Page 99 - RusRPTApr19

In Russia the most significant deals in IT in February included:
● Rusnano, the Russian state-owned nanotech corporation, exited US Wi-Fi chipset provider Quantenna “with high return;”
● LSE-listed Mail.Ru Group acquired an online IT education platform;
● A Siberian startup, Personal Medication & Health Management
(PM&HM), raised $4.5 million for alternative tuberculosis, cancer, and
HIV treatment technology;
● B2B-Export, a Russian B2B export marketplace, secured $4 million
from a top African businessman;
● Roistat, a Russian business analytics startup, raised $4 million to
expand internationally;
● Gazprom Media and US investor Bill Franke backed a catering startup
from Moscow.
Russian Post (Pochta Rossii) plans to expand the frequency and coverage of cargo flights to China, potentially increasing the turnover by 15- 20%, Vedomosti daily reported on March 4 citing the representatives of the company. At the end of 2018 Russian Post said it will boost e-commerce infrastructure in 34 Russian cities and open express delivery channels from China, speeding up deliveries from two-three weeks to one week, and in 18-24 months to up to three days. China accounts for over 90% of incoming international parcels and cargo shipments, most of which is e-commerce. In 2018 the number of shipments from China to Russia increased by 26% to 320mn on about two to five cargo weekly flight by the Russian Post. The Post has about 90% share in the delivery of foreign e-commerce outlets to Russia. Russia's VTB Bank is affiliated with Russian Post and along with country's largest Sberbank is the main financial anchors for e-commerce development in Russia. VTB is also one of the shareholders in Magnit retail chain, and cooperation with the Russian Post was seen as a possible platform for Magnit in expanding into online retail. Magnit's main rival and the market leader X5 Group has recently been actively rolling out online retail and digital initiatives. Last year's reports suggested that X5 Group is in direct talks with China Post on developing alternative delivery routes for goods from China. Reportedly the initiative seeks to leverage X5’s logistics platforms and in-store parcel lockers and pick-up points.
99 RUSSIA Country Report April 2019 www.intellinews.com