In Rostov-on-Don, the final of the UMNIK program of the Innovation Promotion Fund was held at the DonExpocentre site with the support of the regional government in a face-to-face and distance format.

More than 40 experts-representatives of executive authorities and business have reviewed bids in six areas: "Digital technologies", "Medicine and health-preserving technologies", "New materials and chemical technologies", "New devices and intelligent production technologies", "Biotechnology" and "Resource-saving energy".

Sergey Mordasov, director of the Rostov branch of PJSC Rostelecom, chairman of the regional expert jury of the UMNIK program, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech:

“The fact that Rostov-on-Don was awarded the honorary status of the IT-capital testifies to a competent strategy for the development of figures on the Don. It demonstrates the balance of the key drivers of growth: infrastructure and human capital. A basis is being created for the implementation of innovative ideas of digital transformation on the territory of the region, which are born just at such competitions as "UMNIK" and "Digital Breakthrough".

Don innovators presented a number of interesting and promising projects. In the "piggy bank" of developments: a unique platform for configuring 3D objects, a hydraulic control unit for implantation devices, integrated bank protection structures, a digital dynamic local lighting system for agro-industrial complex objects, a system for recognizing the type and quality of the road surface, innovations in the development of dairy product technology and many others ...

The head of the representative office in the Rostov region of the Innovation Promotion Fund Anna Pushhenko noted that the experts had to solve a difficult task: to imagine projects not as they are now, but as they will become in 3-5 years, and to answer the question of how likely they are, how investors would then finance these developments.

“The best projects will receive grants already in 2021, so that, thanks to this start-up support, they can“ reach ”the investor and the consumer in the future,” said Anna Pushenko.

26 projects recommended for financial support were submitted to the competition committee of the Innovation Promotion Fund to approve the winners.