Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: RUSNANO and Ministry of Employment and the Economy signed the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding

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Abstract:
The memorandum was signed on the 3rd of December within the first day of the Nanotechnology International Forum. The document was signed by Anatoly Chubais, Director General of the Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO), and Mikko Alkio, State Secretary of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.

RUSNANO and Ministry of Employment and the Economy signed the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding

MOSCOW, Russia | Posted on December 3rd, 2008

The document covers the information exchange on the national policy in the sphere of nanotechnologies, scientific research, production and potential markets, development of the mechanisms used for evaluating the nanotechnology application perspectives and risks, certification and standardization of the nanotechnological research results, intellectual property protection in the field of nanotechnologies.

The Parties will cooperate in implementation of the projects connected with commercialization of the Russian and Finnish nanotechnological developments as well as in executing the scientific work on foresight in the sphere of nanotechnologies and drawing up of the road maps.

It is planned to conduct the joint seminars, symposia and other activities in the sphere of nanotechnologies, provide mutual visits and specialist exchanges under the Agreement.

Today, Finland occupies one of the leading positions in the world rating of economy competitiveness among highly-developed countries. The Finnish national model of the innovative economy and application of new knowledge is recognized to be one of the most efficient in the world. Development of the nanotechnologies receives the higher priority for financing with a great role of private funds.

The Finnish delegation will be one of the most representative at the Forum. Mikko Alkio, State Secretary of the Finnish Employment and Economy Ministry, head of the delegation, participates in the panel discussion "INTERNATIONAL INTERACTION - A PREREQUISITE FOR NANOINDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT", where he will speak about the peculiarities of the Finnish innovative development and, particularly, in the nanoindustry of the country.

The Academy allocates the budget investments in the sphere of fundamental researches in Finland. It invests the funds into the projects in the new perspective branches and finances "Centers of Excellence". This is a chain of the most advanced laboratories and scientific centers selected once per five years. They obtain additional financing for making scientific researches. A link between science and real sector is provided by the Technical Scientific Centre VTT (Valtion teknillinen tutkimuskeskus), the main goal of which is to make the applied researches within a wide range of directions in order to bring new knowledge to the level of new products. The organization's budget is formed by 30% out of the state funds, the rest 70% are the private investors' money.

The key link of the Finnish innovative infrastructure is TEKES, the National Technological Agency attached to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Its basic function is to initiate an active joint work of the company's scientific subdivisions with the scientific groups of the universities and institutes. TEKES provides 35.80% of the amount required to implement the submitted project; the rest part is to be invested by the company itself. At that, the more universities, scientific institutes and companies are specified in the list of this project participants, the more chances to be supported such a project has. In such a way through TEKES the government provides the widest application of new knowledge and technologies in the economy of the country.

One more link of the Finnish innovative infrastructure is a state-owned fund SITRA supporting the technological startups. SITRA is working as an ordinary venture fund: it enters the company's stock capital for 3 to 5 years and sells its shares as soon as other investors are ready to buy them out.

Ministry of Employment and the Economy started its operations as from 1 January 2008. The Government Programme of Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's second Cabinet included the decision that the new Ministry would "assume responsibility for the duties of the existing Ministry of Trade and Industry, the tasks of the Ministry of Labour, excluding migration and integration matters, and the functions of the Department for Development of Regions and Public Administration of the Ministry of the Interior, excluding the Regional and Local Administration Unit". The sphere of authority of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy includes: employment, unemployment and public employment service, working environment issues, collective agreements and arbitration of labour disputes; development of regions; industrial policy; energy policy and integration of the national preparation and implementation of climate policy;innovation and technology policy, internationalization and technical safety of enterprises; functionality of markets, promotion of competition and consumer policy; non-military service.

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About Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies
State Corporation “Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies” (RUSNANO) was founded under Federal Law No.139-FZ dated July 19, 2007 for «implementation of the government policy in the sphere of nanotechnologies, innovation infrastructure development in the sphere of nanotechnologies, implementation of projects on creating perspective nanotechnologies and nanoindustry». The Corporation resolves this objective acting as a co-investor in nanotechnological projects with a significant economic or social potential. The Corporation’s financial involvement at early stages of projects reduces risks of its partners – private investors. The Corporation participates in establishment of the nanotechnological infrastructure objects, such as shared use centers, business-incubators and early-stage investment funds. RUSNANO chooses the first-priority directions in investment based on long-term development forecasts (foresights) developed by the leading Russian and world experts. In 2007 the Government of the Russian Federation allocated 130 billion rubles for the Corporation’s activity. The management bodies are the Supervisory Council, Board of Directors and Director General. RUSNANO Director General is Anatoly Chubais.

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Contacts:
Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies
Nametkina Street, 12A, Moscow, Russia 117420
Phone: +7 495 542 4444
Fax: +7 495 542 4434

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