Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Bochkarev, we will discuss the innovation-driven growth in Russia in general and innovative industries as well. We spoke about the medical industry today, but it doesn’t mean that it is the only innovative industry that should be supported. Our starting position in this industry is good. We have visited an enterprise that makes heart valves and other medical devices. This enterprise meets 60% of the domestic need in these products, meaning that these particular Russian-made products can be competitive.
We have just held a meeting on developing the medical industry. Medical production processes can lead the way for other industries, not only medicine-related ones, and have also visited a recently opened software technology park with a catchy name Yablochkov. It’s a good example of organising innovative work and establishing small businesses and research labs. It’s good that you are paying attention to this area, because it goes beyond overall economic development and contributes to creating new jobs and placing our university graduates. That’s a good technical base for the future. People in Penza are highly educated and the city itself has always been big on the defence industry, which, in turn, was the driver of technical progress in the Soviet Union. This capacity should be put to good use.
Vasily Bochkarev: Thank you, Mr Medvedev. We realised a few years ago that we won’t be able to keep young professionals and university graduates in Penza without supporting them and the university faculty using the regional budget. Let’s face the facts. Penza is not that far away from Moscow, and Moscow holds a lot of sway for young people. In an attempt to create an alternative to Moscow, we began building business incubators. Frankly, the first one was a …
Dmitry Medvedev: Pancake.
Vasily Bochkarev: Yes, a pancake, but it turned out well for us. Then, we decided to open more, and the demand picked up as well.
We created two business incubators at our universities for students and faculty.
We met with the faculty and students many times and discussed innovations. These meetings led us to pass the bill on supporting youth innovative businesses, including a venture fund, a warranty fund and grants. Today, we saw the outcome of this motivation effort that we carried out in conjunction with the youth. Even the magazine Innovator, which you saw today, was put together by the people from this business incubator.
This year we opened four business incubators and will open another two soon. We are opening them across the region, not just in Penza. We plan to open two more next year.
Dmitry Medvedev: Great, but still you won’t be able to make do without the federal co-financing. We looked at a project of a large, innovative technology park today, which is being co-financed on a 60/40 basis, I believe.
Vasily Bochkarev: Yes, we are talking about an area of 46,000 square metres. That’s a big enterprise even according to old standards existing in the Soviet Union.
Dmitry Medvedev: Yes, and it enjoys a favourable location next to the airport. Let’s hope that this work will continue. The federal government will support it.
Vasily Bochkarev: Mr Medvedev, we plan to build what I call a House for Nerds next to the business incubator.
Dmitry Medvedev: I see. Nerds from all walks of life?
Vasily Bochkarev: Absolutely. This is how young people themselves call this residential building. Of course, we are looking to incorporate all energy and resource-saving projects, including telecommunications, that will be used by the young people who will live in this house.
Dmitry Medvedev: Mr Bochkarev, then you need to take good care of your nerds so that they don’t flee to Moscow and stay here instead. Nerds drive technological progress.
Vasily Bochkarev: We already have a house, a business incubator and a technology park. In a word, we are building everything…
Dmitry Medvedev: All right. Keep doing what you’ve been doing. Thank you.
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