RBI FUTURUS: WHERE RUSSIAN INNOVATIONS MEET SINGAPORE'S COMMERCIALIZING KNOW-HOW

The Russian Business Incubator "FUTURUS" is one of the most significant projects in which both Russia and Singapore are involved and has proven mutually beneficial. It was registered in Singapore on 27 February 2007, following the interstate Protocol of Intentions signed the year before between the Government of the Republic of Singapore and the Government of the Russian Federation. Says Sergey Obrezanov, RBI's Director and CEO: "RBI 'FUTURUS' is Russia's only business incubator located outside of Russia. Launched with intergovernmental approval, it is a vivid example of private-public partnership, being sponsored by a group of private Russian companies."

RBI "FUTURUS"' main objective is to facilitate effective development and application of Russia's innovative potential, coupled with Singapore's unique knowledge and experience in terms of the commercialization of IP assets – a sphere in which Russia is unfortunately not very strong as yet. "While Russian scientists are extremely capable in generating new ideas and developing them to the level of prototypes, it is Singapore that knows how to commercialise new high-tech products and launch them in the market. Thus, a tremendous synergetic effect is achieved, that benefits both parties involved: while Russia wishes to modernise its industries, Singapore is keen to diversify its export markets," continues Obrezanov.

The uniqueness of RBI "FUTURUS" lies in its objective to bring businesses together and provide them with reliable partners to use each other's advantages for mutual prosperity. Even Singaporeans, according to Obrezanov, find this approach rather unique and proposed to share RBI's business format with other APEC countries. "Stage one of the RBI 'FUTURUS' development was to study possibilities for high-tech R&D in Singapore and Southeast Asia, as well as to get to know all major players in the field, both governmental and private. Only after we had gathered such knowledge did we start approaching Russian companies to offer them our expertise. The Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies RUSNANO became one of our first clients," Obrezanov proudly reports.

And he has valid reasons to be proud of this achievement: it was RBI that initiated the first Russia-Singapore Nanotechnology Conference in March 2009, where the RUSNANO team was introduced to Singaporean nano and business communities. The Conference was jointly organized by RBI "FUTURUS", Singapore Business Federation, SingNano and the Singapore Economic Development Board. Its key objective was to promote Russian nano-innovations in Singapore with the general purpose of commercialising them in the world markets.

"By the end of this year, we are hoping to have a number of other prominent Russian companies involved in innovations and technologies as our clients. All the necessary prerequisites for such cooperation have been created and tested," concludes Sergey Obrezanov.

RBI "FUTURUS" is a rather ambitious project that sets forth numerous other goals:

• To select investors and reliable partners for thr most promising Russian R&D;
• To import advanced diagnostic, research and technological equipment from Singapore to Russia's special economic zones, regions and individual companies;
• To assist Russian companies in obtaining legal protection of intellectual property in Singapore and Asia-Pacific countries,
• To organise training sessions, workshops and business incubator study programmes.