 2014. According to Dmitry Medvedev, the preparation of Skolkovo for this political event may enhance the development of the project as a whole.
Skolkovo Foundation President, Viktor Vekselberg, said that the Cube is currently nearing completion and will be the first building to be built. It will meet the highest environmental standards and will house the offices of start-ups and the Skolkovo Foundation administration.
Skolkovo’s Strategic Partnership Director, Anton Yakovenko, in turn, stressed that this summer will see the beginning of large-scale construction and that Skolkovo’s Technopark would be complete by 2014.
Also, members of the Board of Trustees reviewed the work of the Skolkovo Foundation since the previous meeting in April 2011.
Background
The Skolkovo Board of Trustees includes the General Director of JSC "RVC", Igor Agamirzyan; Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation for Promotion of Small Enterprises, Ivan Bortnik: the first deputy head of the Presidential Administration, Vyacheslav Volodin; Vnesheconombank Chairman, Vladimir Dmitriev; Russian presidential aide Arkady Dvorkovich; Minister of Education and Science Minister, Andrei Fursenko; Minister of Economic Development, Elvira Nabiullina; RAS President, Yuri Osipov; the Finance Minister, Anton Siluanov; Moscow Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin; and Deputy Prime Minister, Vladislav Surkov.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev formed the Board of Trustees at a meeting of the Commission for Modernization and Technological Development of Russian Economy in June 19, 2010.
Press Contacts:
Seda Pumpyanskaya
Vice President International Relations and Communications
Skolkovo Foundation
spumpyanskaya@corp.i-gorod.com
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