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Weekly Lists
September 28, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 24
bne:TMT Russia's S7 Group sets
up $50mn venture fund
Russia's S7 Group will set up a $50mn venture fund that will invest in digital and industrial tech startups, Vedomosti daily reported on September 23 citing the company's VP for innovation Dmitry Chuyko.
Currently 12% of S7’s venture projects are in Russia, with German, Indian, Chinese and US projects also in its portfolio. The group has already reportedly invested about $10mn, without disclosing the projects, though it recently said it had invested in GetTransfer.com.
S7 Group is Russia's largest private air carrier and second-largest after Aeroflot, carrying 8.9mn passengers in January-July 2018 with Sibir and Globus carriers.
The company owned by Natalia and Vladislav Filevs has announced a number of ambitious aviation-related projects such as develop- ment of light business turbojets and space rocket engines.
Croatia’s Ericsson Nikola Tesla opened a research and development centre in the eastern city of Osijek on September 19, the company said.
Currently there are 30 employees working in the office in Osijek, and additional hiring and expansion is planned. The dynamics of this pro- cess will depend on the availability of highly educated experts.
The opening event was attended by Prime Minister Andrej Plenko- vic, Economy Minister Darko Horvat, Minister of Environment and Energy Tomislav Coric and Minister of Regional Development Gabri- jela Zalac. Gordana Kovacevic, president of Ericsson Nikola Tesla, highlighted that the company will continue its practice of annual investments of more than HRK400mn in people and knowledge.
The Russian subsidiary of the Austrian bank Raiffeisenbank has set up the first ever mortgage registry based on blockchain, using a decentralised deposit system (DDS) Masterchain, Vedomosti daily reported on September 24.
Masterchain is a platform developed by the Central Bank of Rus- sia and the large commercial banks in the Fintech association. RIA Novosti reported that Sberbank has already tested the platform with a similar deal.
Reportedly using the DDS will increase the safety of data storage, cut depository costs, and speed up transactions for both the clients and the bank. Electronic registries have been officially allowed in Russia since July 1 under the amendments to the Mortgage Law.
Croatia’s Ericsson Nikola Tesla opens R&D centre in Osijek
Russian Raiffeisenbank registered first blockchain mortgage loan