COMPLEX APPROACH, PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS, RICH EXPERIENCE

SME support and forming favourable conditions for business development is one of the most important lines of the company activities.

The following projects were realised in this sphere:

- Kfw project in Moscow oblast " entrepreneurs-friendly Administration " (1996-1997); - Tacis project on "Science and technology development in the Russian market Economy " (1997-1999); - GTZ project on "Privatisation of technological enterprises of Moscow oblast " (1999-2000); - Kfw project on "Business-oriented management " in Moscow, Leningrad, Tver and Novgorod regions (1998-2002).

Regional projects were especially actively implemented in Moscow, Leningrad, Tver, Novgorod and Pskov regions, but their experience was disseminated aslo in many other regions of Russia.

The most importance is given to the following business-lines: - Establishment of business-incubators in Russia. With OST-EURO assistannce about 15 business-incubators were founded in Moscow, Leningrad, Tver and Novgorod regions providing comfortable premises and additional services to 150 start-ups; - Establishment and support of innovation centres providing assistance to small and medium-sized technological companies in four Russian regions;

- Privatisation of utilities and forming competitive environment;
- Removal of administrative barriers and anti-corruption policy;
- Development of regional and municipal plans of strategic development including SME supporting policy for more than 100 Russian municipalities;
- Consulting private companies on business-planning, restructuring concepts, clasters forming, consuting of start-ups and spin-offs, joint ventures etc.
- Training personnel for business incubators (August - November  2003). The project was funded by KfW Coordination Bureau of the German Embasssy in Russia and TRANSFORM Program. National Community of Business Incunators and Tver City Foundation for SME support became the project partners. 20 managers of new business incubators from various regions of Russia were trained in frame of the project.  

The training program comprised such issues as municipal support of SMEs, financial, management, legal aspects of BI performance etc. 

OST-EURO Publications are distributed for free. Please contact Moscow office to get them.

OST-EURO has is aware of problems faced by SMEs in Russia, since it is actively participating in practical implementation of investment projects.

Construction of tourist villages at Chudskoe lake in Pskov oblast and Melnikovo of Leningrad oblast (www.chudskoe.ru) is a successful example of investment project with attracting foreign investments.