The Fund for Development of the Center for Elaboration and Commercialization of New Technologies (The Skolkovo Foundation) and Intel Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding defining several strategies for research, scientific development, creation of effective regulatory bodies and establishing international presence for Skolkovo.
The Memorandum was signed by Viktor Vekselberg, President of the Skolkovo Foundation, and Christian Morales, Intel Vice President and General Manager of Intel Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
Joining the Skolkovo Foundation, Intel will focus on innovations in cloud computing, parallel and multicore computing and MeeGo mobile platform development. Intel will provide its expertise by establishing and supporting existing research laboratories in Russia's leading universities.
Envisioned as a 30,000-some “technograd”, Skolkovo science and technology city will help existing and nascent companies build their businesses in five priority clusters: energy, medicine, space, nuclear technology and IT. Until the park is actually built, several firms are invited to join the Virtual Skolkovo, a tax and technology haven preceding the actual technology park. The Virtual Skolkovo entitles its participants to steer the Big Skolkovo project, enabling Russia to reboot its oil and gas-dependent economy and enter the age of high technology. This is particularly important for Intel, IT industry being its primary market.
Intel will put an emphasis on active participation in the Skolkovo project. According to the terms of the Memorandum, partner companies are required to roll out R&D centers in Russia, working with science and academia and opening a line of venture financing. Intel has been running Russian R&D centers for 18 years, collaborating with academia on more than 30 successful projects covering nanomaterials modeling and structural synthesis. Recently Intel won a government-held drive to invite prominent foreign scientists and researchers to Russia. Intel succeeded to invite Vladimir Pentkovski, a notable microprocessor architect and Intel employee. Pentkovski will spend the $5 mln government grant establishing a parallel computing lab in Phystech, one of the Russia's leading universities. The lab will focus on research in bioinformatics and pharmacology.
“Intel will guide the Skolkovo project with its expertise in the areas of cutting-edge information systems and technologies,” notedViktor Vekselberg, President of The Skolkovo Foundation. “Intel's participation in establishing new research labs and proving grounds in Skolkovo will spark the innovation and attract new participants to our cause.”
“Intel is a glaring example of pioneering science being turned into very serious money. In Russia we are considered experts in our field, and deservedly so,” added Kamil Isaev, SSG General Manager Intel RCIS. “Joining Skolkovo is a great opportunity for us to help Russian research projects come to market — Russian scientists have no previous record of building successful businesses, and we could support them with our knowledge and expertise.”
About Skolkovo
Skolkovo Innovation center - new city with special economical conditions for companies running business in priority fields of Russian economic modernization: space and telecommunications, medical devices and pharmaceutics, energy saving, IT, nuclear technologies. Main objective of Skolkovo Foundation is to create favorable environment for intellectual capital concentration, that could generate innovations. Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia, had announced signing of direction about Research and Development center creation (Skolkovo Innovation center) on February 11th 2010 within Committee of modernization and technical development of Russia meeting. Dmitry Medvedev became a head of board of guardians. Viktor Vekselberg became a President of The Skolkovo Foundation, Head of directors Board of "Renova" group. More details could be found on www.i-gorod.com.
About Intel
Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is a world leader in computing innovation. The company designs and builds the essential technologies that serve as the foundation for the world’s computing devices. Additional information about Intel is available atnewsroom.intel.com and blogs.intel.com.
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Skolkovo Press Contacts:
Stanislav Naumov
+7 (926) 717-8316
SNaumov@corp.i-gorod.com
Intel Press Contacts:
Anna Lobanova Mikhail Rybakov
+7 (962) 989-2021 +7 (495) 641-4550
Anna.Lobanova@Intel.com Mikhail.A.Rybakov@intel.com