Energy Efficiency Cluster of Skolkovo Foundation and Israeli high-tech companies have agreed on a roadmap for cooperation to jointly develop and promote innovative products in the markets of Russia, Israel and other countries.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the Israeli Venture RIF Capital fund, the Israeli AMRAA Consulting company and the Skolkovo Foundation. Within the framework of the memorandum, the companies agreed on cooperation in the field of energy-efficient technologies in transportation and industry. The joint efforts aim at tracking and mentoring innovative solutions and supporting commercialization of high-tech start-ups in the markets of Russia, Israel and Asian countries.
The Energy Cluster and Israeli partners have already identified the first area for cooperation on technologies aimed at improving airport infrastructure efficiency, including reduction of СО2 emissions. The Israeli venture fund portfolio can boast of a number of successful start-ups, which implement pilot projects at airports worldwide. Three Russian start-ups with a status of Skolkovo residents that carry out pilot implementation of airport service technologies in Russia expressed interest in cooperation on this topic.
In April-May 2020, the parties will jointly elaborate Israeli companies that plan to use soft-landing (that support launching of startups in Russia) and partnership programs in Skolkovo for innovations development and commercialization, localization of innovative products in Russia. Interaction between Skolkovo residents and Israeli partners has already been started to create joint integrated solutions. These solutions will be tested in Russia and recommended for implementation within the framework of national airports development program and suggested as an integrated solution of a Smart Airport for commercialization in global markets. International cooperation is based on joint investments, partnership program of research and creation of new jobs.
Oleg Dubnov, Vice President, Executive Director of the Energy Efficiency Cluster, sees great potential in cooperation with Israeli partners: "The success of dozens of high-tech Israeli companies in global market inspires development teams around the world. We expect that cooperation of Skolkovo residents and Israeli partners will serve as a good driver for the launch and commercialization of complex technological projects not only in Russia, but also in other countries. For Israeli colleagues, Skolkovo Foundation expects to become a reliable partner in Russia to launch here innovative developments and create products that will be in demand on our market. The unique ecosystem created in Skolkovo will allow for engagement of leading Russian players in collaboration. In these hard times for the entire world community we consider it necessary to get even more actively involved in new spheres, which will be demanded in the global market tomorrow."
The Board member and the Managing partner of Venture RIF Capital Yuval Rabin has great expectations from cooperation with Skolkovo Foundation and considers it as a strategic mistake on behalf of the international investment and technological community to underestimate the potential of Russia as a source of new knowledge and unique ecosystem of access to rapidly emerging market of Asia. This is the first and the foremost direction in which Russian-Israeli business relations should move on, the way he sees it. Israeli technological business is well familiar with the opportunities of the Russian science as almost each Israeli technological startup has Russian-speaking members in its team. This seems to be a serious reason for support of such initiatives on an international level.