--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WHAT: The second annual Russian Innovation Week Conference will bring together Russian and American government representatives, business leaders, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs in the technology sector to explore investment opportunities and build strategic partnerships.

“RIW is a unique opportunity thanks to its great practical value for Russian startups, whether they are seeking foreign partners and investors or looking for access to international sale channels.”

The Russian Innovation Week Conference is presented by the Russian Innovation Center, comprised of three Russian development institutions - RUSNANO, RVC and the Skolkovo Foundation – and supported by the Russian-American Bilateral Presidential Commission’s working group on innovation.

The conference aims to demonstrate the potential of the Russian innovation sector, and to assist Russian investors and venture funds reach out to American partners while Russian technology companies gain access to sources of funding and international sales channels. Seventy-four startup companies in the IT, cleantech and biotech industries – winners of the RIW Startup Track Competition - will join the Startup Track presentation sessions to pitch their concepts at the conferences.

“Modern economy in high-tech sectors is, before all else, a presence on the international market. As every startup develops it should set itself ambitious targets about entering these markets,” said Igor Agamirzian, CEO of RVC. “RIW is a unique opportunity thanks to its great practical value for Russian startups, whether they are seeking foreign partners and investors or looking for access to international sale channels.”

Beyond Startup Pitches, the agenda will focus on topics about innovation, technology and venture capital investments that are significant for Russia, including legal support of intellectual property rights, development of innovation infrastructure, and prospects of cooperation in areas such as energetics, biotech, IT and telecoms.

“Nowadays everyone understands that international cooperation in innovation is a key factor in global economic growth. Experience shows that our international partners need Russia’s innovative technologies. At the same time, it’s vital for Russia to work closely with the international innovation community – both to develop and commercialize technologies, and to build a bridge between Russian high-tech products and global markets,” said Viktor Vekselberg, President of the Skolkovo Foundation.

Alongside the main conference program, the Russian Innovation Week Conference will also feature separate events for angel investors and representatives of Russian corporations. These sessions are devoted to the experiences of American partners in diverse areas such as the preparation and completion of transactions, the introduction and commercialization of innovative technologies, and co-investing in technology projects.

“One of the most significant tasks for RUSNANO is the transfer of innovative technology to Russia,” said Dmitry Akhanov, President & CEO, RUSNANO USA. “We can see that there is great interest in mutually beneficial cooperation between Russian and American companies on high-tech projects. RIW is the perfect platform for open communication between participants, forming the underlying trust necessary to develop innovative businesses.”

SPONSORS

The Conference Sponsors are the Moscow Innovation Development Centre, The Department of Science, Industrial Policy and Entrepreneurship of Moscow and The U.S. Russia Foundation.

PARTNERS

Conference Partners include the Association of Innovative Regions of Russia (AIRR), Almaz Capital, Churchill Club, GMIC, Licensing Executives Society (LES) Silicon Valley Chapter, MassChallenge, Russian Venture Capital Association (RVCA), Russoft, Startup Monthly, Skoltech, SVForum, Torrey Pines Investment, US-Russia Business Council and Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology (WEST).

Media Partners include East-West Digital News, The Next Web, and Venture Beat.

For more information, visit www.riw-usa.com/partners.

ORGANIZERS

Russian Innovation Week is organized by RUSNANO, RVC and the Skolkovo Foundation. For full company bios, visit www.riw-usa.com/organizers.

To find out more about the events at Russian Innovation Week, visit www.riw-usa.com.

RIW is an invite-only event. To inquire about registration, visit riw-usa.com/registration.

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