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Undoubtedly the problem of developing technologies and new types of products is within the powers of the major research and production centers that are equipped with the appropriate research infrastructure. This effort also requires significant financial resources. The lion's share of potentially commercializable technologies is concentrated in the defense sector, and immense resources for conversion have been targeted in this field. However, experience has shown that manufacturing new products requires not only money, but also skill in handling all aspects of bringing competitive products to the market on a tight schedule and meeting the demands of the potential customer at an acceptable price. It is this stage— commercialization—that has been practically absent. There are a number of reasons for this, primarily including the following:

For these reasons, small innovative enterprises are best suited for commercialization. Obviously such enterprises must have managers who have both a technical background in the appropriate field and a fairly broad scientific outlook on the one hand and the necessary knowledge and practical skills for working under market conditions on the other.

As a rule, it is the formation of such a class of “technology brokers” that represents the main obstacle to commercialization.

The problem of developing small innovative firms is especially pressing for cities like Snezhinsk. This urgency is determined by socioeconomic development conditions in the city, namely the shortcomings in the city's infrastructure for energy, personnel, and other resources; the