An argument which are sensitive Westerners

It is the face of the new, innovative and enterprising Russia whose dream the head of the Kremlin, Dimitri Medvedev. "Russian Silicon Valley, we're the building already here!", launches Andrei Posdniakov. An unknown businessman in Moscow. But at Tomsk, dynamic town of Siberia where an inhabitant in five is a student and a well rooted spirit of innovation, this young fact pattern reference. Programs for software designed by engineers of his company, Elecard, including solutions of digital video interface, are simple, ingenious and cheap. Approximately 95 of sales are for export. A record percentage among Russian SMEs, rare themselves in the industrial fabric.

"Essentially, it is to work to find solutions that will need tomorrow customers", insists Andrei Posdniakov. A truism. But not so strong evidence in Russia, where new technologies demand remains weak. "It will change!" smiled the contractor, proud to show the "Echos" Siberian Office as others visit HP in Palo Alto California garage. Growing, Elecard will develop soon a new seat, a glass building near Tomsk special economic zone. "Here as in other cities, infrastructure, universities, men and companies already exist and build an economy of innovation." To support us, it should be regional funds and attract venture capital companies, offers Andrei Posdniakov. This would be more useful to build this Silicon Valley near Moscou

At Tomsk as in Moscow, this young entrepreneur is not only to be skeptical to the ambitious project launched in February by Dimitri Medvedev as locomotive for the modernization of economy still very dependent on the energy sector. The President had then advocated a "city of the future became the largest site test of the new economic policy". Since then, the place was chosen: Skolkovo, building near Moscow. A management team is being formed around a Council bringing together personalities, including foreign. "This will be a Russian version of SophiaAntipolis", assigned to the "Echos" Martin Bouygues, only French sitting among many patterns of U.S. high technology.

Skolkovo should find themselves researchers, students, creators of start-up companies, representatives of large companies, investors in capital-risk The Government, which provides large budgets, is preparing a law giving special status to the site and its privileged of inhabitants. To refine its project, the head of the Kremlin has also a Flash California trip to visit the original version of what should become Russian Silicon Valley.

For many observers, Skolkovo may end in a stalemate. "Without substantive change of institutions, there is no true modernization", plague Konstantin Notman, met with another contractor to Tomsk. "In Russia, the problem is not between the enterprise and innovation." But between the administration and innovation. We live in an economy of monopolies, where industrial monsters have created dependencies. Skolkovo is likely to become in turn a monster. In the Kremlin, they understood the need to move. "But, below, of powerful lobbies grow to the status quo, because corruption requires, they have no reason to change their habits," worry Konstantin Notman.

This type of calls to free businesses from the weight of bureaucracy have multiplied in fact since the announcement of the project of Skolkovo. "In itself is progress." Because these questions were taboo. "When they will act without fear and without pressure, SMEs can finally grow", prevents a European entrepreneur in Moscow before mock: "every Soviet leader had his campaign and it never worked. Medvedev, it modernization. A new attempt to reform from above will fail.

Dominique Fache, one of the founders of Sophia-Antipolis, now installed in Moscow, is not far from sharing this scepticism. "Ten years ago, nobody was listening in Russia those who spoke innovation." Today, there is a will at the highest level to make a difference. But to create a new culture of innovation, the construction of a Potemkin village is not enough. He must awaken the creativity, the meaning of the risk, lateral thinking, the multiplier work ", provides. "Skolkovo will create innovations broth." But the first engine of innovation is the competition. Need to understand economic actors, to develop and impose on the international markets, to take risks and to propose new. In Russia, this vision is slowly ", adds Sergei Boev, Vice President of Sistema, rare large company innovative Russian.

Between optimism and pragmatism, Russian observers as Western hope prior to a change of mentality. "They evolve." At Tomsk, this is done gradually. Skolkovo, this is an another derangement ", distrusts Viktor Kress, Governor of the region model, proud to have installed the first incubator of the country in a University and to spend 50 to 20 the share of the budget from oil. Another outcome: the annual forum on innovation of Tomsk, in may, has become a major event.

"He must act quickly," responds to criticisms Arkadi Dvorkovitch, the influential Economic Adviser to the Kremlin. The necessity of diversifisier economy is imposed with the latest crisis. Quickly, the authorities spoke of modernization and Skolkovo became a way of getting a dynamic in their eyes. "It is important to build a new site on virgin land." "Because it must create an environment where there is no barriers usually discourage foreign investors, in particular corruption and weakness in the technology," explained to the "Echos" Arkadi Dvorkovitch.

An argument which are sensitive Westerners. "China has managed to develop centres of innovation thanks to the low cost of its workforce." It is less the case of the Russia, which looks like a priori more to Israel. But it has an asset: a transparent regulatory framework and prévisible, said Bo Parker, consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Skolkovo must offer clear regulation, sound decision procedure, defence of the rights of propriété and lack of surprises!

The Russia had already tried to implement a "innovation clusters" and created special economic zones. Their national agency was dissolved last year. Fault results. In some developing countries, similar initiatives have been successful, in India, where the economic environment is deemed to be more open. "In Russia, a priori, yet the potential is huge!, insisted Jonathan Sparrow, Director of Nokia Siemens in Moscow." The country is far more advanced than others in research and development. I am very struck by the quality of the mathematical work of simulation and the creations of prototypes. The problem is to pass to the stage of marketing.

For Skolkovo, "Fifteen of viable projects have been shortlisted among Russian researchers." The country has always been a fertile matter grey but poor entrepreneurs can turn ideas into companies. "We have to help take that step," said a close source of Viktor Vekselberg, the oligarch chosen by the Kremlin to orchestrate Skolkovo. "A part of the problem will be to convince parties abroad Russian scientists that they can return and develop their projects here." "For the moment, I have not the solution", recognized it at the recent economic forum in St. Petersburg.

Guests number in the "Russian Davos", some big names in high American technology seemed full of enthusiasm for Skolkovo. "It's a great way to start," said Craig Barrett, former boss of Intel appointed to Viktor Vekselberg. "Of course, we believe in this project and we will be present," entrusted to the John Chambers, CEO of Cisco, "Echos", during the visit of Dmitry Medvedev in California, has announced an investment in Russian innovation of $ 1 billion over 10 years, with such a technology centre in Skolkovo. "Create a society of entrepreneurs guided by the culture of success." It is time to initiate this virtuous circle in Russia! "launched Joe Schoendorf, a partner in the venture capital firm Accel Partners.

"But the contractor was always bad reputation in Russia." It is the key to the problem! The majority of our young people want to work for Gazprom or in the administration, said Vadim Kulikov, head of a centre funding for start-up. In our universities, courses are too theoretical. Teachers come, read their lessons and leave. How do you want that trains students to innovation and the concrete "A profound change of mentality more difficult than a simple building for the future Silicon Valley.