ST. PETERSBURG (Sputnik) — SPIEF kicked off in St. Petersburg on Thursday and will continue through Saturday. The Sputnik news agency is an official media partner of SPIEF.
"You need to actively use these possibilities. You need to create units that will carry out targeted cooperation with startups and small innovation companies. And [to create] venture funds to finance those projects. I hope these will not remain empty words. I ask you to make this happen, and as soon as possible," Putin said, talking about companies such as Roscosmos, Rosatom, the United Aircraft Corporation, the United Shipbuilding Corporation and others.
He also urged the government and the State Duma to approve legislation amendments in order to define the ways big companies could acquire shares in startups.
"Big business, in its turn, must have a clear legal mechanism of buying small investment companies and acquiring shares in their capital," Putin stressed.
He explained that startups may become effective partners of big businesses, adding that the state intends to develop cooperation and build the necessary infrastructure for this by creating scientific innovation and technology centers at the leading universities.
