Penza, 16 August 2016. PenzaNews. JSC Center of Cluster Development of the Penza region is celebrating the fifth anniversary of the founding on Tuesday, August 16.

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“In 2011, for the first time the Penza region has applied to the Russian Ministry of Economic Development on the creation of the center as an institution to support small and medium-sized businesses in the region that has successfully passed the competition. Since then, the activities for the development of cluster initiatives in the region are supported at the federal level each year due to high results demonstrated by regional clusters,” the general director of JSC Center for Cluster Development Mikhail Lyashkov.

He reminded that in the Penza region the development of six clusters is supported — instrument-making, biomedical, confectionery, light industry, IT-cluster and glass cluster in Nikolsk.

“Every supported cluster is the point of growth of the economy of the Penza region. The annual rate of growth of these sectors is up to 16-18%, which is higher than the average for the region's economy as a whole,” Mikhail Lyashkov pointed out.

According to him, the center renders services required by small and medium business on their participation in Russian and international exhibitions, professional staff training for mastering new production and management technologies, as well as market research to enter new markets.

Mikhail Lyashkov clarified that an important direction of the center’s activities is to support joint projects of its cluster members.

“Among successfully implemented projects is the conference of software developers Secon, educational projects “HackDay” and “IT-laboratory,” Penza confectionery manufacturers’ Internet-portal,” he said.

According to the center general director, the future plans of the organization include the development of popular services provided to the cluster members.

“Recently, we have updated the center’s Internet-portal, making it more informative for users, filling it with interactive services. An important area of development is the mobilization of resources for prospective cluster projects, in a number of which we are now preparing a feasibility study and application for participation in federal programs of support,” Mikhail Lyashkov added.

He stressed that “successful implementation of cluster initiatives and projects known throughout Russia as well as the regional business demand for service, allow building ambitious strategies for cluster development in the Penza region and long-term plans for the regional Center of Cluster Development.