The IT industry is a strategic segment of the Russian economy, as its growth rate exceeds the GDP dynamics, and this trend is likely to continue in the future. Further development of the IT industry requires skilled professionals, and the government relies on increasing the number of students receiving education in IT by involving experienced local business mentors and foreign experts.

One of the key objectives of IT public policy is the creation of favorable conditions for the active development of technological entrepreneurship in Russia, including

the introduction of tax reform and ensuring the availability of grants to finance promising ideas. The number of successful IT-related business projects and contracts in the venture capital market is increasing.

Why working with Russian IT companies

The market of information technologies in Russia forms due to the activity of the companies of the following segments: computer and network equipment, software, and IT services. The continuous development of the sector and new innovations made Russian companies key players access the region and develop IT & software solutions for the internal market as well as businesses that are interested in the Russian digital market. 

Due to the accent, the Russian IT professionals put on cybersecurity, the demand for these types of services and products has known growth from foreign companies, according to a study made by T Advisor in 2019. 

What to be aware of when working with Russian IT companies

Bans and restrictive legislation keep Russian IT companies to speed up the growth process of the entire industry and restrain them in exporting digital services and goods. This is one of the reasons why many Russian companies relocated to places with a more accessible market, to the west in Europe or to the south, in China. 

Another thing is worth being aware of is the technical skills of IT specialists from different regions of the country. Since the talent is not equally distributed to all regions, many Russian IT companies lack experience and professionalism in communication and project management which may be a challenge for potential clients. 

How reliable are Russian IT companies

The specific taste of doing business with Russian companies remains nothing more than the ‘90s stereotype but nonetheless plays an important role in conceiving IT companies and startups as reliable.

In their struggle of combatting the stereotypes, many Russian web agencies and IT companies explored other ways of cooperation and attracting customers, including by lowering the prices and offering additional services compared to what Western IT companies and web agencies do.

How does the Russian IT industry relate to the neighboring countries

When it comes to neighboring countries, the Russian IT industry finds it in an interesting position. With China as one of the biggest IT players in Asia and an open Ukrainian market to the west, Russia has not had too many choices to handle mainly the internal market - which creates enough demand for local web companies. This has led even to several attempts to “disconnect” from the World Wide Web network and create their own independent one. However, most IT specialists consider that the Russian IT industry will not be able to exist without a connection to the global market.

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