CHALLENGES:
- Small number of Russian high-tech entrepreneurs and their frequent dependence on larger companies
“Only five out of one thousand Russians are entrepreneurs. <…> And if we assume that of all small enterprises only few per cent are high-tech companies, there may be only [one] high-tech entrepreneur out of ten thousand people,” said Alexander Galitsky, Co-Founder, Almaz Capital.
“We should lean towards professional teams <…> separated from patrimonial ties with management of [state-owned] corporations,” said Alexander Povalko, Chief Executive Officer, RVC.
- Underdeveloped legal framework in new technologies
“What is the problem of mobile medicine in Russia and in which way is it evolving, in North America in particular? It is obviously about the lack of laws and regulations directly related to this issue. <…> Those matters have already been dealt with in terms of legislation in the American market. Mandatory health insurance programmes imply, among other things, payments for mobile medicine and telemedicine. In Russia, such services are currently not available,” said Kirill Filippov, General Director, SPB TV.
SOLUTIONS:
- A Russian government programme to develop digital economy
“The Government has drafted a digital economy programme. <…> The essence – or the philosophy – of this programme is about the following. Three levels were considered. The top level is the level of NTI markets where suppliers and consumers of goods, works and services communicate. The second level is the level of straight-through technologies. <…> The third level, a critical foundation, I think, is the environment or conditions required for the development of straight-through technologies. <…> This level is essentially about the regulatory framework. <…> The three basic levels above form the core of the digital economy concept,” said Leonid Osipov, Deputy Head, Expert Department of the Administration of the President, Russian Federation.
- Adaptation of new technology to business needs
“Talking about digital economy in Russia, we should bear in mind where we really are and the way our economy is structured. <...> The industrial sector’s contribution to the national GDP exceeds 30%. <...> Therefore, in terms of digital economy, to achieve a result in our country, we should focus our thoughts on the part that is important for us, that is quite large, and where this transformation would result in a qualitative change in our economy,” Kirill Korniliev, Vice President, Solutions Unit, Industry Solutions and Business Development, IBM Central and Eastern Europe.
“The first and probably foremost, and to a large extend applicable to Russia, trend was defined as “artificial intelligence as a new user interface”. <...> As the artificial intelligence technology is booming, it will represent your company in customer interaction,” said Vartan Dilanian, Country Managing Director, Accenture in Russia.
“We have actively infiltrated in international commercial projects, <...> just agreed with our partners <...> on cooperation in technology. <...> We take source codes of these companies’ basic technologies <...> and have absolute freedom to fine-tune them howsoever, and to use them in our products,” Vladimir Rubanov, Managing Director, R-Platforma.
- Cooperation with the Government
“This year, we are planning to launch a pilot project for financial services under the auspices of the Central Bank and the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications, which envisages a possibility for individuals to have remote financial services without physically going to the bank: i.e. you just provide your biometric data once, and you can keep getting the services,” said Dmitry Dyrmovsky, General Director, Member of the Board of Directors, Speech Technology Center.
“What we need is a system of tax benefits, like those they have abroad, for companies, Russian companies in particular, for them to develop an interest in education,” Ekaterina Rudykh, Director, Institute for the Development of the Internet (IRI).