East-West Digital News 2 April 2012
The Skolkovo Foundation, which has been instrumental in pumping R&D funds into the Skolkovo innovation hub just outside Moscow since 2010, has contracted with an international consortium to create a comprehensive ‘smart city’ concept.
Under the terms of the 89.7 million ruble ($3 million) deal, the Russian software developer Cognitive Technologies, Britain’s Ernst&Young, the U.S.’ Cisco and Japan’s Panasonic, all companies chosen in February on a tender basis, are expected to sketch out a city management system by July.
The planned city system would cover everything from housing and urban education to transportation systems, roads and retail space. In separate task, technical specifications must be drafted for what the Skolkovo Foundation refers to as “joint operating control center”, a “virtual service provider,” and an “eco-tech showroom.”