Business programme 2022

of the Russian Investment Forum
What Should the Regional Development Budget Look Like? Despite the post-pandemic economic recovery, many Russian regions are struggling to draw up development budgets. At the same time, the national development goals cannot be achieved without appropriate funding. How has the pandemic changed the envi...
Despite the post-pandemic economic recovery, many Russian regions are struggling to draw up development budgets. At the same time, the national development goals cannot be achieved without appropriate funding. How has the pandemic changed the environment for regional development budgets? How can the space be made attractive to investors and where should alternative funding sources be sought? Can the regions move forward without development budgets? How dangerous are budgetary imbalances?
The Future of Venture Capital in Russia The Russian venture market almost doubled in 2020, with the volume of public deals involving Russian startups standing at RUB 21.9 billion. Experts are forecasting further growth, with industries associated with the digitalization of offline secto...
The Russian venture market almost doubled in 2020, with the volume of public deals involving Russian startups standing at RUB 21.9 billion. Experts are forecasting further growth, with industries associated with the digitalization of offline sectors growing by tens of percent year on year, while the traditional economy is showing much more modest figures. This is therefore a favourable time for the launch of new business ideas and for established startups to hold IPOs. How can this trend be maintained in the longer term? Will the state bolster its role in this area? How can companies successfully enter the venture capital market?
25 Million by 2030: How Can We Grow Small Businesses? The pandemic has had a huge impact on all areas of life. Over the last two years, small businesses have begun to operate differently. Entrepreneurial activity is becoming increasingly significant both to the economy and social development. Small a...
The pandemic has had a huge impact on all areas of life. Over the last two years, small businesses have begun to operate differently. Entrepreneurial activity is becoming increasingly significant both to the economy and social development. Small and medium-sized businesses are forecast to account for 40% of Russia’s GDP by the end of this decade, while the number of people employed by small businesses is expected to grow to 25 million. What measures are needed in order to achieve this? How have the key priorities of SMEs and the state changed? How can the achievement of the national goals and sustainable business development be ensured?
Regional Investment Standard 2.0. FAST TRACK for Investment Today, the 24 Russian federal subjects with the highest investment attractiveness account for around 93% of all investment. It is therefore crucial that a policy is created to identify the specific factors governing the investment-led development ...
Today, the 24 Russian federal subjects with the highest investment attractiveness account for around 93% of all investment. It is therefore crucial that a policy is created to identify the specific factors governing the investment-led development of the regions and create the conditions for investment in the economy of the future. The Regional Investment Standard 2.0 has been developed to achieve this, taking into account the best investment practices accumulated by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives since 2012. The new regional standard is based on best practices established in cooperation between federal subjects and investors, and is compiled in such a way that all regions meet the minimum set of requirements for attracting investment. Moreover, the Fast Track investment project support system, which is being implemented in Russia’s regions, has been designed to create a convenient and rapid mechanism for launching and supporting investment projects. At its core is a mechanism for identifying the shortest and most convenient customer journey from project concept to business result for every entrepreneur in every region of the country. The programme includes the creation of an investment policy statement, an investment map, a set of investment rules for Russian federal subjects, and standards to ensure the availability of infrastructure. How will the creation and implementation of a single support system for investment projects in the regions affect regional attractiveness to investors? To what extent will the new investment standards simplify project implementation and help to synchronize cooperation between government agencies and investors?
The Main Drivers of Gross Regional Product in Russia’s Federal Entities: Investment, Infrastructure, Tax The spread of the novel coronavirus infection has proven to be a major challenge for both the global and Russian economies. Measures adopted by the Russian government to support businesses and the public helped to the mitigate economic recession a...
The spread of the novel coronavirus infection has proven to be a major challenge for both the global and Russian economies. Measures adopted by the Russian government to support businesses and the public helped to the mitigate economic recession and promote recovery. Now, however, the regions must look for new sources of economic growth. An effective tax policy, efforts to attract new investors, construction of new high-quality infrastructure and the ability to master new technologies can all help regions to make a forward leap in terms of economic development. What are the main growth points for GRP in the federal subjects and how can they be used effectively in the present environment? Which growth drivers could be most effective in the current situation?
Business and Law Enforcement Agencies: A New/Digital Format for Collaboration The openness of law enforcement agencies to public dialogue with business is crucial in the modern world, and necessary in order to protect the trust of entrepreneurs in government bodies. Digital communication formats make it possible to practica...
The openness of law enforcement agencies to public dialogue with business is crucial in the modern world, and necessary in order to protect the trust of entrepreneurs in government bodies. Digital communication formats make it possible to practically eliminate barriers between them, and all that is needed is for both parties to come together. What measures are being taken today to establish direct contact between business and government? How are new technologies helping to raise business confidence in law enforcement agencies? Is it possible to establish dialogue on an equal footing?
Drivers of the Economic Model of the North Caucasian Regions The North Caucasian Federal District is currently facing a number of economic problems. The programme for socioeconomic development implemented in the macroregion in recent years has not delivered tangible results. There are still quite a few prob...
The North Caucasian Federal District is currently facing a number of economic problems. The programme for socioeconomic development implemented in the macroregion in recent years has not delivered tangible results. There are still quite a few problems that need to be addressed, including at the federal level. At the same time, it is clear that the region possesses significant potential across a whole host of areas, which is unfortunately not yet fully realized. There are huge opportunities for the development of various sectors including tourism, from health and sports-based to extreme tourism, as well as agriculture. There are encouraging conditions for launching industrial facilities, and the favourable geographic location at the crossroads of global north–south and east–west transit routes allows for development in the logistics sector.
Cluster Development: The Role of Cross-Industry Collaboration in Achieving Global Technological Leadership Cluster initiatives, which are an effective tool for the creation and development of cooperative projects, are spreading rapidly across Russia’s federal subjects. There are currently around 50 industrial clusters in Russia. What can be done to ide...
Cluster initiatives, which are an effective tool for the creation and development of cooperative projects, are spreading rapidly across Russia’s federal subjects. There are currently around 50 industrial clusters in Russia. What can be done to identify promising regional industry leaders who might be able to support them through cluster policy? How do cross-industry (intersectoral) technological processes change the structure of production facilities and increase their efficiency?
Russian Industry as a Driver of Regional Socioeconomic Development: Growth Centres The demands of our time (the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions) dictate new approaches to creating and implementing industrial policy in Russia. There is a focus on investments in industrial infrastructure, the use of the most modern and adv...
The demands of our time (the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions) dictate new approaches to creating and implementing industrial policy in Russia. There is a focus on investments in industrial infrastructure, the use of the most modern and advanced technologies as well as the training of a highly skilled workforce in the interests of the backbone sectors of Russian industry. In recent years, in Russia’s industrially developed regions, which include the Ural Federal District, the state and business have invested a substantial amount of funds in implementing major and significant projects to spur the socioeconomic development of the regions. These projects have helped to create new highly productive jobs as well as significantly renovate the production base of organizations in the real sector of the regional economy and, in some cases, create modern accompanying social infrastructure, which is much needed at the local level and has made it possible to improve people’s quality of life. In its work, the government is focused on increasing the rapid rates of industrial development in the regions, while bearing in mind its importance from a socioeconomic standpoint, and supporting employment among the population. Of course, business also plays an important role in such work by ensuring parity and making joint efforts with the state to maintain the appropriate investment activity. What level of investment is needed to support existing production and develop new technologies? Who should make this investment? Should the state support all sectors or only strategic ones? Is it worth “injecting” public money into unprofitable projects if they ensure high levels of employment? Which state support measures have worked well and what is missing?