The Malt System multi-core processor development team (based at Moscow State University) has registered a chip with its own architecture, created using 16 nm technology, in Rospatent.

 
 The processor (under the brand Enceladus) is designed for stream processing of network traffic at speeds up to 1 Gbps; the processor can ensure the security of network connections “through software encryption/decryption of traffic using any domestic or foreign algorithms.”

 
 The company experts say that Enceladus will not be bigger than 9x9 mm in a BGA package. “It is smaller than an RJ-45 connector. Such a processor can be installed in almost any device.” Silicon samples will be available in the first quarter of 2022. Enceladus SDK and debug board will be released in the third quarter of 2022.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/malt/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Malt</a><a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/malt/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> System </a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rossiiskii-razrabotchik-malt-system-sozdal-protsessor-na-sobstvennoi-arkhitekture/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

CNews

Hardware Developer Malt System Creates a Processor Using its Own Architecture

Neobank and financial platform TalkBank neobank was included in the top 100 IT companies using AI, according to the international rating <a href="https://fintech.global/aifintech100/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AIFinTech100</a>.

 
 The rating was formed from 1000 applicants based on the opinions of a group of specialized experts. They evaluated IT vendors developing artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to solve problems in the financial services sector.

 
 The following criteria were used to select companies:

<ul>
 <li>proposed innovative technological AI solution;</li>
 <li>sectoral significance of the problem being solved;</li>
 <li>growth in terms of attracted capital, revenue, customer acquisition;</li>
 <li>potential cost savings, efficiency gains, value chain impacts and / or increased customer revenues.</li>
</ul>

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/talkbank/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TalkBank</a>

<hr />
 
 In June 2021, TalkBank <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/talkbank-fintech-platform-raised-over-2-7-million/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> raising $2.7 million (218 million rubles) from the MTS venture fund, IIDF, and other investors.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/projects/ai/news/1869/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

 Talkbank

Moscow-Based Fintech TalkBank Included in Top 100 Companies Using AI

The Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) and Huawei have launched the Eurasia 5G Trainings educational program, which will train specialists for the 5G sphere, Cnews reports.

 
 The program includes lectures on such issues as the main trends and prospects of 5G, an overview of the 5G market and industry, the principles of building 5G networks. The academic year consists of 25 courses, during which time experts from MTUCI and Huawei will conduct trainings on 5G at technical universities in Eurasia.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mtusi-i-huawei-zapustili-programmu-podgotovki-5g-spetsialistov/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

MTUCI and Huawei Launch 5G Training Program

The investment fund My.Games Venture Capital (owned by Mail.ru Group) has invested more than $82 million (6 billion rubles) in the development of game projects in four years, according to Vladimir Nikolsky, co-founder of My.Games and COO of Mail.ru Group.

 
 45 studios have received investments, of which only seven have achieved the "desired results" and have fully joined My.Games, Nikolsky said. The largest investments of $27 million (2 billion rubles) went to the Novosibirsk team of Deus Craft, the most modest investments (about $ 150,000) were put into the Belarusian studio Swag Masha.

 
 In the first half of this year, My.Games' revenue increased to $301 million (22.1 billion rubles).

<hr />
 
 Connect with

 
 <a href="https://ru.linkedin.com/in/vladimir-nikolsky" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Vladimir Nikolsky,</a> Chief Operating Officer of Mail.ru Group

<hr />
 
 In September 2021, My.Games <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/mail-ru-group-buys-controlling-stake-at-belarusian-gaming-company-mamboo-games/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">has acquired </a>a controlling stake in the Belarusian hyper-casual game developer Mamboo Games with payment of more than $2 million at the close, as well as a deferred payment, the amount of which will be determined depending on the performance of the business.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mail-ru-group-za-chetyre-goda-vlozhila-v-razrabotku-igr-svyshe-6-mlrd-rublei/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Mail.ru Group Invests Over $82 Million in Game Development in Four Years

The Deputy Minister of Economic Development Vladislav Fedulov in an interview with Vedomosti newspaper named the preliminary criteria for including companies in the category of ecosystems. These include a "tight internal integration of related services other than the anchor business" and an "ongoing investment in digital innovation across industries."

 
 The main features of an ecosystem, according to Fedulov, are the presence of a “network effect”, as well as a "plurality of third-party economic activities, the number of services for consumers, a loyalty system, a logistic cut."

