OREANDA-NEWS. June 28, 2011. Afisha and Rambler have created a foundation to support promising Internet projects. The foundation is launched under the Rambler brand name and will focus on the development of media and technology products.

We invest in the projects that fit the combined company’s new strategy. These projects may include media resources, electronic shopping, and personal and mass communications solutions. The main point behind such projects is that it should help the company create a shared space of choice for the users.

We use the term "choice" in a fairly wide sense. On the one hand, we have the media, such as the Afisha magazine and Lenta.ru website, which we use for shaping the lifestyle images. They create preferences, desires, ideas and encourage people to make choices. On the other hand, we have the services such as the Rambler products, the website and Afisha applications. They help our customers refine and implement their choices through communication, comparison and purchases.

Take movies, for example. Users become interested in a new film after reading a review in Afisha. They check out show times, choose a convenient one and buy a ticket using the Rambler-Kassa service right on the Afisha website. Thus, media projects and the Internet services of the company form a single space, where users can identify, refine and implement their choices.

Rambler Foundation will invest in the project at the initial stage, when a startup will just be launched or be available in the form of a concept. In order to attract financing, the team will need to provide a good business plan and a prototype.

The initial investment in each project will amount to 3 million rubles for a period from 6 to 12 months. In addition to investments, Afisha and Rambler will invest technological and marketing resources in the projects and share their management experience. Company employees will work as mentors with the teams.