Russia Joins Global Surge of New Tech Brands

A new and ambitious phase in Russia’s economic development is underway, marked by the emergence of new domestic brands across a range of industries—including high tech. President Vladimir Putin highlighted the trend at the Strong Ideas for a New Time forum, hosted by the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.

Investing in the Future

Prior to the forum’s opening, President Putin toured an exhibition of emerging Russian brands participating in the 'Know Our Own' contest, joined by Svetlana Chupsheva, CEO of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), and Igor Shuvalov, Chairman of the VEB.RF development corporation.

The contest aims to spotlight Russia’s most promising companies with localized production. In 2025 alone, over 14,000 entries were submitted across five major categories: Food Products, Consumer Goods, High Technology, Creative Industries, and IT, along with several special nominations.

New Voices, New Value

Chupsheva noted that nearly 600,000 users are active on ASI’s crowdsourcing platform, which allows Russian citizens to submit ideas and project proposals. The broader ASI ecosystem now encompasses over 10 million participants.

Thanks to strong government support, we’re going to see new brands that previously had little visibility, or were only known regionally. We believe that promoting consumer-facing Russian products is especially critical right now

Vladimir Gutenev

Chairman of the State Duma’s Industry and Trade Committee and First Vice President of the Russian Engineering Union

Initiatives showcased at the forum are tested in real-world settings and often prove viable not only domestically, but on international markets. Thousands of creators receive educational and strategic support, and the 100 most impactful proposals are funneled to the federal government and regional authorities for consideration.

From Replication to Innovation

This year’s forum spotlighted a key shift—Russia is no longer relying on reverse engineering or import substitution alone. Increasingly, new products are born from original R&D. 'What matters most is that these are our own solutions, developed from scratch. That’s what we’ll support,' President Putin emphasized.

Russia is crafting its own tech roadmap in response to sanctions and global supply disruptions. That roadmap relies on talented individuals—from large research centers to small family-run engineering teams, student groups, and school collectives.

The goal is widespread implementation of Russian-born innovation, powered by state support. The result: not just stronger self-reliance, but new opportunities for citizens to access AI and IT products that simplify everyday life.

Rising Demand and Global Outlook

AI-driven solutions for critical infrastructure, public administration, healthcare, and industry are particularly in demand. One example: the Speech Technology Center (TsRT) has equipped Russian Railways with a platform for developing text and voice bots—including the virtual assistant ViKo, designed entirely by in-house specialists.

National directives for AI are enshrined in Russia’s AI Development Strategy through 2030. The policy promotes broad adoption of domestic digital tools and innovation across economic sectors. Scalable successes are expected to become export-ready—particularly in the CIS, Asia, and the Middle East, where demand for digital sovereignty is growing.

Experts forecast a near-term acceleration in national AI standards, enhanced government backing, and rapid startup growth in this sector.