 
 He noted that the ministry will offer quantitative metrics for these signs, but without specific indicators for each of them. Regulation, according to Fedulov, should be the same for banking and non-banking ecosystems. “I admit that there will be a high-level framework law that will establish general principles of regulation, a kind of an ecosystem constitution,” the deputy minister said.

 
 Fedulov also admitted that the norms for regulating ecosystems can either be included in the fifth antimonopoly package (currently not adopted), or they will be highlighted in a separate bill.

 
 Earlier, the Ministry of Economic Development <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/ministry-of-economic-development-presented-the-concept-of-ecosystem-regulation/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">presented</a> a roadmap for regulating the activities of companies developing various digital services based on one ecosystem.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/vladislav-fedulov-rasskazal-o-predvaritelnykh-kriteriiakh-dlia-vkliucheniia-kompanii-v-kategoriiu-ekosistem/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Vedomosti

Ministry of Economic Development Names the Key Criteria for the Development of Ecosystems

The implementation of smart home systems in new buildings and old housing stock may become mandatory, according to a new draft roadmap for the development of the communications industry, which the Ministry of Digital Industry is developing jointly with telecom operators.

 
 By March 2022, the working group plans to create a technical national standard (GOST), which will prescribe the equipping of houses with smart systems. The amendments to building codes and regulations (SNiP) are also being prepared, fixing adherence to the standard.

 
 What the new document should describe is not indicated in the draft roadmap, as well as specific changes in the building code (SNiP). For retrofitting of already commissioned residential buildings with engineering systems, it is proposed to "provide for the possibility of using capital repair funds."

 
 Plans to introduce an additional GOST for smart homes were supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade. The government body also knows about the changes in SNiP. They believe that the introduction of smart home technologies "in the long term will increase the transparency of payments for housing and communal services, minimize the number of errors in charging, and also optimize the costs of residents for housing and communal services."

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-rossii-trebovaniia-k-osnashcheniiu-domov-smart-sistemami-propishut-v-novom-goste/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Izvestia

Telecoms and the Ministry of Digital Development Developing a Standard for Smart Homes

RBC media holding has completed a deal with RU-WEB.Investments for the sale of 100% of the domain registration service RU-Center Group (operates under the brands Ru-center, R01 Registrar and SpaceWeb).

 
 As a result of the agreement, RBC received 25% in RU-WEB.Investments, another 75% went to a consortium of investors (the leader is the investment company Proxima Capital Group). RBC also received cash from the sale of Ru-center, with the exact amount not disclosed.

 
 The CEO of RBC Nikolay Molibog noted the investment attractiveness of RU-Center Group. “We view RU-Center Group as an investment case: we not only keep the asset within RBC holding, but also get new partners and resources for its full-fledged development”.

 
 The new company is expected to build a digital ecosystem of services for small and medium-sized businesses and increase business capitalization not through domains and hosting, but through services, Molibog said.

<hr />
 
 Connect with

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nmolibog" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nikolay Molibog</a>, the CEO of RBC

 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/ru-center/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ru-Center</a>

<hr />
 
 RBC became the owner of the main asset of RU-Center Group in 2012, having bought out the stake for $12.6 million (920 million rubles). At the end of 2020, the revenue of the Digital Infrastructure segment, which included RU-Center, amounted to $36.3 million (2.64 billion rubles). Earlier the company <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/rbc-to-sell-its-digital-infrastructure-division/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> that the sale plan was approved back in April. Around that time, the search for a potential buyer began.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/rbk-zakryl-sdelku-po-prodazhe-ru-senter/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

RBC Sells Domain Registration Service Ru-Center

Russian Post plans to use blockchain technology in its work, with the help of which it will track logistics supply chains. The first pilot projects can take place no earlier than the third-fourth quarter of 2023.

 
 Director for Digital Products of the Russian Post Vladimir Urbansky clarified that it will be a market service. According to him, the company can provide services "in fact for tracking supply chains, not only where we act as a logistics operator, but end-to-end chains in general."

 
 He recalled that the company had previously studied various blockchain solutions, but not on supply chains. “We are considering different platforms, but I am not ready to say that we have stopped at a specific one. While we are piloting different solutions," Urbansky said.

