How the development of technology clusters is changing the country's economy

Moscow traditionally takes an active part in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where it demonstrates significant projects in various fields, including economics, transport, industry, construction, culture and the social sphere.

So, this year the technological process of production of electric accessories for urban passenger transport was presented at the Moscow stand. Such production will soon be launched at the Krasnaya Pakhra site in the Technopolis Moscow Special Economic Zone (SEZ), where Russia's first industrial cluster for the production of batteries for electric vehicles is being formed.

As part of SPIEF 2025, it was announced the creation of a medical and technical cluster in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ. The corresponding agreement was concluded by the Department of Investment and Industrial Policy of the City of Moscow with the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation and the Medical Equipment Consortium.

"Industrial clusters have become one of the key foundations for the development of modern industry in Moscow and new technologies. Clustering makes it possible to strengthen production cooperation, accelerate technology transfer and innovation. Today, one of the largest pharmaceutical clusters in Russia is already successfully operating in the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone. It includes 14 companies, eight of which have already started production. As part of the signed agreement, we plan to create a cluster aimed at developing the medical industry. He will specialize in the development of high—tech medical equipment," said Anatoly Garbuzov, Minister of the Moscow Government and Head of the Investment and Industrial Policy Department of the capital.

According to forecasts of the city authorities, by 2030, more than 13 industry clusters will operate in the capital. Four are already actively operating in the SEZ. In addition to pharmaceutical, these are clusters of microelectronics and photonics, electric vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems.

How special economic zones work

Special economic zones are becoming drivers of employment growth. Technopolis Moscow already employs more than 220 high-tech enterprises. The number of jobs created has reached 24 thousand. But by 2030, their number will grow fourfold to 96 thousand, the Department of Investment and Industrial policy of the city told Izvestia.

The SEZ has opened a flagship platform for practical training of Moscow colleges, which allows to train over 3,000 students per year. As part of the Technostage project, students from more than 30 leading Moscow universities and colleges can now practice at enterprises in the capital's special economic zone. They gain experience in the fields of microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, machine tool manufacturing, the creation of unmanned aircraft systems and other high-tech areas. Special cooperation agreements are in force between companies from the SEZ and leading Moscow educational institutions such as Moscow Poly, STANKIN, MAI, MIPT, NIU MIET, Bauman Moscow State Technical University, and others. In total, over 1.5 thousand people have completed internships at the sites of the capital's SEZ since 2022.

The Moscow Department of Investment and Industrial Policy and the University of Future Technologies have signed an agreement on cooperation in the development of high-tech industries at SPIEF 2025. The purpose of the agreement is to implement cooperation between institutions in the field of high-tech industries in Moscow and the development of the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone.

"Our absolute priority is the training of personnel who accelerate the implementation of advanced domestic developments in the urban environment. Quantum technologies, biotechnologies, new generation materials — these are the areas that will determine the shape of Moscow of the future. And today we are already creating conditions for talented specialists to realize their wildest ideas here," said Valeria Kasamara, Rector of the University of Future Technologies.

SEZs support the Russian economy, allowing companies to work more efficiently to develop innovations. For example, the Technopolis Moscow SEZ produced the first domestic EVM PRO electric trucks, the Motorika company produces innovative prostheses and conducts developments in the field of cybermedicine and neurotechnology.

At the SPIEF, Moscow signed agreements on the creation of a high-tech production of devices and radiation monitoring systems in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ with Doza-Tech (part of NPP Doza), as well as a pharmaceutical complex of Velpharm-M, under which 22 automated production lines for the production of non-sterile and sterile products.

The city also signed a cooperation agreement for the development of machine tool manufacturing and robotics with Technorad, a manufacturer of robotic equipment, Lassard, an enterprise specializing in the production of laser systems and optomechanical products, as well as Nex—T, a manufacturer of interactive equipment.

Efficient business infrastructure

Now the SEZ consists of several sites. For example, 22 administrative, business and industrial buildings have been built in the Rudnevo Industrial Park.

In 2024, the construction of a modern multifunctional public and business center was completed, the Moscow Department of Investment and Industrial Policy recalled. Social infrastructure facilities, a recreation area, a coworking space, offices, and laboratories will be located there. Such a complex will meet the needs of companies for additional space, and residents of the Kosino-Ukhtomsky and Nekrasovka districts will receive modern social infrastructure.

Also in February of this year, Rudnevo opened the country's largest flight test facility for unmanned aircraft systems, designed for both civilian and military needs. The Moscow Photonics Center has been launched at the Alabushevo site in Zelenograd, where developments in the field of 5G communication systems are underway.

Also in May, the production site of the Technorad company, which produces industrial robots, opened in the SEZ. And this is especially important in the context of the course on production automation.

New export horizons

High-tech enterprises are already concentrated in the SEZ, but the potential for expanding industries is huge, says Anatoly Kolesnikov, associate professor of the Basic Department of Innovation and Industrial Policy Management at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics. If we talk about promising areas that may develop on the site in the future, then technologies related to artificial intelligence and quantum computing should be put in the foreground.

— SEZ products are primarily focused on meeting the demands of the domestic market. However, export markets are also interested in the technologies and products of the Moscow SEZ," says Anatoly Kolesnikov.

According to the Department of Investment and Industrial Policy of the city, the products of SEZ companies are in great demand abroad. Residents of the capital's SEZ export a wide range of goods, from microelectronics and composite materials to optics and educational equipment.

In particular, by the end of 2024, three companies from the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone, producing medicines, cybernetic prostheses and plastic products, began entering the markets of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

In total, in 2024, the exports of residents of the Moscow SEZ exceeded 1.1 billion rubles. The total export revenue of enterprises for the entire period of their operation in the SEZ reached 7.8 billion rubles.

Today, the products of Moscow companies operating in the SEZ find buyers not only in the CIS countries, but also in China, the United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Latin America and many other countries around the world.