See other releases of corporate mass media
SMEs in the Sverdlovsk region: prospects and opportunities
One of the events of MAEF-2021 at USUE was Vysota regional interactive forum of entrepreneurs dedicated to the Day of Russian Entrepreneurship and organized by the Ural Branch of the Free Economic Society of Russia, the Institute of Trade, Food Technologies and Services, and the USUE Department of Tourism Business and Hospitality. Its participants were small and medium-sized businesses of the Ural Federal District, government officials, scientists, and educators.
The forum began with a plenary session, which was opened by the president of the Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry Andrey Besedin: “Today, a week of events dedicated to the development of Russian entrepreneurship begins at USUE. The fact that this week begins with young people is correct because the success of business in the country and the region depends on you. As the president of the Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry, I can say that we are sincerely proud of those people who are engaged in this difficult but very necessary business. "
Director of the USUE Institute of Trade, Food Technologies and Service Vera Solovieva: “This forum was facilitated by two events. This is Entrepreneur’s Day, which has been celebrated in our country for 14 years, and the Moscow Economic Forum, one of which venues is USUE. I wish good luck to the participants! When the forum ends, may new thoughts, ideas, and projects attend you!"
The head of the Department of State Support of Investment Activity and Investment Projects under the Ministry of Investments and Development of the Sverdlovsk region Pavel Borovkov in his report told about the mechanisms of state support for entrepreneurs and investors: "To discuss new methods of support and public policy focused on business development and investment initiatives is very important. In this case, it is of great importance that representatives of the student body - future project managers - have gathered here today. 2020 allowed us to take a fresh look at the system of support for investors and entrepreneurs, and set new accents for development. Last year, a new Federal Law on the Protection and Promotion of Investments was enacted, which allows organizing new industries in all sectors of the economy. The main principle is the stabilization of the conditions for the project implementation and the inviolability of the terms of tax, customs, and administrative legislation. The law allows the conclusion of agreements on investment protection and promotion between the authorities and investors, which guarantee the invariability of the conditions for the period of the project startup. We already have the first practices for implementing this law: in 2020, an agreement was concluded with Movista company for the integrated development of urban transport. In March 2021, IPPA was signed with Smak company. It means a new facility for bakery production."
Director of the UrFU Business School Larisa Malysheva spoke about the Boiling Point resource center: “One of 112 such centers is located in Yekaterinburg. We are coordinating representatives of business, government, education, social sphere, and development institutions to implement activities aimed at the development of the region. The office of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives in the Sverdlovsk Region is also headquartered at our center. Everyone has a chance to take part in the implementation of Boiling Point projects."
Vice- president of the Union of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses of the Sverdlovsk Region Vladimir Lobok: “In the Sverdlovsk Region, the share of small and medium-sized businesses is only 30%. If we compare it with the regions of Europe and the United States with a socially oriented economy, where small and medium-sized businesses involve 40-60% of the population, we can see that we have room to grow. Our business lacks active, caring, and ambitious personnel, people who want to make money but not just get a salary. Yekaterinburg is developing as a Eurasian transcontinental communication center, which provides many opportunities to implement different projects. It is time to become the leaders of this new development! "
“Today, a new world is opening up for future entrepreneurs with a huge number of unique opportunities: traveling, visiting forums, receiving grants, making useful contacts around the world, participating in projects. Our forum is aimed at providing all these opportunities to our participants and preparing the ground for new projects,” Olga Ergunova summed up the meeting.
The continuation of the Day of Russian Entrepreneurship at USUE was a roundtable "Business ombudsman: protecting business and creating conditions for the development of entrepreneurship", which was attended by entrepreneurs and officials of the Ural Federal District, as well as members of the Public Expert Council under the Ombudsman for the Protection of Entrepreneurs' Rights.
One of the honorary speakers of the meeting was Pavel Borovkov, head of the Department for State Support of Investment Activities and Investment Projects under the Ministry of Investment and Development of the Sverdlovsk region. He made a report on the key directions and trends in the development of the regional system of state support for investors.
“For a long time, the Russian Federation did not have a special law that would form the backbone for state investment policy, and in 2020 it appeared: No 69-FZ ‘On the protection and promotion of investments in the Russian Federation.’ It set a new vector for the development of investor and entrepreneur support. In the Sverdlovsk region, the principles of investor support are enshrined in the Charter. There is also a basic law on state support for investment activities, which is the main one in terms of measures to support the system. However, the very concept of investment legislation is much more capacious,” Borovkov said.
Director of the UrFU Business School and Boiling Point center Larisa Malysheva continued the topic with her report "Boiling Points as Drivers for the Development of Entrepreneurial Initiatives."
“There are 113 Boiling Points centers in Russia at the moment, the first one was opened in Moscow, then in St. Petersburg, and away we go ... Yekaterinburg became the 18th. All events in the “points” are free of charge. There is no commerce, politics, or advertising. And all this is about the future. Today, Boiling Points have begun to open up in large corporations so that young people would immerse themselves in the development of project activities,” Larisa Malysheva said.
Besides, the participants of the forum were presented the School of Leadership project and Vysota youth platform. “Our platform is an opportunity to decide at school age what you wish to become; the opportunity to acquire additional skills that can be applied in a future profession. Major employers are ready to share their experience, invite you to workplaces, and talk about professions. Vysota platform, which gathers schoolchildren, students, and young workers up to 35 years old and small and medium-sized businesses as employers, organizes various events. These can be marathons, thematic contests, and free educational programs,” said Natalya Yakimova, the head of the School of Leadership. After the presentation, an award ceremony was held for the winners of the Clear Your Height competition of the best youth projects.
The forum ended with a roundtable dedicated to women's entrepreneurial initiatives. Representatives of the About Women international community, the OPORA WOMAN business club, the Women's Committee of the Regional Association of Employers of the Sverdlovsk Region, small and medium-sized businesses of the Ural Federal District, government bodies, science, and education discussed the creation of successful business projects and shared their personal experience in that sphere.
