Innovations will help overcome the crisis. This is the conviction of the participants of the International Forum "Innovative Entrepreneurship of the Vitebsk Region".
The international forum "Innovative Entrepreneurship of the Vitebsk Region", held in the northern capital on November 12, has made a strong bid for the creation of a permanent platform for the formation of a regional innovation environment, in which developers, investors, research centers, and local authorities can comfortably interact.
The forum was attended by heads of the regional executive committee and district heads, a number of republican ministries and departments, banks, subjects of entrepreneurship support infrastructure, representatives of domestic companies and businessmen from Russia, China, Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as leading regional educational institutions. And, of course, numerous young people, the future stars of innovative entrepreneurship in the Vitebsk region, who patiently absorbed the basics and joined the discussion of pressing issues of economic development. The Vitebsk Concert Hall, where the forum was held, at that time resembled a cauldron in which many ideas were being brewed, and much valuable could be fished out of this "broth".
Multiplier Effect
– Analyzing the processes taking place in the world, we understand that not only can we not do without small and medium-sized businesses – we simply cannot survive, – Oleg Sergeevich noted the relevance of the event's topic and gave a brief overview of the main directions of state support for private initiative and its regional aspect.
The main goal of the policy pursued is to create favorable conditions for the development of entrepreneurship, allowing both experienced businessmen and beginners to fully realize their potential. This includes creating a support infrastructure, preferential financing (over the past three years, about 40 billion rubles have been allocated to private companies on a gratuitous basis solely from the innovation fund of the regional executive committee), as well as organizational assistance in the implementation of noteworthy projects. At the same time, special emphasis is placed on stimulating innovation, without which it is difficult to imagine an effective business today. The introduction of new ideas and technologies has a multiplier effect – this includes exports, tax revenues, and jobs with high salaries, and therefore, a decent standard of living for people, noted Oleg Matskevich. In the Vitebsk region, the share of innovation-active enterprises is 30%, and this, according to the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee, is a good indicator, although it could be half, which is what we should strive for.
Dmitry Krupsky, Head of the Department of Science and Innovation Policy of the Ministry of Economy, acknowledged the importance and significance of the forum and proposed making this platform a permanent one.
— In a competitive environment, any business involves the implementation of one innovation or another, which overcome crises. Since the global situation is characterized by crisis phenomena, it would be beneficial to hold such a forum regularly, where training for novice entrepreneurs, promotion of scientific and technical developments, and the creation of conditions for communication between developers and investors, as well as the exchange of skills and ideas, could be organized, — motivated his initiative the official from the capital.
Effective Human Resource Management
Sergey Ivanov, Director of UP "Polymerkonstruktsiya", shared his experience of building a business from scratch based on innovation.
— Having studied the descriptions of the developments of scientist Vinogradsky (who dealt with the purification of natural waters by biological methods back in the 19th century), we created technologies based on this foundation that today compete with leading global brands in the industry, — these details of the company's origin were first announced by the well-known Vitebsk businessman. As a result, over 15 years, the specialists of "Polymerkonstruktsiya" have built more than 800 water supply facilities in settlements of Belarus and Russia, thereby helping to solve the problem of providing clean drinking water to a total of over 4 million people.
— I know for sure that the most important wealth of our country is its people, including the youth who will move our country forward, working for its economic prosperity, — said Sergey Ivanov. — It is important to remember that innovations in Belarus are actively supported, so you can confidently bet on them, and then it will be difficult to stop, the innovation process is very engaging.
International Aspect
The forum in Vitebsk became an effective platform for expanding and international cooperation of various participants in the innovation process and entrepreneurship support entities.
— Belarus is a good place for Polish investments. It is also important that this will contribute to the development of Vitebsk and the region as a whole, and will be beneficial for the residents of the region, — noted in a conversation with journalists, the President of the Board of the Łódź Regional Development Agency, Przemysław Andrzejczak. — We offer cooperation in the field of food production and the chemical industry.
According to him, for Poland, Belarus acts as a gateway to the East, and for Belarus, Poland is a path to the European Union, and we need to work to find common ground and jointly implement projects, create joint ventures both in Belarus and in Poland.
The Chinese scientific and technical investment holding "Fohou" ("Phoenix") signed as many as two memorandums of understanding — with the pharmaceutical cluster "Union 'Medicine and Pharmaceuticals - Innovative Projects'" and Vitebsk State Medical University. But the most numerous events of the forum were master classes, consultations, and seminars on various aspects of entrepreneurship.
Sergey Antonov. Photos by Dmitry Osipov. "Vitebskiye Vesti".