RUSNANO concentrates nanotechnology
Tatiana Zolotova, ComNews
The state Corporation "Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies" ("Rusnano") is developing the concept of an infrastructure nanotechnology center (INC) under the working name "Nanofaba", which is planned to be created in St. Petersburg. The project is designed to unite the efforts of the participants of the nanomarket.
As Sulkhan Davitadze, Director of Infrastructure Programs at Rusnano, told a ComNews reporter, the state corporation offers to implement this idea in three ways: to create small business incubators and bring them to market, to conduct custom-made development and research work for participants in the nanomarket and to promote the results of scientific research through the sale of patents and licensing of technologies. "It is important for Rusnano to provide conditions for the emergence of new technologies and the development of small companies in the field of nanoindustry," Sulkhan Davitadze notes.
On the part of Rusnano, the project is supervised by Managing Director for Infrastructure Activities Yevgeny Evdokimov, on the part of the administration of St. Petersburg – First Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Economic Development, Industrial Policy and Trade (CERPPiT) Sergey Fiveysky.
According to the concept, the corporation itself will finance the activities of the INC (the share in the capital of the project does not exceed 50%), private investors and the city administration, which will provide engineering infrastructure. Initially, Nanofab will rely on the existing infrastructure, combining research institutes, collective use centers, technology transfer centers, business incubators, venture and seed funds within one or more legal entities. As Sergey Fiveysky says, the administration has proposed several infrastructure projects operating in the city for the development of Rusnano's activities: a special economic zone (SEZ) of a technical and innovation type, innovation and technology centers at leading universities, the Innovation information and consulting center and other areas of innovative development. According to Sulkhan Davitadze, one of the options for the location of the "Nanofab" is the territory of the special economic zone of the technical and innovation type "Novo–Orlovskoye" in the Primorsky district of St. Petersburg, the opening of which is scheduled for 2010.
As Sulkhan Davitadze told a ComNews reporter, the structure of the INC will include such divisions as the Technology Transfer Center, the Seed Financing Fund (early Investment fund), and a company that provides the center's users with the necessary high-tech equipment on a commercial basis.
Yevgeny Evdokimov notes that in the process of creating infrastructure centers, Rusnano will act as an organizer, consultant, co-investor and project coordinator. "The key condition for the success of Nanofab is the creation of a team with technical, legal and market expertise. It should include managers with experience in technology transfer, financiers, experts in the field of intellectual property. Despite the crisis, there is an acute shortage of such specialists on the Russian market today and Rusnano is ready to organize their training and retraining," says Yevgeny Evdokimov.
"When organizing Nanofab, it is important to create a high concentration, a "critical mass" of young companies provided with infrastructure and financial support – this is a necessary condition for a synergistic effect to manifest itself. It is good when not only small startups are included in the infrastructure block, but also medium-sized companies that have already gained a foothold in the market. No less important is the right choice of industry specialization based on existing strong areas – microelectronics and new materials can be chosen for St. Petersburg. Today in the city and the region, several dozen small companies, several medium–sized companies, as well as research institutes that actively interact on R&D with medium and large businesses are related to nanotechnology," says Igor Gladkikh, director of the Russian Venture Fair. According to Sulkhan Davitadze, scientific and business partners and priority areas of activity of Nanofab have not yet been selected.
The state corporation announced the cooperation between Rusnano and the government of St. Petersburg in December 2008. The corresponding agreement was signed by the General Director of Rusnano Anatoly Chubais and the Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matvienko. The cooperation provides for joint work on the implementation of state policy in the field of nanotechnology, the creation of conditions for the commercial use of the results of developments, as well as the implementation of investment and infrastructure projects and educational programs in the field of nanoindustry. According to Valentina Matvienko, the signed agreement correlates with the recently adopted program of innovative development of the city until 2011.
Presented the concept of Nanofab Rusnano at a round table on March 24, 2009. "When developing the concept, we relied on international experience, trying it on domestic realities. I am sure that without such an infrastructure, the nanotechnology industry in Russia will not be raised and the tasks of Rusnano will not be fulfilled," says Yevgeny Evdokimov. "This concept still needs to be discussed with all participants of the innovation process. In about two months, we intend to submit the concept for approval first to the Board of Rusnano, and then to the supervisory board of the state corporation," concludes Sulkhan Davitadze.
ComNews Dossier
In the special economic zone of the technical and innovation type on two sites (total area of about 130 hectares), which are located in St. Petersburg, 31 residents were registered on March 31, the opening of the first stage is scheduled for autumn 2009. In December 2008, the first facilities of the Ingria Technopark were launched. Peterhof was awarded the status of a science city in 2005 – there are five faculties and 14 research institutes of St. Petersburg State University, two higher educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense and the Military Transport University of Railway Troops. Business incubators are being developed - for small innovative enterprises at 37 Sedova Street (40 residents), the Technopolis–Ventures business incubator on the basis of the Ingria technopark, an incubator for small manufacturing companies is being built. There are seven collective use centers in St. Petersburg, as well as six universities-winners of the competitive selection of educational institutions of higher professional education implementing innovative educational programs. The city has a "Comprehensive program of measures for the implementation of innovation policy for 2008-2011."
Portal "Eternal youth" www.vechnayamolodost.ru01.04.2009