East-West Digital News

Founded in 2011, East-West Digital News is an online resource dedicated to the Russian high tech industry — providing fresh news, market research and business consulting services. Its news service and publications were suspended in 2022 as a consequence of Russia’s war on Ukraine and the subsequent international isolation.

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Nokia Siemens Networks to set up Smart Lab in Skolkovo

The Skolkovo Foundation confirmed last Friday a broad cooperation agreement with Nokia Siemens Networks, a leading global enabler of telecommunication services. Among other items, the deal included provisions for a Smart Lab on the premises of the innovation hub under construction near Moscow.

New law on payment systems favors mobile payments but tightens requirements for payment operators

New Federal legislation on payment systems was adopted by the Russian Duma on June 14 and signed into law by President Medvedev on June 27. The new law establishes the legal and organizational foundation for the country’s payment system and regulates the procedure for rendering payment services. The law recognizes four types of players who …

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St. Petersburg high tech company to fund Russian and foreign startups

i-Free, a global Russian mobile, digital finance and micro payment company, announced last Thursday the launch of its own internal venture fund to invest in IT startups. The new fund will provide financing as well as training and mentor support for seed stage projects – even to projects with “non-obvious monetization schemes” – and early growth …

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Potential Rostelecom privatization remains blurry, analysts speculate on merger with MegaFon or MTS

Rostelecom shares jumped 17% in June amid statements from senior Russian officials that the Russian national telecommunications operator might be at least partially privatized. The Russian Federal Government owns a controlling stake in Rostelecom, 53.23%, through the auspices of state owned telecom holding Svyazinvest and investment corporation Vnesheconombank. Rostelecom recently completed a large reorganization and …

Potential Rostelecom privatization remains blurry, analysts speculate on merger with MegaFon or MTS Read More

Yandex invests in social commerce app

Russian search system Yandex announced last week its intention to allocate funding for Social Market, a startup from Moscow developing a social commerce application, within the Yandex.Factory program.

Tele2 Russia accused of violating GSM licensing conditions

Tele2 Russia, a subsidiary of Stockholm based European telecom group, received a warning earlier this week from Russian telecom regulator Roskomnadzor that its licenses may be recalled should the company or its local subsidiaries continue serving regions where they have no licences, reported Russian business daily Kommersant.

$11 billion to be poured in Moscow e-city development program

The Moscow city government has signaled its preliminary approval for a five year city informatization program on Tuesday. The draft proposal of the program concludes that the whole initiative would cost 329.5 billion rubles, about $11 billion –a quarter of the city’s annual budget – and would be rolled out from 2012-2016. Following a series of public …

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French MRAM chips to be manufactured in Kaliningrad

Russian nanotechnology giant Rusnano and French MRAM chip maker Crocus Technology have selected Kaliningrad based satellite TV system maker General Satellite as their partner in their multimillion dollar joint project to transfer the manufacturing capacities of Crocus Technology to Russia.

VimpelCom considering new acquisition in Italy

VimpelCom, a mobile operator initially focused on Russia but which has grown into an important international telecom group, is considering a new acquisition in Italy, a source in the Italian government told Russian business daily Vedomosti. Through its merger last April with Italian mobile operator Wind Telecom, VimpelCom already controls 23% of the Italian market. …

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California’s Garage Technology Ventures to invest in Russian startups

Palo Alto based Garage Technology Ventures is partnering with Moscow based incubator Digital October to invest in Russian high tech startups with international potential. The news was reported yesterday by Russian business daily Vedomosti based on exchanges with Digital October General manager Dmitry Repin and Garage Technology Managing Director Bill Reichert.

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