RVC replicates a new model of business calalyzer in Astrakhan

The first business-catalyzer, working on the formula “Investments in the form of competence”, started its work in Astrakhan. The working principle of the business-catalyzer bases on the fact that resources for fast growth of high-tech companies from the mature technical solution stage to investment readiness level are not purchased on the market, but offered to participants of the business catalyzer, which includes marketing companies, patent attorneys, industrial enterprises, etc.

It is planned that the model will be implemented in Astrakhan, and in future replicated in the Kaluga region and the Krasnoyarsk region. This will allow regional business catalyzers to exchange by competence in case of its deficit in particular region. Thus, not depending on the situation with regional resources, Startups receive full- set of tools for preparation to the investment round.

Initiator and ideologist of a business-catalyzer creation became the RVC. The project on the order of the development institution has been developed by Moscow Management School SKOLKOVO, in 2012 it has been tested in the Rostov region on the base of Don State Technical University. On the result of the pilot project, the regional business-catalyzer of the Rostov region works under approximately 130 projects, which offer innovation ideas in IT-sphere, energy save, transport, consumer goods, instrumentation, building materials and others. Five projects are already ready for negotiations with investors.
The aim of the business-catalyzer is to increase the amount of projects, prepared for consideration by investment committees of venture funds.

Developed by the idea initiators mechanism gives an opportunity to combine in one field technologic entrepreneurs, enterprises and organizations, representatives of authority representatives, responsible for innovation development, each of them contributes its unique resource, required for realization of innovation projects.

The Astrakhan`s selection for realization of the project is explained by several reasons. There is the first private Technopark in Russia in this city – FABRIKA. Projects are combined on this basis, and develop new services, materials in various branches of activity – information technology, medicine, chemistry and biology, automobile construction and etc. The technopark established its own infrastructure, in particular, business incubator LIFT with its program of business acceleration. The idea of a business catalyzer has been supported by the Economic Development Ministry of the Astrakhan region; city educational institutions take active participation in this project.

Within the limits of a business-catalyzer launch in Astrakhan there has been created the operating group, which developed a road map, and adjusting session has been conducted. Nowadays there is a selection of projects into a business-catalyzer, forming graphics of mentor sessions and expertise conduction, unified educational program over the region is being created, and also programs on regional projects promotion are developed.

“Combining the efforts within the business-catalyzer of all the interested parties will allow entering a new level of innovation entrepreneurism. Support from the side of RVC and the Moscow management school SKOLKOVO will open new opportunities for regional projects in a section of expertise, mentorship, investments attraction. We intend to efficiently use opportunities of the business-catalyzer for Startups` amount increase, providing it faster growth of business idea till real implementation”, - considers founder of IT-park FABRIKA Renat Batyrov.