<hr />
 
 Connect with

 
 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/vurbanskiy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Vladimir Urbansky</a>, Director for Digital Products ot the Russian Post

<hr />
 
 The Ministry of Digital Development is now considering a strategy for the digital transformation of Russian Post, which includes a roadmap with a blockchain service, but there is still no final decision on this issue. According to the head of the ministry Maksut Shadayev, "the technological advantages of tracking parcels based on the blockchain are not yet obvious, rather we can talk about smart contracts."

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/pochta-rossii-primenit-blokchein-dlia-kontrolia-tsepochki-postavok/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Russian Post to Use Blockchain for Logistics

MTS, Russia’s largest telecom operator closed the deal to acquire a 70% stake in Sistema Capital for $48 million (3.5 billion rubles). As a result, the share of the mobile operator in the company increased to 100%.

 
 The parties <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/mts-buys-out-sistema-capital-management-company/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">signed</a> the binding agreements in mid-September. With the transaction, the company plans to increase its market positions in digital investment services, MTS noted.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mts-soobshchila-o-zavershenii-sdelki-po-priobreteniiu-70-sistema-kapital/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

TASS

MTS Completes the Deal to Buy 70% of Sistema Capital

<a href="https://www.ptsecurity.com/ww-en/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Positive Technologies</a> is developing a new roadmap for a cybersecurity standard, which should become an open knowledge base and consolidate the IT community's practices in countering cyber attacks. The document is to be discussed with regulators and the professional community

 
 According to the Director of Business Consulting at Positive Technologies Roman Chaplygin, the existing cybersecurity standards in Russia do not meet the realities, while the new standard will allow companies to share experience and improve the effectiveness of countering cyber attacks.

 
 Chaplygin clarified that if an open knowledge base appears, companies will be able to jointly develop the most effective solutions. In addition, the standard will help reduce the problem of staff shortages in the IT industry.

<hr />
 
 Connect with

 
 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rchaplygin/?originalSubdomain=ru" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Roman Chaplygin</a>, Director of Business Consulting at Positive Technologies

<hr />
 
 On July 27, Russia <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/russia-is-the-first-country-to-submit-un-cybersecurity-convention/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">submitted </a>to the special committee of the United Nations (UN) a draft convention on countering the use of ICT technologies for criminal purposes. At the end of 2020, Russia <a href="https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Cybersecurity/Pages/global-cybersecurity-index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ranked </a>fifth in the Global Cybersecurity Index by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/positive-technologies-planiruet-razrabotat-novuiu-kontseptsiiu-standarta-v-oblasti-kiberbezopasnosti/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Kommersant

Positive Technologies Develops a Roadmap for a Cybersecurity Standard

HSE specialists doubled the peak performance of their supercomputer cHARISMa. She has now reached two petaflops.

 
 According to the rating of the top 50 most powerful supercomputers in Russia and CIS countries, among university supercomputers cHARISMa ranks second only to Moscow State University's Lomonosov-2 and SPbSPU's Polytechnic, according to the university's website.

 
 The leading position in the overall <a href="https://top50.supercomputers.ru/list" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">rating </a>is occupied by the Christofari supercomputer (8.8 petalFLOPs at its peak) from SberCloud platform.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/charisma/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">cHARISMa</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/christofari/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Christofari</a>

<hr />
 
 The supercomputer cHARISMa was launched in early 2019. It is used to conduct fundamental and applied scientific research in terms of computer modeling, big data analysis, and machine learning. At the end of last year, funding for research carried out using cHARISMa exceeded $7.8 million (570 million rubles).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-niu-vshe-povysili-pikovuiu-proizvoditelnost-svoego-superkompiutera-do-2-petaflops/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

HSE (Higher School of Economics)

Higher School of Economics Increases its Supercomputer's Peak Performance to 2 PetalFLOPs

The <a href="https://amr.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Association of Managers</a> and the Kommersant Publishing House have released an annual rating of the top 50 Russian IT directors by industry and business as part of “Top 1000 Russian Managers” ranking.

 
 The top three CIOs in the IT sector include Maxim Shahab from Kaspersky Lab, Alexander Filatov from Lanit, and Marina Konova from CROC.

 
 The telecom category includes Viktor Belov from MTS, Grigory Savenok from MegaFon, Aleksey Berzin from Transtelecom, and Anton Rubenchik from Beeline. 

 
 As the authors of the rating note, the CIO category this year came out on top in terms of the share of new names (58%).

