MARCHMONT Capital Partners is an independent, American-owned company providing media and investment consulting services.

MARCHMONT Capital Partners conducts regular investment forums for business leaders in key Russian regions. The main target of these forums is to overcome barriers for investors who are seeking investment possibilities in the regions. A task is to unite business and community leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, business angel investors and local administrations seeking to improve the competitiveness and efficiency of local industries and integrate the regions into global business society.

On October 22, 2009, RVC launched its RVC Seed Fund. Its mission is to invest into Russian innovation-based start-ups promising high growth opportunities both on Russian and foreign IT markets. This RUB 2 bln (i.e. about US$ 68 mln.) vehicle is assisted by a network of Venture Partners—special entities who have access to academic, technology and financial resources required for their activities. As on late December 2010, RVC Seed Fund has awarded the Venture Partner status to 76 companies.

All in all, RVC has backed eight funds to a total capitalization of RUB 21 bln i.e. about US$ 710 mln., its share amounting to RUB 11,282 bln i.e. about US$ 383 mln.

An important area of RVC efforts is to create and support a special-purpose service infrastructure for VC market players, to increase transparency of investee funds and companies, to ensure enabling conditions in Russia for international investors and entrepreneurs and to optimize legislation affecting the development of innovative business. RVC is improving investment mechanisms to consolidate various industry-specific technology clusters in Russia.

In 2011 Russian Venture Company (RVC) has completed all registration procedures and launched its two new cluster funds — Biopharmaceutical Investment Fund (RVC BioFund) and Infrastructure Investment Fund (RVC InfraFund). The conceptual frameworks of these funds have been approved by the Board of Directors of RVC last June. In late 2010 the funds started receiving bids and are now getting down to their boost stage.

InfraFund’s initial size, RUB 500 mln, will be taken up to RUB 2 bln. The fund life is unlimited. The task of the InfraFund will be to render a bundle of special-purpose services to assist technology companies in their core businesses, speed up their development and market their products both in Russian and internationally. The new infrastructure will provide innovative entrepreneurs with consulting services on marketing, finance, law, IP, investor relations and other issues.

BioFund’s initial size, RUB 500 mln, will be take up to RUB 1.5 bln. The fund life is 10 years (prolongation possible upon agreement of all participants). The Fund will be investing capital into innovation biopharmaceutical and service companies providing laboratory, information and analytical and consulting services to biotechnological, pharmaceutical and medical companies, as well as in certain cases to biotech start-ups. The Fund will also pursue a number of efforts to create an ecosystem to nurture as many biotech projects as possible.

RVC is pursuing international efforts in order to import modern technologies, knowledge and technology entrepreneurship know-how, as well as to assist Russian companies on their way to global markets.

In the years to come, RVC is expected to play a pivotal role in the cause of developing Russian VC industry. shot...