Are there any IT entrepreneurship in the regions?
Innovation ecosystem, support for startups, the construction of technology parks and the creation of business incubators - in the last decade, we often hear these words, especially in relation to the IT-business.
Ten years ago, the St. Petersburg media wrote about the beginning of the construction of an IT park in the metro area of ​​Dybenko. Together with the St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications. Bonch-Bruyevich and with the support of a number of companies, including the Finnish technopolis operator Technopolis Oy, it was planned to create one of the first innovation zones in Russia with a primary focus on supporting IT projects.
The concept was approved by the city government in 2003, and the launch of the complex was planned for 2014. Those who wish can go today and see a large wasteland, on the territory of which that same IT park should have already opened, but we are interested in something else today. What is happening today in this mysterious "innovation sphere" and how does the course taken by President Medvedev to modernize the economy affect the life of IT entrepreneurs in Russia?
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Olga Andreeva
In 2010–2013, she was responsible for the cooperation of Russian residents of the network of Finnish Technoparks Technopolis Oy with European investors, participated in organizing joint competitions and events for IT start-ups in St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Tallinn.
Pavel Votchitsev
The curator of the Game | Changers inter-university program and the founder of educational partnership Magenta.mg, a former employee of Sun Microsystems, Yandex, Yota and ITMO, today lives and works in Penza.
- Pavel, you are a graduate of Physics and Mathematics of the St. Petersburg State University, and suddenly Penza?
- I had the experience of living and working outside the capital cities: I myself come from Siberia, I worked in Irkutsk, Vladimir, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, even in Somalia, and now I have been living in Penza for almost 7 months. Of course, when I made the decision to move, first of all I was interested in the iFunny project - the Russian mobile application, which is used by more than 3.5 million western users per day. For the Russian product is almost a unique success. An equally important argument in favor of the move was the fact that Penza State Technical University offers students the opportunity to count knowledge, not pieces of paper. It simplifies the system of delivery of subjects, and students who have acquired knowledge outside the university - on Coursera.org or in the process of study at work, can set off the subject without much paperwork.
When I was engaged in educational projects for the IT industry, including Game | Changers, I was very interested in “going to the regions”. I have always believed that regions can become such crystallization points for Russia, and it is in the regions that the focus should be on the development of the IT industry. Why? Small cities can create their own little “silicon valleys” around an interesting project much faster. The prospects of small cities in this sense are better, since for the development of the IT industry there is no need to consolidate around resources, as in petrochemistry. There are enough teams, literally 30-40 people who are engaged in a cool project, to take the first step towards creating a micro-silicon valley in a single city.
Thus, it turned out that there is an interesting project in Penza, there is an advanced university, there is an association of software developers created by local enthusiasts, which means there is a professional community, that is, all the necessary components. I decided that I should be responsible for my own words and go to develop regions.
- The Developer Association is some kind of official structure or is it the result of a “local initiative”? What does the association do and who is behind it?
- This is an informal association of employees of IT companies in the city. The association organizes a number of events - from the Hackathon summer school to barbeque trips. It includes almost all local IT companies, and it is convenient to contact official, state structures on its behalf — for example, this is how we invited the deputy. the governor of Penza on our events.
- What is the role of government support in the development of the IT industry? Has the situation of past years been preserved, when the main principle was reduced to “do no harm”?
- Today there really is state support, there are officials who do not emulate activity, but do something. In Novosibirsk, in Krasnodar, in Kazan - technoparks were really built, which were initially empty, but today there are residents and activities in them. Suppose that this is not exactly IT-entrepreneurship, even if the innovation component in these projects tends to zero, but even the presence in the same space of several living technological projects creates the preconditions for the emergence of new ideas. Moreover, such small regional technology parks are changing the social structure: people understand that after reaching a certain level of qualification it is not necessary to leave for Moscow. More precisely, it is possible to leave already not only to Moscow, but also to other cities.
- What knowledge, if we are talking about the field of IT-business, today the most in demand? Do existing business incubators help with project promotion?
- Businessmen in Russia have a well-developed common sense, therefore, basic tips and courses for beginners are no longer needed. In Russia, everything is fine with the technological development of the project, but everything that is associated with marketing, development, and customer acquisition is still at a very low level. Still no good sellers. They are not taught anywhere ...
Previously, “getting out” into retail, that is, to the retail market in a civilized way was almost impossible, connections and acquaintances were needed. The sales system was not built on the market advantage of a product, but on agreements between individuals.
New informational reality - when all sales and promotion of products go online - has greatly reduced the corruption component. All promotion, all advertising goes to the Internet, but in this volume of information it has become even more difficult to become noticeable and show the advantages of your product. Today, an entrepreneur needs to find a tough professional in online promotion or become one himself, since we are not yet taught online marketers.
- In general, we have a very positive picture of the state of IT entrepreneurship today: officials help, there is life and resources in the regions, SMM is becoming a cure for "hound puppies" and just lacks competent marketing specialists and vendors. Is everything so rosy?
- Despite some positive, the impact of the IT industry on the economy is minimal. Unfortunately, the Russian economy has not changed structurally yet, the revenue share of the IT sector is not noticeable in the total mass. Either very little time has passed, or our entrepreneurs leave as soon as they earn their millions ...