 
 <a href="https://t.me/ICT_Moscow/5107" target="_blank">Original (in Russian)</a>

List of Top 50 Russian CIOs Compiled

The Ritm Media company (a part of Gazprom-Media) plans to launch a new social network Yappy, which allows creating vertical videos up to a minute in length, based on the Yamolodets app purchased by the company last year.

 
 The project will be launch by the end of 2021, according to Gazprom-Media. Closed beta testing is currently at the final stage. The user base will be attracted with the help of “classical marketing tools, including in the digital environment”.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/gazprom-media-planiruet-zapustit-sotsset-yappy-s-vertikalnymi-video/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Gazprom-Media to Launch Yappy Social Network for Vertical Videos

The Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI), a subordinate to the Ministry of Digital Development, has chosen the Scientific Research Institute of Radio. M.I. Krivosheeva (NIIR) to carry out R&D on 5G and 6G.

 
 According to the procurement documentation, the <a href="https://zakupki.gov.ru/epz/order/notice/ok504/view/common-info.html?regNumber=0373100070621000054" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">first round</a> of R&D includes necessary a study of new methods and test tools for wireless communication devices based on 5G, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of using the 60 GHz band for the infrastructure of IoT.

 
 As part of the <a href="https://zakupki.gov.ru/epz/order/notice/ok504/view/common-info.html?regNumber=0373100070621000060" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">second </a>research project, the vendor will conduct research on promising wireless communication technologies, intelligent antenna systems, as well as quantum communication technologies. One of the topics announced are communication networks of the sixth generation.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/nii-radio-provedet-raboty-po-izucheniiu-sozdaniia-setei-5g-i-6g-v-rossii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Research Institute of Radio to Conduct a Study of 5G and 6G Implementation in Russia

The Ministry of Transport has published a <a href="https://regulation.gov.ru/projects#npa=120719" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bill </a>on taxi, which sets out obligations for aggregators, including joint responsibility with carriers in case of accidents.

 
 According to the document, the services will be obliged to open branches in each region, where more than 5 thousand trips per day are ordered through them. They will also have to keep track of the drivers' working hours. In addition, the new document will allow self-employed to conclude contracts with aggregators directly, without obtaining the status of an individual entrepreneur.

 
 Separately, the bill tightens the rules for foreign companies on the market, which have less than 50% of all users in the EAEU countries. In this case, foreign players will have to coordinate their activities in Russia with the government.

 
 The specification and consolidation of the requirements will create more favorable and safer conditions for using a taxi, the authors of the document clarify. The changes are expected to take effect on September 1, 2022.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/mintrans-predstavil-zakonoproekt-opredeliaiushchii-obiazannosti-agregatorov-na-rynke-taksi/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Ministry of Transport Presents a Bill Defining the Legal Obligations of Taxi Aggregators

The Twager.net startup (based in Moscow region) has created a communication device that allows users to transfer text messages at a distance of 200 km between subscribers.

 
 The data transfer occurs without the use of satellites or cell towers. The messages are delivered to the nearest repeater using short radio waves, which are reflected from the Earth's ionosphere at an altitude of hundreds of kilometers.

 
 The prototype device, which resembles a tablet with a compact antenna, can transmit messages at a rate of 120 characters per minute. The maximum text length of one message is 160 characters. According to the developers, in the future, it is theoretically possible to transfer images, video and sound using the device.

 
 The first to test the system are geologists, oilmen and builders. Russian Railways became interested in the technology, with plans to use it, among other things, to transfer messages between employees of the Far Eastern Railway.

 
 Russian Railways noted that earlier the Twager.net project became one of the seven winners of the company's corporate acceleration program.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/startap-twager-sozdal-ustrojstvo-svyazi-kotoromu-ne-trebuyutsya-sputniki-i-vyshki-dlya-peredachi-soobshchenij/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Startup Twager Creates a Device for Texting without Cell Reception and the Internet

<a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Yandex" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a> intends to invest $30 million by the end of next year in the development of its cloud platform Yandex.Cloud in Germany.

 
 The IT company has already begun training and setting up a representative office in this country. The funds at the initial stage will be used to purchase equipment and rent data centers. The infrastructure will be located on the basis of three German sites.

