Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin open the Lomonosov cluster, the flagship facility of MSU innovative technology research center

On the Russian Students’ day (St.Tatiana’s Day, January 25), President Vladimir Putin and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin opened the Lomonosov cluster, the flagship facility of MSU innovative technology research center Vorobyovy Gory. MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichy also attended the ceremony.

According to the Russian President, Lomonosov innovation cluster will be the beginning of the new city of science to be finished by the MSU’s 270th anniversary in 2025.

Sergei Sobyanin told Vladimir Putin about the new cluster, presenting the projects developed by its current and potential residents. Then the Russian President took time to talk to students.

“I’m very happy to see you and want to congratulate you on the Russian Students’ Day. As you all know, it was established to celebrate the founding of the Moscow State University. That has always been a key event not only for university students, but also for our entire education system, even the entire country. It is a joyful and lively event, because it’s focused on young people, of course. And it’s a very good tradition, I think, to preserve it and cherish it year after year,” said the President.

As instructed by Mr. Putin, the Moscow Government took on implementing the largest research and technology development project in the Russian history: the creation of the MSU innovation center.

The construction of the 10-storey high, 65,000 square meter large building meant to accommodate the Lomonosov cluster started in January 2021 and finished in January 2023. As Mr. Sobyanin pointed out, it was designed with Russian technologies. “We’ve replaced the foreign-made software, so, from the very concept seed and to the end of construction and commissioning, this building was made on digital technologies,” said Moscow Mayor.

The new cluster will accommodate companies focused on R&D and project implementation. There, students, post-grads and young researchers will find co-working spaces and opportunities to participate in acceleration programs that develop innovation projects. “It’s a cool, ambitious project on the nexus of science and technology, and the current generation of students in Moscow: active, driven and talented, is bound to contribute to its success,” said Mr. Sobyanin on his Telegram channel.

The feature of the new building is its stained-glass windows; you can use the green accessible roof to hold all types of events.

“The Lomonosov flagship cluster (footprint 65,000 square meters) was designed and built in two years. It is one of the best research and technology centers in the country today. One of its design features is stained glass windows that let in plenty of natural light, and the green accessible roof that can be used to hold various events. Inside, there are laboratories with “clean rooms” and co-working spaces for innovators, exhibition rooms and service companies,” Sergei Sobyanin pointed out in his Telegram post.

Multimedia screens were installed inside for information and navigation purposes.

At the meeting with Vladimir Putin, Natalya Gorbunova, a student of MSU Economics Department, offered to integrate the future innovation center into the city infrastructure, in order to make its venues accessible to all Muscovites as well as visitors.

The Russian president liked the idea. “We have to ask Mr. Sobyanin here, he did a lot to make this project happen, and he continues to help. He’s told us right now that transport accessibility here is excellent: three Metro stations, two of them new,” said Mr. Putin.” Of course, if you get here, you should know where to go, what to do, what’s going on, so that school students, or students from other universities could find their way”.

The cluster concept focuses on creating an innovation lift of sorts that would help projects move from the conception stage to a successful high tech company,” Moscow Mayor pointed out on his Telegram channel.

“The cluster residents have access to a full range of services required to develop high-tech projects. The tax environment created for them is as rewarding as possible. Insurance payment to the government out-of-budget funds will be cut down to 14 per cent for them, and they won’t need special permits to hire workers from abroad,” said Mr.Sobyanin on his Telegram channel.

Applications to join the Lomonosov were accepted from December 18, 2020, on Moscow innovation cluster IT platform. Over 300 companies expressed their interest in becoming residents; 44 have passed the pre-selection stage and 25 have already got that status.

Some of the Lomonosov cluster residents:

— Advanced Technologies Center, a company specializing in development and production of precision measurement devices for micro- and nano-scale research;

— Geoscan Moscow, LLC, a Geosscan subsidiary established in order to scale up industrial unmanned drone production;

— Marine Center, LLC, a company that develops innovative equipment for marine and off-shore environment monitoring.

