Skolkovo and Cisco coordinated the research and development strategy

The Skolkovo Fund and Cisco Systems, Inc. on Wednesday, March 28, signed a strategic document specifying joint plans for research and development and providing for increased investment of an American Company in the Russian Innovation Center.
The signing of the document will be an important step in long-term investment of Cisco ($ 1 B) in the development of innovation in Russia. The plan announced at the World Technology Symposium in Menlo Park (California), opens the way to Cisco’s physical presence and conducting scientific and research developments in the Skolkovo project. The company became the official member of the project in the end of 2011.

Innovations in the Russian economy are gathering paces due to our partnership and joint investment program with Cisco. Creating new high-tech jobs strengthens Cisco and Skolkovo ambitions for implementing innovations in Russia at the same time using competitive advantages of Russian developments in computer science and mathematics, - said Skolkovo president Viktor Vekselberg.

He stressed that in this project, as in all others, Skolkovo is an all-Russian center, uniting high technology and talented young scientists.

Physical presence in Skolkovo will be an important step towards the realization of a phased plan we adopted in June 2010 during the visit of the Russian President to San Jose. We not only create jobs for talented professionals in the Russian innovation economy, but also build a foundation for further growth of Cisco in creating new sustainable businesses. Skolkovo is rapidly becoming an international innovation center, and we are glad that we play a leading role in its formation and future success, - said Marthin De Beer, the Senior Vice President of Video and Collaboration and the Skolkovo project curator in Cisco.

According to him, Cisco Systems plans to oversee several start-ups, using Skolkovo as a real and virtual platform for innovation and will contribute to transforming Skolkovo into one of the world's most advanced technology centers.