 
 In addition, Yandex.Cloud also announced the G-Cloud project, a cloud service that, according to the company, will meet the security and safety requirements for hosting state information systems on it. It is slated to launch by the end of 2022.

 
 Yandex also <a href="https://rb.ru/news/cloud-desktop-g-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">announced</a> the launch of Yandex Cloud Desktop service as part of Yandex.Cloud. It will allow creating up to a thousand virtual workplaces in the cloud, Yandex notes.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/yandex-cloud/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex.Cloud</a>

<hr />
 
 Earlier it was <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/yandex-clouds-revenue-for-the-first-half-of-2021-hits-15-million/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that the total revenue of the cloud platform in the first half of this year reached $15 million (1.1 billion rubles), which is 3.4 times more than in the same period last year.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-investiruet-30-mln-v-razvitie-svoego-oblachnogo-servisa-v-germanii/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex to Invest $30 Million in its Cloud Service in Germany

Online marketplace Ozon is considering options for launching its own cinema, having already consulted with such market players as ivi, Megogo and Viasat (managed by the National Media Group).

 
 Ozon is considering an acquisition of both white label technology from other video services and an existing platform. The online marketplace thus wants to solve ecosystem problems and strengthen the loyalty program.

 
 According to Kirill Filippov, the CEO of SPB TV video platform solutions developer, at this point, it is almost impossible to start a new OTT platform from scratch, since the initial stage will take at least $100 million. According to Raiffeisenbank analyst Sergei Libin, if Ozon chooses to buy a working platform, then the choice may fall onto ivi and Megogo.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Ozon" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Ozon</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/ivi-ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">ivi</a>

<hr />
 
 <a href="https://www.top100.datainsight.ru/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">According </a>to Data Insight, Ozon ranks second in online marketplaces in Russia, while the first position is occupied by Wildberries. Ozon's turnover at the end of last year increased to $2.7 billion (197 billion rubles).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/ozon-planiruet-zapusk-onlain-kinoteatra/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Ozon to Launch a Video Streaming Platform

<a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Yandex" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Yandex</a>, against the background of the proceedings in the the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), offered online streaming services a new format of enriched responses to search queries. Now, after a request, the user will be able to select a service right in the search results and start watching.

 
 New opportunities were provided to all OTT platforms with licensed content. The priority in the search results will be given to the platform that has a cheaper viewing cost with a comparable video resolution. The new format has already begun testing the Okko platform, but it’s too early to talk about the results, according to representatives of the video service.

 
 Since 2020, the FAS has been considering <a href="https://vc.ru/services/148385-avito-ivi-cian-profi-ru-i-drugie-pozhalovalis-v-fas-na-yandeks-iz-za-vidzhetov-v-poiskovoy-vydache" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">complaints</a> from a number of Internet sites against Yandex’ search widgets that allow Yandex to take a dominant position in the market through advertising its services. As a result, the regulator first <a href="https://fas.gov.ru/news/31152" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">issued</a> a warning to the search engine, and then <a href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/04/14/competition-authorities-open-case-against-yandex-for-abusing-search-dominance-a73586" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">opened a case</a> on violation of the Law "On Protection of Competition".

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/iandeks-predlozhil-onlain-kinoteatram-novye-pravila-vydachi/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Yandex Offers OTT Platforms New Rules for Search Results

Mail.ru Group does not exclude the IPO of AliExpress Russia, as well as the assets of joint ventures with Sberbank next year.

 
 As Investor Relations Director of Mail.ru Group Tatiana Volochkovich clarified, plans for IPO of these assets have already been announced, denoting possible development scenarios through 2022-2024. At the same time, so far the board of directors has not made such a decision, she noted.

 
 According to the results of the last financial year (ended on March 31, 2021), the turnover of AliExpress Russia <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/business/news/2021/04/07/864855-oborot-aliexpress-v-rossii-priblizilsya-k-230-mlrd-rublei-v-2020-godu" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reached</a> $3.1 billion (229 billion rubles). The turnover of goods from Russia during this period <a href="https://www.notion.so/aliexpressrus/AliExpress-97e03612847d4665abfd20e80e568f71" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">amounted</a> to about $755 million (55 billion rubles) and grew by 151% year-on-year.

