Map of the future: how the innovation potential of Russian regions will develop

Innovative development is becoming one of the key factors for the growth of regions and their competitiveness. For the ninth time in a row, Moscow took the first place in the HSE Innovation Development Rating of Russian Regions, and Tatarstan, the Tomsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions, as well as St. Petersburg also entered the top five. At the same time, a number of subjects have shown significant growth due to the development of technology, science and support for new projects. What the future of the regions depends on is in the Izvestia article.

Movement in the list

Several regions have made a significant breakthrough over the year. For example, Irkutsk Region rose by 20 positions, Leningrad Region and Crimea — by 18, Primorsky Krai — by 17. This result was the result of the systematic work of the regions to create conditions for innovation, support new projects and develop the scientific and technical base.

The growth was driven by several factors at once: a more active innovation policy, an increase in the number of technological initiatives, an improved economic environment, and increased scientific potential. Six regions were able to make significant progress thanks to the development of innovation activities, while five more were able to improve conditions for the introduction of new technologies and the development of research infrastructure.

The success of regions in the innovation sphere depends on a combination of factors: the level of science, the quality of specialist training, the activity of companies and available support measures. Special economic zones (SEZs) of a technical and innovative type play an important role in this process. They help to develop a technological business, bring developments to the market and attract additional private investment.

"By the end of 2025, technical and innovation SEZs have become the most effective among all types of special economic zones. Today, 584 resident companies work in them, including 198 IT companies, more than 60 thousand jobs have been created, and the volume of investments exceeded 406 billion rubles last year alone," the press service of the Ministry of Energy told Izvestia.

It is significant that Moscow, the Republic of Tatarstan and the Tomsk Region, which are among the leaders of the innovation development rating, are regions where technical and innovative SEZs operate.

Business activity

The innovative activity of Russian businesses in the regions continued to grow, primarily due to the manufacturing industry. For example, in 2024, the share of companies innovating in this sector reached 23.7% compared to 22.5% a year earlier, which is almost twice as high as the average economic indicator of 12.5%. At the same time, manufacturers of aircraft and spacecraft showed the highest results (52.9%).

The growth of innovation was supported by government programs, the development of technological projects and the demand for domestic solutions. Russian companies have increased the output of innovative products: in 2024, its volume amounted to 9.8 trillion rubles against 8.3 trillion rubles a year earlier. The main contribution was made by industry — more than 6 trillion rubles of new and improved products.

In 2026, more than 573,000 new small and medium-sized enterprises operating in various sectors of the economy appeared in Russia. At the same time, the greatest connection with innovations is observed in the fields of science, production and information technology, Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation, told Izvestia.

Since the beginning of the year, about 26.8 thousand SMEs have been registered in manufacturing, more than 39.4 thousand in IT and communications, and 59.3 thousand new companies are engaged in professional, scientific and technical activities. However, the very fact of working in these areas does not mean the automatic use of innovations — it is possible to determine the availability of such solutions only on the basis of expert assessment.

Support for initiatives

Against the background of sanctions pressure, government support for startups in Russia includes grants, tax incentives, access to financing, and assistance with project development. The main focus is on IT areas, import substitution and developments in the field of deep technologies.

For example, the Foundation for the Promotion of Innovation (FSI) under the Start-1 program provides up to 5 million rubles for the first stage of project development, and in the subsequent stages of Start-2 and Business Start, the amount of support can reach 10-18 million rubles. For existing technology companies, the Commercialization program provides financing of up to 30 million rubles.

In addition, startups can also receive support through the Russian Foundation for the Development of Information Technologies (RFIT) and Skolkovo — up to 20-30 million rubles for the implementation of IT solutions and testing of new products. Young entrepreneurs from 14 to 25 years old have the opportunity to apply for grants from 100 to 500 thousand rubles, and for the Arctic zone the amount can reach 1 million rubles.

Special statuses provide additional advantages. Thus, residents of Skolkovo receive tax breaks, and companies from the IT registry of the Ministry of Finance can count on reduced insurance premiums — 7.6%. Simplified mechanisms for obtaining tax and procurement preferences are in place for small technology companies (MTCs).

Financial instruments also help the development of startups. The Ministry of Economic Development offers preferential loans for SMEs and IT companies at rates from 3-5% per annum, and the "umbrella" guarantees of the SME Corporation can cover up to 50% of the loan, and in some cases — up to 95%. Additionally, entrepreneurs can use the convertible loan mechanism to attract investments. Technoparks, engineering centers, and pilot programs play an important role, where startups are compensated for up to 4 million rubles in testing costs for new developments.

The development of scientific infrastructure and cooperation with universities are the foundation for the formation of an innovative economy — they create the human and technological foundation for long-term growth, Alexandra Salzhenikina, a leading specialist at the General Academic Faculty of the Presidential Academy, told Izvestia. Regions with strong scientific schools and universities traditionally show high results in scientific and technical potential.

This is confirmed by statistics: according to the OECD, the leading countries in research and development (R&D) spend about 2.5-3.5% of GDP on science, while the global average is about 1.8%. At the same time, these countries occupy leading positions in global innovation rankings: for example, South Korea invests more than 4.5% of GDP in R&D and is among the world leaders in patent activity, while Switzerland and Sweden consistently occupy top positions in innovation development.

However, the availability of infrastructure is not enough in itself — an effective management system is becoming a key factor, making it possible to build mechanisms for commercializing developments, securing talents and integrating science with the real sector of the economy.