— Inwave, LLC, a radio and electronic equipment developer, with about 130 positions in its product range;

— RoboCV, LLC, a company that has been making robotics solutions, machine vision, navigation and control technologies, as well as mathematic modeling, for over 10 years;

— MSU Seismic Data Analysis Center, LLC, a developer of fiberoptic systems for seismic research that assess and monitor parameter changes in the topmost layer of the geologic column;

— Airlife, a producer of high-performance, nano- and photocatalytic air purification and disinfection systems: highly effective aerosol filters;

— Process Systems for Protective Coatings, LLC a full cycle innovative coatings company that covers all operation from material development to mass production and long-term service of equipment supplied to oil&gas, energy, engine building, aircraft and spacecraft engineering sectors;

— Genotek MSU, the developer of a bioinformatic database for preventive and bespoke healthcare genetic tests analysis: the first genetic lab in Russia capable of running genome sequencing;

— Optomonitoring, LLC, a developer of optoelectronics for infrastructure (pipelines, roads, rail tracks, oil wells) monitoring;

— Petroleum Studies and Research Centre, a company focused on developing tools for demulsification and quick oil spill elimination (including ship-based ones), water purification and waste reduction equipment;

— Popov Radio Corporation, a producer of silica crucibles for making silicon monocrystals used in electronics and solar panel production;

— T8 Company, a developer of telecom equipment for municipal and baseline networks, as well as 5G transmission networks.

Applications from another 19 companies are being reviewed now. They include:

— Ptero, a developer of unmanned drone aircraft for civil and military aerial surveys;

— Titan Power Solution, a company that develops and produces electronic base components and electronics (radioelectronics) that use super-condensers and ion-lithium batteries;

— NextGen, a developer of vital drugs that restore capillary network that reduce the risk of cancer, prevent and treat urology conditions and diabetes.

Sergei Sobyanin presents first five residents of the Lomonosov innovation cluster

Vorobyovy Gory Center: engineering groundwork and landscaping

MSU Vorobyovy Gory innovative technology research center (ITRC) was established by the Russian Government Resolution No.332 passed on March 28, 2019, as per the Federal Act of 2017.

The project invites companies focused on R&D and project implementation: viable startups, medium businesses and R&D divisions of large Russian corporations. There, students, post-grads and young researchers will find co-working spaces and opportunities to participate in acceleration programs that develop innovation projects.

The center is projected to include nine clusters; their total footprint will be 479,000 square meters. The Lomonosov flagship cluster has become the first of them.

The total land area allocated for the center is 17.6 hectares. That territory within a walking distance of the historical high-rise housing the MSU main building between Vernadskogo, Lomonosovsky and Michurinsky prospekts and Ramensky Boulevard, was earmarked for MSU back in the 1950s. However, up to the very recent future, it was occupied by various ramshackle garages and other structures, often built illegally.

In December 2020-February 2021, the Moscow Government made an effort to vacate the future technology research center territory. Three million cubic meters of construction waste, garbage and soil were taken out of there.

Furthermore, under the Moscow Target Investment Program, a section of Ramensky Boulevard, its junctions with Michurinsky and Vernadskogo prospekts, meant to provide transport access to the ITRC, was built.

Right now, the municipal service staff are hard at work outfitting the ITRC grounds with all the required engineering and transport infrastructure.

In order to provide the center with water, heating and electricity, they are going to lay down 2.6 kilometers of pipes, 36 kilometers of cables and 6.6 kilometers of sewage systems.

They are also going to build 2.8 kilometers of roads and driveways in order to set up the above-ground public transport system, lay down bike and walking paths to the Metro station.

In order to avoid parking collapse at the entrance, an underground parking garage is to be built under the ITRC main alley.

The grounds will be landscaped; pedestrian areas are going to take up around a quarter of them.

The landscaping design takes into account every local feature, the insolation level and the climate. The designers chose shade-loving plants, perennial grasses for the slopes, trees and bushes for the ITRC park and accent ornamental plants for the official areas. Outdoor furniture will be painted in calming, soft colors. Trees and other plants are going to serve their ornamental function even in winter. An important feature of the project is that it provides for landscaping of accessible roofs.

The total landscaped area at the Lomonosov cluster will be over 10,400 square meters. There are going to be several functional areas intended for various types of events.

The central plaza will be the first one. That official and public space featuring a statuary composition in its middle, planter benches and large trees, will be located at the foot of the main staircase.

The second one will be a landscaped urban park with large trees, highlighting the façades’ and the plaza’s austere geometry.

The plants in the inner courtyard (804 square meters large) will be planted taking into account their height, crown shape and other features. The area is intended to host public talks, master classes and open-air lunches.

The second and the fifth floors of the cluster will feature open and landscaped terraces with outdoor furniture. Those spaces (over 5,200 square meters in total) are also going to be suitable for various events.