Page 32 - BNE_magazine_10_2020

32 I Companies & Markets bne October 202109
Nothing goes according to plan
Meanwhile, a project for combining all services provided by state agencies in one cloud platform is running behind schedule. Similarly, a project for establishing mobile connections on a federal-level highway has stumbled.
“A source in a top Russian mobile phone operator said that there is no "acceptable dialogue" between operators and government agencies”
Another target on the government checklist that has not been met is a public platform for managing intellectual rights.
In another embarrassing revelation, no progress has been achieved on the creation of a nationwide land registry,
a project that has been advertised for quite a while.
Similarly, the government has failed to work out a list of measures to support local manufacturers of telco and cable
Skolkovo suspends key grant programmes until next year due to crisis cuts
EWDN in Moscow
The Skolkovo Foundation, Russia’s main tech hub with more than 2,400 resident start-ups, announced in the middle of July the temporary suspension of key grant programmes until December 31, 2020, reports East-West Digital News (EWDN).
The move is due to the government’s decision to freeze its subsidies to the foundation this year. Skolkovo will continue distributing grants from other sources.
The suspended grant programmes include:
• prototyping;
• laboratory equipment rental, software licence purchase,
purchase of prototype components;
• testing, experimental implementation of developed products;
• patenting and other intellectual property protection activities;
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equipment, and sources for funding a versatile satellite information system have not yet been found.
The only planned item for the April – June period that has been implemented is a concept for covering the country's transport infrastructure with networks suitable for data transfer, involving the locally developed space-based satellite navigation system GLONASS.
Funding issues
The Russian digitalisation programme is expected to
be implemented through 2024, with a total value of the scheme set at RUB768bn ($10.5bn), of which the federal budget is expected to provide RUB423bn ($5.8bn), and the remaining RUB345bn ($4.7bn) should come from private investors.
The government has not yet said how much of RUB48bn earmarked for 2020 it will actually provide this year, but it's already clear that state of the economy, hit by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, won't allow authorities to come up with the full amount.
Despite the Russian government's eagerness to pursue the digitalisation programme, the scheme is quite likely to fall prey to the overall economic meltdown.
The Skolkovo Foundation, Russia’s main tech hub, has suspended a number of grants to start-ups until next year due to crisis cost-cutting.
• participation in acceleration programmes;
• participation in exhibitions and conferences.
These grants were distributed rather generously. Many Russian start-ups used them for their international development, covering costs related to events, acceleration, IP management and marketing costs.
Just days before the announcement, former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev had praised Skolkovo as “the leading and most powerful innovation centre in Russia.”
“Our task is to help Skolkovo’s work be of the utmost quality and convenience, and to help [the tech hub] promote [its] products on the domestic and international markets,” he stated during a visit to Skolkovo.