Rustam Minnikhanov meets with Director general of European business and innovation center network

The Republic of Tatarstan is interested in cooperation with European business and innovation center network (EBN), RT President Rustam Minnikhanov stated at a meeting with EBN Director general Philippe Vanrie.

Aide to RT President Anatoly Krasnov, Director of Technopark Idea Sergey Yushko, Director of Investment venture fund Ainur Aideldinov took part in the event.

Director of Technopark Idea Sergey Yushko told about current cooperation of Tatarstan with EBN noting that “Idea” is the first and the only member of EBN among Russian technoparks.

A working group led by Philippe Vanrie arrived in Kazan in order to acquaint with work of technopark and take part in the Kazan venture fair. During one of round-table meetings EBN officials and Tatarstan specialists will discuss interaction of big and small business in the sphere of innovations and creation of jobs at innovation enterprises.

Philippe Vanrie said he and his colleagues were impressed by what they had seen in Tatarstan and what he had heard during the session of chairmen of committees of the Association of innovative regions of Russia.

Philippe Vanrie informed that EBN is engaged in accreditation of innovation and business centers in Europe presenting a single system of assessment and classification. The network comprises 200 accredited innovation centers in Europe.

III Russian-Europe forum of innovative forum that will be held in June in Finnish city Lappenranta within the limits of the 21st annual EBN congress is meant to establish closer interaction among European and Russian innovation centers. Philippe Vanrie considers this event a god opportunity for Tatarstan to consolidate relationships with leading European companies.