Skolkovo and Uralchem will cooperate on the new projects
Uralchem Innovation (part of Uralchem) received the status of a research center and will become a partner of the Skolkovo Foundation. The ceremonial presentation of supporting documents was held at the 24th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF’21).
At the joint stand of Uralchem and Uralkali, Azat Gafarov, General Director of Uralchem Innovations, received a notification of the status assignment from Kirill Kaem, Senior Vice President for Innovation at the Skolkovo Foundation.
Uralchem implements its innovative activities through its subsidiary Uralchem Innovation, located on the territory of Skolkovo. The partner center is actively developing a whole line of new products that will be implemented through independent and joint researches in the field of food and agrobiotechnology, as well as through the formation of small companies — potential residents of Skolkovo.
Assigning Uralchem Innovation the status of a research center harmonizes the profile of its activities with the goals of the Skolkovo Foundation.
The new status helps all noted studies to get access to the best laboratory practice, to use the multiple-access centers, and to apply special tax regimes. Besides, there are opportunities for close cooperation with other residents in joint developments or the involvement of the research infrastructure of Uralchem Innovations in the projects of others.
Today Uralchem Innovation works in several main areas. The first is the development of a portfolio of products and adding there new types of fertilizers (smart or with extended duration), liquid types of microelement fertilizers, and biological plant protection products.
The second direction is the development of digital solutions to improve the efficiency of existing production processes. This program is in demand both in Uralchem and Uralkali. The companies are also interested in products for increasing the efficiency of animal breeding, such as feed salts, phosphates, and vitamins.
“Uralchem has a task to diversify its business. Fertilizer production is highly profitable, however, it has risks in terms of the development of technologies and new business models. Every day there are innovations in agriculture that can replace the application of traditional fertilizers and affect the quality and quantity of yield. And we want to become a company offering a full range of products, solutions and services. The Skolkovo Foundation has already proved itself as a reliable partner in the implementation of innovative projects. A joint Digital Challenge competition was successfully held last year, and several pilot projects are being implemented with the winning companies. We hope that directions and intensity of interaction with Skolkovo Foundation will only increase in the future,” noted Dmitry Mazepin, General Director of Uralchem.
