OREANDA-NEWS. The representatives of the SKOLKOVO Entrepreneurial community Maxim Karpov, Mikhail Khomich, Elena Stakheeva, Sergey Muliar and Evgeny Kazanov with participation of Artur Abramov, senior expert of infrastructural project of RVC, have discussed the prospects of entrepreneurial development of Kaluga region with the area's leaders at the roundtable in Obninsk.

The event helped to reveal the problems that hamper the development of entrepreneurship potential of the region. Mainly, they are linked with the entrepreneurial initiatives fragmentation and lack of motivation to open independent businesses. Firstly, in order to solve the aforementioned problems it was decided to create a regional business catalyst. The model was successfully tested by the SKOLKOVO Entrepreneurial community experts at the Don State Technical University (DSTU). Secondly, Kaluga region will host a series of events targeted at the popularization of entrepreneurship.

“The meeting in Obninsk marked the launch of a large-scale project of replication of the regional business catalyst model”, said Elena Stakheeva, Head of project work of the SKOLKOVO Entrepreneurship community. “After Obninsk, we are set to visit Astrakhan and ZATO Zheleznogorsk. We believe that the project, which is being implemented together with RVC, will effectively and rapidly help the entrepreneurship in the Russian Federation's subjects to reach a new level.”

One of the main goals of a business catalyst is to increase a number of projects that are ready for presentation to venture funds' investment committees. The proposed model of a regional catalyst is urged to become an effective way to select the most promising R&D projects and help them reach deals. Experts propose an instrument that provides communication for all parts (technical developers, entrepreneurs, industrial experts) and transforms ideas in real businesses.