Cisco to develop “Virtual Skolkovo”

Cisco and the Skolkovo Foundation in February unveiled further details of joint efforts under the Skolkovo Project plans to develop a “Virtual Skolkovo”.  Based on the proposal from the Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG), Virtual Skolkovo will be a business innovation ecosystem that pushes the advantages of traditional clustering beyond physical boundaries into the virtual realm of new possibilities. It is founded on being:

• Community-driven by common interest, not physical proximity
• Open to borderless and global collaboration, and
• Enabled by a hybrid of communication technologies

The memorandum of understanding signed during a Cisco Telepresence meeting between Victor Vekselberg, President of Skolkovo Foundation and Mohsen Moazami, a Vice President of Cisco IBSG, outlines a three-tiered approach for Virtual Skolkovo that will look at operational collaboration for faster decision-making, creating a community from across different ecosystems, and building global alliances through a multitude of networks and exchange with international research centers, universities and economic players in various markets.

The project will culminate in a pilot business case, assessing Skolkovo-specific factors for generating innovative ventures and capital, intellectual property, partnerships and business models around research and development, as well as smart work centers and smart homes.

“I’m very happy to be accelerating our cooperation with Cisco through this MoU for Virtual Skolkovo. It’s very important that every aspect of the Skolkovo city embodies a new vision, a new approach and new technologies. Cisco’s proposal of Virtual Skolkovo which uses collaborative and virtualization technologies and business models to deliver services, first to the “virtual” and then “physical” tenants of Skolkovo will make this project a forerunner,” said Mr Vekselberg.

“Most industrial clustering in recent times has regarded technology as an industry to be attracted or supported, rather than as a catalyst for their own innovation and growth. Virtual Skolkovo is therefore a fantastic opportunity to exploit all the opportunities of the digital economy in terms of collaboration, partnerships, virtualization, and resource sharing to generate capabilities and innovation for Skolkovo city,” said Mr Moazami, Vice President of Cisco IBSG Emerging Markets and Globalization.

MoU on Virtual Skolkovo follows up a memorandum of understanding signed last June by Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers and Victor Vekselberg during President Medvedev’s visit to Ciso headquarters in San Jose, California. According to that MoU, Cisco will share with the Skolkovo Fund global best practices and expertise in the creation of innovation centers and put forward this expertise to the development of the Skolkovo Project. One of the areas of focus for Cisco and the Skolkovo project will be for Cisco to play a key role in the design of 'Technopolis Skolkovo'.

PwC And Skolkovo Foundation Presented Future Innovation Hub In Davos

During the World Economic Forum in Davos, the PwC Thought Cafe played host to a presentation on Russia’s Skolkovo Innovation Centre.


Dennis M. Nally, Chairman of the PwC International network, opened the event with remarks on the importance of innovation in global business today and Russia’s ambitious plans in this critical area.


“Fostering innovation stimulates economic growth around the world. The leading global companies are all strong backers of this idea. That’s been confirmed by PwC’s latest Annual Global CEO Survey, which we presented in Davos. The new Skolkovo Innovation Centre promises to be an ultra-modern, hi-tech hub that will offer outstanding opportunities for investors. PwC has experience in helping to establish similar innovation clusters in other countries. We believe that Russia, with its built-in IT infrastructure and bio-tech and energy industries, as well as its renowned academic resources, represents a unique platform for the commercialisation of advanced R&D breakthroughs.”


Next, Viktor Vekselberg, Renova Group board chairman and President of the Skolkovo Foundation, addressed the briefing. He spoke in detail about this new, innovation-driven project, describing the many partnership opportunities the hi-tech hub will offer and how companies can become partners of the Skolkovo Foundation.


Then, John Chambers, Chairman and CEO of Cisco Systems, reiterated his company’s support for the project, confirming Cisco’s plans to invest $1 billion in Skolkovo.


The PwC event took place right after President Dmitry Medvedev’s speech at the Davos Forum, in which he emphasised that Skolkovo will be Russia’s premier initiative in building an innovation-driven economy.


“This year, the [Skolkovo] project will draw in numerous enterprises, large and small in every region of Russia, as active participants. They will all enjoy special preferential conditions. I am certain that in the next few years we will see Russia give birth to entirely new global brands, and the contribution of foreign businesses to this process, especially those with a track record of innovation, will only enhance our chances of success,” Medvedev noted in his speech.


PwC Russia provides industry-focused assurance, tax, legal and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. There are over 2,000 professionals working in PwC offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Vladikavkaz. The firm applies its knowledge, vast experience and creative approach to developing practical guidelines and decisions to generate new opportunities for business development.


“PwC” is the brand under which member firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwCIL) operate and provide services. The global network includes over 161,000 employees in 154 countries. 


Together, these firms form the PwC network. Each firm in the network is a separate legal entity and does not act as an agent of PwCIL or any other member firm. PwCIL does not provide any services to clients. PwCIL is not responsible or liable for the acts or omissions of any of its member firms nor can it control the exercise of their professional judgment or bind them in any way.
“PwC Russia” refers to PwCIL-member firms operating in Russia.