Technopark “Idea”, IBM Company and Investment-Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan announced the start of the cooperation.

The following officials participated in the press-conference:First Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Ravil Muratov, Minister of Informatization and Communication of the Republic of Tatarstan Farit Fazylzyanov, Director-General of Technopark “Idea” Sergey Yushko, Director-General ofIBM EE/A Kirill Kornilyev, Director of IBM Global Engineering Solutions division in North-Eastern Europe Michael Wirth and the head of Investment-Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan law department Anisa Gainullina.

Technopark “Idea”, IBM Company and Investment-Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan announced the start of the cooperation in the IT Centre construction at the briefing. The basis of the partnership is the agreement between IBM Company and Technopark “Idea”, acting on behalf of Investment-Venture Fund of the Republic ofTatarstan, signed on May 4, 2007. The designing phase of the Centre is estimated as 75 mln. rubles. The project financing will be realized by the Republic of Tatarstan and IBM Company on parity basis. Investment-Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan invests the project from the Republic of Tatarstan. Technopark “Idea” will be the managing company of the project realization.

The IT Centre is one of the stages of the IT-park, which will be constructed in Kazan in the framework of the Federal Programme on creating IT-parks in the Russian Federation. Total investments volume of the IT Centre in RT within the next three years will be 7 814, 2 mln. rubles.

The main goal of IT Centre creation is providing accelerated development of high-tech branches of Tatarstan economy and its economy transformation due to realization of the export potential in machine-building and petrochemistry.

At the beginning of the press-conference First Deputy Prime-Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Ravil Muratov marked that the development of innovations and technologies in the republic and the region is paid much attention to, the appropriate infrastructure is created.

The IT Centre is expected to give an impulse to development of the technopark and to provide innovative base for its main clients. The Director-General of Technopark “Idea” Sergey Yushko indicated that the effective combination of the regional and international experience will allow to create the unique conditions for high-tech business development, to organize new workplaces to realize the RT export potential in main branches of economy.

The Director-General of IBM EE/A Kirill Kornilyev noted that IBM is willing to make an important contribution on consolidation of new knowledge and technologies in the most perspective branches of economy, raising competitive advantage and investment potential of the Russian economy in whole. As a consequence of the project realization basic directions and business aspects of IT Centre, reflecting cooperation with industrial partners and academic institutions, will be developed.

Source: tpidea.ru