MegaFon, a major Russian mobile phone operator, is investing in a project that will provide data access to on-the-ground users from low-Earth orbit satellites. The operator plans to invest 6 billion rubles (some $75 million at the current exchange rate ) over the next two years into research of the new technology. A dedicated R&D …
According to Boris Ovchinnikov (a co-founder of e-commerce research agency Data Insight), the frequency of Internet searches for the word obonyanie (“sense of smell” in Russian) may serve as a metric for gauging the spread of the novel coronavirus across Russia. Since temporary loss of smell is a common symptom of virus, tracking the public’s interest in this …
Digital epidemiology: How to chart Covid-19 using search engine queries Read More
Robofest, one of the largest technology festivals for young people in the world, is being held these days in online format. Its participants have developed solutions which could be used soon in the automotive, agricultural and aviation industries. For example, a team of students from Don State Technical University has presented a robotic manipulator, which is considered …
Sber, Russia’s state-controlled financial and technology giant (previously known as Sberbank), has brought its stake in Rambler to 100%, buying the 45% stake of billionaire Alexander Mamut. These shares will be paid for in tranches, stated Sber. The first one, worth 3 billion rubles (nearly $38 million at the current exchange rate) will be settled immediately, while …
Sber completes full acquisition of online media and entertainment group Rambler Read More
US businessman Michael Calvey and his fund Baring Vostok have reached a deal with former Russian partners in a corporate dispute over their joint investment Vostochny Bank. “The shareholders of Vostochny Bank have settled their corporate dispute” and “signed an agreement to the benefit of the Bank, its clients, depositors and creditors,” the two sides said in …
Skolkovo, Russia’s top international tech hub, is launching a softlanding program in digital format for foreign tech startup to explore the Russian market opportunity. The program will involve more than 30 companies from eight different countries. These include, in particular, Brazil, Iran, Hungary and Finland, says the Skolkovo Foundation. The program “aims to introduce foreign startups to the opportunities in Russian …
Skolkovo launches Russia softlanding program for foreign startups Read More
5G testing has already begun in Moscow. A dedicated demo center has just been launched in the Smart City pavilion at VDNH — a permanent exhibition center — for testing and supporting urban services based on this technology. These tests concern essentially the transport industry, medicine, urban safety and education. The city authorities have partnered with …
Moscow city teams up with domestic and foreign suppliers to test 5G Read More
For the first time ever, the Internet services giant Yandex has released statistics on the number of requests for user information it has received from Russian government agencies. In the first half of 2020, branches of the government sent the company more than 15,000 requests and Yandex fulfilled 84 percent of them. According to Russian …
Yandex releases first-ever transparency report on government requests for user data Read More
Sber, the state-controlled financial and tech giant – previously known as Sberbank, – and Russian pharma major R-Pharm, are teaming up to acquire the online pharmacy Eapteka. According to the agreement, each partner will get a 45% stake with 10% being retained by company founder Anton Buzdalin. The amount and details of the transaction, which is still subject …
Sber teams up with pharma major to acquire leading online pharmacy Read More
While gold is considered a safe heaven, it is not currently a mainstream investment among Russians, whose money is more likely to go into other options, including cryptocurrencies. Less than one-fifth of Russian investors, or just 16%, own gold and coins, but most are positive towards the idea of investing in the yellow metal, according …
Russians prefer cryptocurrencies over gold, says World Gold Council report Read More
Russian home cinema startup Multibutik — also known as Cinemood — has secured a $5 million loan from factoring company GameBoost42. Now headquartered in San Francisco, this startup is one of Russia’s most hyped international startup success stories. It has developed mini cinema projectors for children, including a cloud-connected one that can project content onto any surface. Cinemood …
In its efforts to manage and monitor the flow of human beings through the city, Moscow officials have experimented with mobile apps, QR codes, and telephone hotlines. Many of these systems have confused the elderly, overwhelmed operators, and frustrated virtually everyone. According to a new public contract reported in the Russian news media, the capital …
Moscow city plans to use mobile technology to manage and monitor human traffic flows Read More
