The XI Startup Village technology conference “Innovation Time 2023” ended in Skolkovo, reports Skolkovo’s press service. The Startup Village 2023 showcased over 200 innovative developments that can be used from public services to healthcare.
At the end of the event, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, stressed that he would give instructions to eliminate regulatory loopholes and develop initiatives that would help strengthen the high-tech sector. of the Russian economy.
“Startup Village is first and foremost the platform itself, the atmosphere, the community, a ball of energy. They are young people pushing technology forward, changing traditional business models, challenging circumstances and advancing towards their goal. This is, without exaggeration, the future of our technology entrepreneurship,” said Igor Shuvalov, President of VEB.RF, after the conference.
During the opening of the conference, Igor Drozdov, chairman of the board of directors of the Skolkovo Foundation, noted that Startup Village was designed as a communication space, a place where startups find customers, investors, professional mentors, and the Skolkovo ecosystem acquires new participants.
Photo source: Skolkovo Foundation
“The community of tech entrepreneurs has grown tremendously and grown stronger. Despite the unprecedented pressure of sanctions, many companies performed brilliantly last year. Skolkovo residents in 2022 earned a total of 350 billion rubles, which is 40% more than in 2021,” said Igor Drozdov.
This year, Startup Village took place within the framework of Moscow Entrepreneurship Week. Aleksey Fursin, head of Moscow’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Innovative Development, explained how modern technologies are introduced to the capital. Gradually, investors’ attention shifted to companies that have maximum efficiency. Therefore, the city is expanding the list of support measures for start-ups. “We formed the Moscow Startup program. With its help, we can focus support measures on the most promising start-ups and technology companies,” he said.
Photo source: Skolkovo Foundation
Under pressure from sanctions, Russian business interest has shifted to BRICS countries. Therefore, one of the main topics on the current trading agenda is to determine the demand situation in these markets. Foreign experts drew attention to the fact that when entering new markets, it is necessary not only to assess the potential of specific niches, but also to study regional specifics. Fabiano Susa, Minister of Finance, Science, Technology and Innovation of the Municipality of Araguaina (Brazil), said: “Everyone wants to take care of the environment. And Brazil’s 200 million people are no exception. We have found many unique solutions in Russia that will be useful to us. And that is why we want to open a representative office of the Skolkovo Foundation in our country.
The technological component of the conference focused on issues related to the development of artificial intelligence. According to experts, artificial intelligence will become the main cyber attacker in a year. AI will hack the security systems of companies and government agencies so quickly that it will become impossible to fight it with the means available. This means that there should also be means of protection, also based on artificial intelligence.
Event co-organizer Synergy Corporation offered new formats for interacting with attendees on the main conference stage. She invited creative influencers to see AI through their eyes. Designer Artemy Lebedev has suggested that in the near future, creative professionals will turn into operators of neural networks that generate images. Alexey LekS Vlasov, the Moscow and Russian champion in beatboxing, has already embarked on the path of cooperation with neural networks, but so far he finds them underdeveloped: “I expect networks of neurons that will work like this: I do something live and there is an instantaneous interaction. It’s going to be cool,” he said. Alexey improvised on the main stage of Startup Village with artificial intelligence, playing an electronic musical ensemble.
Photo source: Skolkovo Foundation
Over 100 exhibitors took part in DronConf unmanned aircraft technology exhibition. Representatives of the Skolkovo Foundation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and drone development companies discussed the industry’s development prospects and the difficulties faced by drone manufacturers. “Before September 1, we must approve the national project for the development of unmanned aerial systems – now we are at the stage of finding the necessary funding. In general, we look optimistically, I think a breakthrough is more than possible,” said Vasily Shpak, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.
As part of the conference, a drone racing championship was held at another site – in the Rudnevo Industrial Park, where the Federal Center for Unmanned Aerial Systems is being created. The event was organized by Synergy Corporation in conjunction with the Drone Racing Federation. Pilot Sergey Lavrentiev became the winner of the championship.
“The industry is actively developing and there are times that require quick decisions. These include a lack of personnel, insufficient interest from investors and not always functional communication between the manufacturers and customers. At the Startup Village, we managed to find ways to solve some problems, and with the exhibition and the championship, we tried to increase the popularity of this field among the conference guests,” said said Vadim Lobov, president of Synergy Corporation.
Additionally, Synergy Corporation and the Sports Programming Federation held sports programming competitions among students and school children at the Startup Village. The winners were teams from Skoltech, the Higher School of Economics and Lobachevsky University of Nizhny Novgorod.
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