Information technology in Russia

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The Information technology sector in Russia employed around 300,000 people in 2012, [1] and contributed 1.2% of the country's GDP in 2015. [2] The sector is concentrated in the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. [1]

Contents

History

The Russian IT sector drew comparatively little from Soviet-era institutions. [3] Russian IT companies were started in the early 1990s by founders with an academic background seeking to find a place in the new market economy. [3] Piracy was widespread in the country, with an estimated 90% of all software in Russia being pirated in 1997. [4]

In the 1990s, companies such as Vist began assembling computers out of foreign-made components, targeting small businesses and families who could not afford foreign brands like IBM and Compaq. [5] DVM Computer gained some traction in the laptop market with its RoverBook brand. [6] The Russian Computer Association (Российская компьютерная ассоциация) was the trade association representing the sector. [7] In 1997 Yandex was established in Moscow. [8]

In 1999 MCST developed the Elbrus 2000 processor, which was initially hyped as an Itanium killer, [9] but the project was hampered by a chronic lack of funding. [10]

Over time, Russian companies moved to software development, an activity which enjoyed higher margins. [1] Local companies cater to the specific needs of the Russian market, such as ERP software developed by 1C Company with a focus on Russian accounting rules. [11] Kaspersky Labs is described as the flagship company of the Russian IT industry. [12] Exports of software and IT services from Russia reached $7 billion in 2015, up from $2.8 billion in 2009. [13]

MCST Elbrus HT-R1000 laptop MCST HT-R1000 Elbrus laptop (cropped).jpg
MCST Elbrus HT-R1000 laptop

In 2012 MCST launched the NT-ElbrusS, a rugged laptop for military applications. [14]

In the aftermath of the War in Donbass and the annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian government banned a number of Russian IT companies from conducting business in the country. [15]

In June 2015 the Russian parliament passed a law to establish a preference system for software developed in Russia. [16]

Worsening relations between the United States and Russia have led some to advocate a purge of Russian software. [17]

Largest Internet companies

List of the largest internet companies based in Russia, according to the local version of Forbes: [18]

RankNameEstablishedHeadquarters
1 Yandex 2000 Moscow
2 VK 1998Moscow
3 Avito 2007Moscow
4 Wildberries 2004Moscow
5 Lamoda 2011 Moscow
6Ozon Group2000Moscow
7 HeadHunter 2000 Moscow
8 Citylink 2008Moscow
9 2GIS 1999 Novosibirsk
10 KupiVIP Group2008Moscow

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Pulya, Vsevolod (1 February 2012). "Russian IT market faces cloudy future". Archived from the original on 25 July 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  2. ↑ "IT Outsourcing & Software Development in Russia" (PDF). Schneider Group. September 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-03-03.
  3. 1 2 "The Growth of Russia's IT Outsourcing Industry: The Beginning of Russian Economic Diversification?". Wilson Center. 7 July 2011. Archived from the original on 5 July 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "Gates Urges Russia to Stop Software Piracy". partners.nytimes.com. 10 November 1997. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "Russian Computers Break Out of the Red". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  6. ↑ ""Белый Ветер" продолжает продвигать "красные" компьютеры". Computerworld Россия (in Russian). 13 April 1995. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  7. ↑ "Ассоциации компьютерных фирм в России". Kommersant. 22 December 1995. Archived from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  8. ↑ "Yandex, Russia's biggest technology company, celebrates 20 years". The Economist. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "Top Microsoft boffin votes for Russian Merced Killer". 16 June 1999. Archived from the original on 3 October 2012. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  10. ↑ "Russian "Itanium Killer" Isn't Dead Yet - ExtremeTech". ExtremeTech. 23 May 2002. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "A Russian Software Billionaire Takes on SAP and Oracle". Bloomberg.com. 15 June 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2017.
  12. ↑ "Information technology could become a Russian window to the Asia-Pacific". Russia Direct. Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  13. ↑ RBTH, special to (12 January 2016). "Russian software is conquering the world". Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "This 22-pound "Made in Russia" laptop is actually pretty useful". Quartz. Archived from the original on 13 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  15. ↑ "KYIV BLOG: Ukraine goes overboard with Russian internet bans". Intellinews. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  16. ↑ "Restrictions on Foreign Software for State Procurements" (PDF). EY.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  17. ↑ Perlow, Jason (9 October 2017). "Beyond Kaspersky: How a digital Cold War with Russia threatens the IT industry". ZDNet. Archived from the original on 31 January 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  18. ↑ "20 самых дорогих компаний Рунета — 2018". Forbes.ru. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
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