Ten years ago, the St. Petersburg media wrote about the beginning of the construction of an IT park in the metro area of ​​Dybenko. Together with the St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications. Bonch-Bruyevich and with the support of a number of companies, including the Finnish technopolis operator Technopolis Oy, it was planned to create one of the first innovation zones in Russia with a primary focus on supporting IT projects.
The concept was approved by the city government in 2003, and the launch of the complex was planned for 2014. Those who wish can go today and see a large wasteland, on the territory of which that same IT park should have already opened, but we are interested in something else today. What is happening today in this mysterious "innovation sphere" and how does the course taken by President Medvedev to modernize the economy affect the life of IT entrepreneurs in Russia?
')
Talk:
Olga Andreeva
In 2010–2013, she was responsible for the cooperation of Russian residents of the network of Finnish Technoparks Technopolis Oy with European investors, participated in organizing joint competitions and events for IT start-ups in St. Petersburg, Helsinki and Tallinn.
Pavel Votchitsev
The curator of the Game | Changers inter-university program and the founder of educational partnership Magenta.mg, a former employee of Sun Microsystems, Yandex, Yota and ITMO, today lives and works in Penza.
- Pavel, you are a graduate of Physics and Mathematics of the St. Petersburg State University, and suddenly Penza?
- I had the experience of living and working outside the capital cities: I myself come from Siberia, I worked in Irkutsk, Vladimir, St. Petersburg, Sevastopol, even in Somalia, and now I have been living in Penza for almost 7 months. Of course, when I made the decision to move, first of all I was interested in the iFunny project - the Russian mobile application, which is used by more than 3.5 million western users per day. For the Russian product is almost a unique success. An equally important argument in favor of the move was the fact that Penza State Technical University offers students the opportunity to count knowledge, not pieces of paper. It simplifies the system of delivery of subjects, and students who have acquired knowledge outside the university - on Coursera.org or in the process of study at work, can set off the subject without much paperwork.
When I was engaged in educational projects for the IT industry, including Game | Changers, I was very interested in “going to the regions”. I have always believed that regions can become such crystallization points for Russia, and it is in the regions that the focus should be on the development of the IT industry. Why? Small cities can create their own little “silicon valleys” around an interesting project much faster. The prospects of small cities in this sense are better, since for the development of the IT industry there is no need to consolidate around resources, as in petrochemistry. There are enough teams, literally 30-40 people who are engaged in a cool project, to take the first step towards creating a micro-silicon valley in a single city.
Thus, it turned out that there is an interesting project in Penza, there is an advanced university, there is an association of software developers created by local enthusiasts, which means there is a professional community, that is, all the necessary components. I decided that I should be responsible for my own words and go to develop regions.
- The Developer Association is some kind of official structure or is it the result of a “local initiative”? What does the association do and who is behind it?
- This is an informal association of employees of IT companies in the city. The association organizes a number of events - from the Hackathon summer school to barbeque trips. It includes almost all local IT companies, and it is convenient to contact official, state structures on its behalf — for example, this is how we invited the deputy. the governor of Penza on our events.
- What is the role of government support in the development of the IT industry? Has the situation of past years been preserved, when the main principle was reduced to “do no harm”?
- Today there really is state support, there are officials who do not emulate activity, but do something. In Novosibirsk, in Krasnodar, in Kazan - technoparks were really built, which were initially empty, but today there are residents and activities in them. Suppose that this is not exactly IT-entrepreneurship, even if the innovation component in these projects tends to zero, but even the presence in the same space of several living technological projects creates the preconditions for the emergence of new ideas. Moreover, such small regional technology parks are changing the social structure: people understand that after reaching a certain level of qualification it is not necessary to leave for Moscow. More precisely, it is possible to leave already not only to Moscow, but also to other cities.
- What knowledge, if we are talking about the field of IT-business, today the most in demand? Do existing business incubators help with project promotion?
- Businessmen in Russia have a well-developed common sense, therefore, basic tips and courses for beginners are no longer needed. In Russia, everything is fine with the technological development of the project, but everything that is associated with marketing, development, and customer acquisition is still at a very low level. Still no good sellers. They are not taught anywhere ...
Previously, “getting out” into retail, that is, to the retail market in a civilized way was almost impossible, connections and acquaintances were needed. The sales system was not built on the market advantage of a product, but on agreements between individuals.
New informational reality - when all sales and promotion of products go online - has greatly reduced the corruption component. All promotion, all advertising goes to the Internet, but in this volume of information it has become even more difficult to become noticeable and show the advantages of your product. Today, an entrepreneur needs to find a tough professional in online promotion or become one himself, since we are not yet taught online marketers.
- In general, we have a very positive picture of the state of IT entrepreneurship today: officials help, there is life and resources in the regions, SMM is becoming a cure for "hound puppies" and just lacks competent marketing specialists and vendors. Is everything so rosy?
- Despite some positive, the impact of the IT industry on the economy is minimal. Unfortunately, the Russian economy has not changed structurally yet, the revenue share of the IT sector is not noticeable in the total mass. Either very little time has passed, or our entrepreneurs leave as soon as they earn their millions ...
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/295756/
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