Russia’s efforts to ease its dependence on imports gained a boost this week after Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced a special “import-substitution” center would be created at a technopark in the capital.
The country is on a government-backed drive to boost domestic production and innovation to diversify the economy away from natural resources and lower its susceptibility to external shocks.
“Considering the demand to create domestic production and import-substitution, in Moscow a special coordination center will be created to help our businesses initiate their own production in high-tech and innovation fields to substitute for those areas where supply cannot be met by imports,” Sobyanin said, according to City Hall’s portal www.mos.ru.
Sobyanin was speaking during a visit to Technopark Strogino, where the center is to be based.
“I think this will be a big plus for Muscovites and for the economy,” he added.
The technopark is one of a six innovation centers in and around Moscow, the primary example of which is Skolkovo, host to over 1,000 startups split into five research clusters.
“The big federal Skolkovo project is also continuing to develop, to be built, and Moscow [City Hall] is actively participant in the process,” he added.
The technoparks give tax breaks and other favorable conditions for startups to encourage the growth of small and medium-size tech businesses in Russia.