VEB becomes co-owner of SK Capital investment platform

MOSCOW. Feb 1 (Interfax) - VEB has entered into the capital of the SK Capital investment platform (SK Capital LLC) on a parity basis (50/50) with the Skolkovo Fund, the parties said in a joint statement.

Head of VEB, Igor Shuvalov said that the parity shareholding structure was the optimal solution. The financial capabilities, investment and technological expertise of VEB and the Skolkovo Foundation will be combined using the infrastructure of the investment platform, and startups in the Skolkovo ecosystem will receive new opportunities for development, he said.

It is expected that the SK Capital management company will become a key platform for projects to create technology holdings in strategically important industries, the statement said. The company will continue to manage venture funds worth more than 6 billion rubles, act as an investment bank for technology companies and as a consultant for corporations in implementing their innovative strategies, the release said.

Among the tasks of SK Capital is assisting in the implementation of the investment policy of VEB.RF as part of its technological agenda. Previously, the state corporation had already identified the first four areas for its investment activity: cybersecurity, telecommunications equipment, technologies in oilfield services and unmanned aerial vehicles. Last August, at a meeting with the Russian President, Shuvalov said that VEB was considering investing in a project to create a large cybersecurity company.