In an environment where the geography of technological development is rapidly expanding, the success of a country and business is determined not by the availability of individual technological solutions, but by the ability to build holistic innovation ecosystems. This was the focus of the two-day "Innovation Time" forum held on December 11–12 in Tashkent. The event brought together international experts in the field of digital technologies, technology directors of corporations, investors and representatives of government bodies.
The general partner of the forum was the HR platform "Puls" Sber. The forum discussed trends in the HR‑Tech market: from the introduction of artificial intelligence in recruiting to building closed cycles of employee development. Mikhail Shmyrov, Head of the HR Platform "Puls" Sber, presented his views on current problems and promising solutions, speaking at the thematic session "HR‑Tech Market. Current Problems, Solutions and Trends."
"Today, it is important for business not just to manage personnel, but to do it efficiently and measurably. Technological HR solutions allow reducing costs, speeding up processes, relying on data and quickly adapting to market changes, enhancing the contribution of HR to achieving business goals".
The business part of the forum ended with a solemn ceremony of awarding the laureates of the "Innovation Time" award, which is presented for the best practices in the development and implementation of innovative solutions.
According to the decision of the Expert Council, the winners included leading companies: SBER, Aeroflot, Online Campus of the Higher School of Economics, Laser Systems, Rostelecom, the "Maxmart" digital platform for quick purchases, the Ingosstrakh insurance company, Newton Investments, Rosseti, the "Marathon-Tula Cycling Club" and the Interium digital agency, VTB Bank, Zarubezhneft, MBNPK Tsitomed, Alfa-Capital Management Company, MIXIT, Future Legal, SPAWN, Napitki Vmeste and others.
The theme of technological sovereignty and digital transformation of business processes was key. The laureates of the award prove that the emphasis is shifting from the banal replacement of foreign software to the development of complex products.
"In recent years, modern B2B marketplaces have been one of the most effective working tools for optimizing and digitizing the procurement of standardized nomenclature in the Russian market. They simplify and speed up procurement, automate routine tasks, make the supply chain transparent and allow reducing the procurement budget due to the rhythm of deliveries and a wide range of pricing tools", — commented Elena Sukhovey, General Director of the "Maxmart" digital platform for quick purchases.
"Rostelecom consistently works on the implementation of its own development technologies to improve customer experience. This also meets the challenges of import substitution — added Evgeny Zhukovich, Director of Customer Service at Rostelecom.
Today, the value of innovation is determined not only by its technological novelty, but also by the ability of the team to use it effectively. Therefore, the development of human capital and access to expertise come to the fore.
"The question is no longer whether to use AI in work, but how a specialist from absolutely any field of activity can do it effectively and efficiently. Our project is designed to help users acquire skills that are already necessary to improve many business processes. Accessible information from experts and best practices is one of the components of successful scaling and development of innovative solutions in various industries", — noted Yulia Remezova, Director of Online Learning at the Higher School of Economics.
Innovative developments in the field of industrial production and technological processes prove that modern solutions radically change traditional approaches to the production of products. A striking example is the progress in the field of additive technologies.
"We are very grateful to the Innovation Time Award for winning in the "Product of the Year" nomination with additive equipment and grateful for the emphasis on innovations that change the approach to design and allow the implementation of the most complex design solutions through 3D printing", — said Alexey Boreysho, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Laser Systems JSC.
A separate area of growing interest is bio- and pharmaceutical technologies, where the value of innovation is measured not only by the economic effect, but also by the contribution to the well-being of society.
"MBNPK Tsitomed is a pioneer in the field of Russian peptide pharma. We have been conducting research in this area, as well as in the pharmacology of bioextracts, for 36 years. Our portfolio includes 14 drugs that help people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, we are not just researchers — the construction of the third high-tech production facility is already being completed. We are glad that today Russian innovations are attracting the attention of the state and experts", — shared Alexander Khromov, General Director of MBNPK Tsitomed.
The rapid digitalization of all spheres of life, of course, opens up huge opportunities for business and society, but at the same time creates new risks. Today, cyberattacks are not just technical incidents, but a serious threat to business sustainability, national security and user trust.
In response to these challenges, the Cybersecurity Leaders Award was launched as part of the Innovation Time project. According to the decision of the Expert Council, the winners included organizations that presented advanced mechanisms for countering digital threats — from preventive measures to risk neutralization technologies. Among the laureates are MTS, Angara Security, Cyberdom, Kaspersky Lab, EDINY CUPIS and others.
Commenting on the victory, Andrey Biichuk, Product Director of MTS Defender, noted: "We were glad to take part in an important award for the market and win in the profile nomination. The experts appreciated our achievements, including blocking more than 3 billion unwanted calls to subscribers, 90% accuracy of AI detection of fraud, as well as the introduction of innovative services".
Among the partners of the event: IT export from Yanko NOW, IT Alliance.
