Russia Accelerates Business Digital Transformation

Russian tech giant Yandex is making automation more accessible with a subscription-based model for robotics, targeting businesses of all sizes while reinforcing the country’s digital independence.

Cutting-Edge Tech, Subscription-Style

Yandex has unveiled a Robotics as a Service (RaaS) platform, bundling hardware and software to deliver robotic automation without heavy capital expenditures. The model allows businesses to transition from CAPEX to OPEX, a crucial advantage in today’s tight tech environment.

The platform’s first adopter, premium supermarket chain Azbuka Vkusa, uses inventory-scanning robots that replace manual tasks, enhance data accuracy, and reduce cycle time dramatically. With annual costs in the millions of rubles, RaaS is already gaining traction among large-scale retailers and logistics operators.

Automation Without Borders

The RaaS initiative is more than just cost-efficiency; it's a strategic step toward Russia’s technological sovereignty. Locally developed hardware and software reduce reliance on foreign tech and boost the domestic high-tech labor market. Improved logistics automation can stabilize supply chains and improve service for consumers. Internationally, Yandex’s localized solution offers a compelling alternative for Eastern Europe, CIS nations, and Latin America — regions demanding scalable, affordable automation.

Automation has evolved. First came hard-coded systems. Then came autonomous robots with computer vision. Now we’re building systems that adapt in real time to dynamic environments — managing tens of millions of SKUs in changing conditions. It’s a complex problem, but we think we’re making real progress.

Ivan Kalinov

Director of Yandex Robotics

From Startups to Corporates

Yandex isn’t limiting itself to physical robotics. Through its Yandex Business division, it offers advertising-as-a-service subscriptions that automate campaigns via ML, publish listings, and provide analytics. These tools are democratizing digital marketing for small and midsize businesses. The broader B2B Tech ecosystem — integrating cloud tools, AI, BI, YandexGPT, and more — ensures scalability and rapid deployment, enabling enterprises of all sizes to embrace digital transformation cost-effectively and securely.

Next-Gen Digital Infrastructure

RPA (Robotic Process Automation) tools like Sherpa RPA and ROBIN are gaining momentum domestically. Operating under a subscription model, these platforms integrate seamlessly with ERP/CRM systems and use AI-driven interfaces for process automation. With projections suggesting that up to 20% of global jobs could be automated by 2035, tools like RPA and RaaS are critical to staying competitive.

Toward 2036: Robotic Density Goals

Russia’s industrial roadmap sets ambitious goals — increasing robot density from 19 to 194 per 10,000 workers and growing the robot fleet from 12,800 to 123,000 units. Achieving a 38% annual growth rate is essential.

Yandex’s RaaS isn’t just a service — it’s a cornerstone in a broader strategy uniting robotics, cloud, AI, and SaaS into a seamless automation ecosystem. Future expansions could include delivery bots, warehouse sorters, and paperwork automation, with growing export potential and domestic developer integration.