INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SMALL BUSINESSSUPPORT IN OBNINSK

The existing city system for the support and development of small business includes a number of structures capable of rendering a wide range of services. Obviously there are also other structures in the city that support start-up companies. The organizations that I mention here are those that belong to the Regional Innovative Technology Center (RITC) consortium. RITC enterprises cover practically the whole range of city needs for innovation services. Any missing elements will be created or strengthened in the future. In particular this can be done using funds from the Obninsk science city program.

In addition the Obninsk Center for Science and Technology (OCST) has been established by the Obninsk City Administration and all city research institutes to assist in integrating the capabilities and efforts of the institutes on matters regarding technology commercialization. The center also helps resolve similar problems for small enterprises, including by representing their abilities at various exhibitions within the framework of unified citywide displays. It should be noted that creation of the innovation infrastructure is one of the key elements of the Program for the Development of Obninsk as a Science City. This process is aimed at developing the existing infrastructure, creating new elements, and integrating them into a unified and coordinated system for innovation activity support.

Meanwhile, the Obninsk Chamber of Commerce, which has a cooperative agreement with the city administration, lobbies for the interests of business and promotes the development of the business support infrastructure, thus fulfilling its primary ideological objective of serving as a link between entrepreneurs and the city authorities. Near-term plans call for establishing a system under the chamber's auspices for representing the interests of small innovative firms and integrating their public affairs activities.

ACTIVITIES OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATION IN SUPPORT OF SMALL INNOVATIVEBUSINESSES

First of all, I would like to note that all city administration activities in support of small innovative businesses were undertaken by the previous team, which was headed by former Mayor Mikhail Vladimirovich Shubin.