summ( )n

While being in Russia I spotted one interesting subject in many conversations, and also in the media, a plan to clone a second ‘Silicon Valley’ near Moscow, heavily endorsed by the government. The very topic is not exactly new, apparently discussions had been held already last year, together with a close contest of a few prominent locations for such an Innovation City. The winner (who is to take all) seems to be Skolkovo, a small settlements not far from Moscow (see the map below) that currently host an international business school (see it on the map below).

The project is stuffed with the top-ranked governmental figures, such as Anatoly Chubais, currently in charge of Rusnano, nanotechnology think-&-do-tank of Russia; Vladislav Surkov, deputy head of the Presidential Administration, widely seen as a chief ideologist of Medvedev’s government; chairman of the Russian Saving Bank; and Viktor Vekselberg, Russian billionaire and a head of the huge cross-industrial Renova Group. Noble prize winner Jores Alferev is called to overview the research strategy, and many international gurus are also invited to assist the initiative, including Esther Dyson, chair(wo)man of the EDventure holdings. Small piece published recently in the Moscow News outlines the scope of the project (Skolkovo to host Russia’s Silicon Valley), although it develops rapidly and many crucial things changes daily.

(the above picture is how the Business Management School in Skolkovo, looks now)

The attitude toward this Innovation City project in Russia is controversial; from one hand, it is obvious that the country needs to find a way to lessen its dependency on selling mere resources (oil, gas, and many others) and instead (or at least in addition) focuses on innovative, research-driven industries. Coupled with deep pockets and entrepreneurial attitude this may results in a phenomenal eruption of the world-class products and solutions.

The skeptics are of course saying that all the above is a wishful thinking, and current heavily corrupted and ignorant bureaucracy will torpid any initiative of such sort, and will just move the budget funds into their private pockets. The title of the cover story of the Russian Newsweek is quite indicative. From the first glans it is a innocent rhyme (it literally means ‘Silicon Raspberry, or ‘малина’ instead of ‘долина’, or a valley).

But the second meaning of the word ‘malina’, well-known in Russia, is a gangsters’ lair, or a den. It reflects the worries of too many that the true intention is to blow, and then skilfully burst yet another bubble fed by the governmental investments.

There are also concerns of different kind. Some say that the commonly shared opinion about ‘huge scientific and technological potential of Russia’ is slightly overrated, and that the current academic and research establishment does not have anything of value in their sleeves, and also incapable to produce such intellectual assets, especially in a short while. There was a number of publications lately accusing Russia in loosing its scientific might, the allegations that strongly refuted by Kremlin (by the way, there is another nickname of the project, namely Кремливая Долина, that wittingly blends ‘Kremlin’ and ‘silicon’).

Why is it interesting for Summ( )n? Even if to only observe these developments from a distance, this is an interesting case, of developing innovative ways to innovate. There are lots of important issues here, and one of them, currently omitted in the majority of conversations around the project, is about the role of ‘creative industries’: design, cultural production, art. There is gut feeling here that a simple cocktail from science, technology, and money will not bring the desired eruption innovations, and that more complex recipe is in need. Can Summ()n add its 2c? That is an interesting question to think about.