 
 Earlier, MegaFon, in its report for the second quarter of 2021, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/news/megafon-estimates-its-share-in-aliexpress-at-1-6-billion/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">estimated</a> the value of the operator's shareholding (24 billion shares and 24.3% of the capital) of AliExpress Russia at $1.6 billion (119.7 billion rubles) until recently. Thus, the fair value of AliExpress Russia in mid-2021 might be around $6.7 billion (492.6 billion rubles).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/v-mail-ru-group-dopustili-ipo-aliexpress-rossiia-v-sleduiushchem-godu/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Mail.ru Group Sees AliExpress Russia Going Public in 2022

Provider of IT solutions and services Softline is preparing for an IPO on two exchanges at once, London and Moscow. VTB will be the placement organizer.

 
 The company intends to raise $500 million, according to Forbes' sources. The company's representative did not confirm or deny the information about the possible placement of shares.

 
 Softline's turnover grew to $1.8 billion, the company's results for the past financial year (ended in March 2021) show. 

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Softline" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Softline</a>

<hr />
 
 In May it was <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-softline-ipo-idUSKBN2CT1CS" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">reported</a> that Softline is considering IPO as one of the measures for further global development. At the same time, Igor Borovikov, the founder and head of the Board of Directors of Softline, <a href="https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/2595527" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">told</a> about plans to hold an IPO in 2014.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/softline-nameren-provesti-dvoinoi-listing-dlia-privlecheniia-500-mln/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Forbes

Softline to Conduct a Double Listing to Raise $500 million

According to Reuters, Sberbank intends to sell 25% of the developer in the field of face recognition VisionLabs back to AFK Sistema. Thus, the bank will focus on the development of similar services for another participant in its ecosystem, Speech Technology Center (STC)

 
 The likely reason for the sale is to avoid a conflict of interest between two competing companies. Sberbank and AFK Sistema do not comment on the possible agreement.

<hr />
 
 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=VisionLabs" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">VisionLabs</a>, <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/cards/?tags=Speech_Technology_Center" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">STC</a>

<hr />
 
 Sberbank <a href="https://www.vedomosti.ru/technology/articles/2017/11/17/742077-raspoznavaniya-lits" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">acquired</a> a little more than 25% of VisionLabs shares four years ago from Sistema VC (AFK Sistema's venture fund).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/sberbank-nameren-prodat-svoiu-doliu-v-visionlabs-obratno-afk-sistema/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Reuters

Sberbank to Sell its Stake in VisionLabs Back to AFK Sistema

Russia’s biggest neobank Tinkoff Bank uses a neural network to identify atypical customer interactions with their smartphone in search of any fraud activity.

 
 The neural network will analyze a number of factors, including the angle at which the user holds the smartphone and the features of tactile interaction with the screen. In case of atypical actions or suspicious activity, the bank can block the operation in the mobile application.

 
 Now the technology is being tested on Tinkoff Bank employees and, as the company says, does not use biometric and other personal data. For this reason, it is not required to obtain consent from the client to collect data, the Tinkoff Bank noted.

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/projects/ai/news/1848/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

Tinkoff Bank Tests Neural Network for Customer Behavior Analysis Using Smartphone

ER-Telecom Holding may acquire a controlling stake (56%) of the Moscow-based Provider of internet and telecommunications services Akado, according to Izvestia newspaper.

 
 Provided the deal is closed, 19% share will go to the structures of the state corporation Rostec, a quarter of the package (25%) will remain with the entrepreneur Maxim Mayorets, who now owns 51% of Akado, while the private business group Renova (now owns 49% Akado) may withdraw from the company.

 
 Following the deal, ER-Telecom might receive 300,000 new customers as well as the existing orders from the operator. A notification has already been sent to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS), Russia’s regulatory body, but it has not yet been received. Renova, ER-Telecom and Rostec did not comment on the possible deal.

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 Product cards

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/en/card/er-telekom/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Er-Telecom</a>

<hr />
 
 According to <a href="https://ict.moscow/research/rossiiskii-rynok-shpd-v2c-itogi-2-kvartala-2021-goda/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">TMT Consulting</a>, by the end of the second quarter of 2021, Akado ranked fourth in terms of the number of home Internet customers in Moscow (almost 300 thousand ). ER-Telecom is in third place with almost 3.9 million customers, while the first two are shared by Rostelecom (12.3 million) and MTS (4 million).

 
 <a href="https://ict.moscow/news/er-telekom-mozhet-kupit-provaidera-akado/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Original (in Russian)</a>

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