Innovations

Being a major research center, Voronezh Region ranks 3rd (after Moscow and Moscow Region) in the Central Federal District in the number of organizations involved in research and development, as well as in the number of personnel employed in this segment. 

The region is actively taking steps to encourage innovation. Voronezh Interregional Center for Development of Small Aircraft, Interuniversity Training and Consulting Innovation Center, Government Institution "Regional innovation Center "Strategy", Voronezh Center for Microelectronics and Nanotechnologies have been set up in the region.

A pilot project for foundation and development of 5 technoparks is being implemented in Voronezh Region: "Sodruzhestvo", "Mitem", "Kalininsky", "Cosmos-Neft-Gas", "Aviation". Three  business incubators have been organized with financial support from the federal budget.

A number of laws aimed at support and development of innovations have been enforced, including:

• "On innovation policy"
• "On technoparks"
• "On income tax rate for technopark residents"
• "On state support of aircraft leasing"
• "On science and sci-tech policy in Voronezh Region"
• A number of decrees and orders of the regional administration on the regional support of innovators

Over 500 projects have been included in the regional register of innovation projects and R&D products, over a quarter of them being implemented by several enterprises at their own expense. Regional venture fund is being currently organized, its authorized capital being RUR 280 mln. At present, there is a list of priority projects for venture investment.

A special target program "Development of innovative activities in Voronezh Region in 2009-2012" was adopted by Voronezh Regional Duma to follow the national policies in rendering state (regional) support for innovations. The program aims to facilitate the process of transition of the regional scientific-industrial complex to the innovative way of development.

Priority activities have been identified as:

• Increasing the number of innovative enterprises
• Increased investment in innovations at the regional enterprises
• Expansion of minimum 10% of the regional innovative enterprises to the global markets

 Nanotechnology development

At present, a program "Development of nanotechnologies and nanoindustry in Voronezh Region in 2009-2012" is being implemented. The volume of planned investment is RUR 422. 4 mln, including RUR 71.4 mln. from the regional budget. The region has already implemented nearly 20 nanotechnology projects, about 30 projects are currently being developed at Voronezh State University.

Industrial nanotechnology enterprises pay much attention to research on thermal electricity, development of hardware components on whisker silicon nanocrystals, etc. Small innovative nanotechnology enterprises are being created.

Centers for nanoindustry development comprise hi-tech enterprises and universities of the region.

Support of innovation projects

Voronezh enterprises regularly recieve research funding from the state budget. Small and medium-sized innovative companies and high-tech product developers participate in bidding for inclusion in the federal programs. The regional contest of investment projects is held annually with the involvement of the Russian Foundation for Fundamental Research.

The following databases have been compiled and are still widening:

• Register of innovation projects and sci-tech achievements
• Register of small innovative and industrial-technological enterprises of sci-tech sphere
• Catalogue of innovation projects of Voronezh Region, containing project summaries and profiles of the flagship industrial enterprises of the region

Innovation infrastructure

An important competitive advantage of the region is a powerful intellectual potential in science and technology. Research is carried out by 65 scientific organizations, research institutes, design bureaus, employing over 700 Doctors and 3,500 Candidates of Science.

Scientific and technical complex of Voronezh Region is characterized by a high proportion of the defense sector, which research organizations employ up to 50% of R&D specialists. The following advanced hi-tech enterprises are situated in the region: Voronezh Aircraft Joint Stock Company, Chemical Automatics Design Bureau JSC, Concern Sozvezdie JSC, The RIF Corporation.

Two centers for nanotechnology development – FONON and Industrial Nanotechnologies have been founded.

Over 60 small innovative companies with the total industrial output over RUR 2 bln are residents of technoparks. Business incubators host 30 companies, with over 120 jobs created and the volume of production exceeding RUR 100 mln.