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Skolkovo Olympic Technopark to breed future sports stars

The park will accommodate what the planners call a sports projects incubator, research laboratories, training facilities and an innovation exhibition center

MOSCOW, February 20. /TASS/. Russia’s Olympic Committee and the financial fund of Skolkovo Innovation Center are on the trail of human talent for the nation's future sporting teams — and technological advance to drive those with promise to success on the world stage.

The search is under way from a new "Olympic Technopark" based on the Skolkovo science complex outside Moscow. The facility was signed into existence on Friday by Olympic committee President Alexander Zhukov and Skolkovo Foundation President Victor Vekselberg.

Its mission is to promote sports-based scientific research, development and trial. The aim is to develop new-generation materials, equipment and clothing, advanced methods of improving athletic performance, post-injury recovery and rehabilitation, and to spot podium stars of tomorrow.

The park will accommodate what the planners call a "sports projects incubator", research laboratories, training facilities and an innovation exhibition center.

Skolkovo is based at Odintsovo in the Moscow region, a 400-hectare business complex being created to encourage development and commercial growth for science and technology companies.

The aim of this city of more than 30,000 residents and employees is to launch and market start-ups, supporting corporations and individuals with financial incentives to take forward their projects and ideas.

Since its inception in 2010, Skolkovo has created a start-up pipeline of more than 850 companies alongside the presence of Russian nanotechnology corporation Rusnano, the Russian Venture Corporation and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.

Global corporates such as Samsung, Intel, Microsoft, Honeywell, Siemens, J&J, SAP and BP are all locating research and development centers there, or supporting new initiatives.