The Information technology sector in Russia employed around 300,000 people in 2012,[1] and contributed 1.2% of the country's GDP in 2015.[2] The sector is concentrated in the cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.[1]
The Russian IT sector drew comparatively little from Soviet-era institutions.[3] Russian IT companies were started in the early 1990s by founders with an academic background seeking to find a place in the new market economy.[3] Piracy was widespread in the country, with an estimated 90% of all software in Russia being pirated in 1997.[4]
In the 1990s, companies such as Vist began assembling computers out of foreign-made components, targeting small businesses and families who could not afford foreign brands like IBM and Compaq.[5] DVM Computer gained some traction in the laptop market with its RoverBook brand.[6] The Russian Computer Association (Российская компьютерная ассоциация) was the trade association representing the sector.[7] In 1997 Yandex was established in Moscow.[8]
In 1999 MCST developed the Elbrus 2000 processor, which was initially hyped as an Itanium killer,[9] but the project was hampered by a chronic lack of funding.[10]
Over time, Russian companies moved to software development, an activity which enjoyed higher margins.[1] Local companies cater to the specific needs of the Russian market, such as ERP software developed by 1C Company with a focus on Russian accounting rules.[11] Kaspersky Labs is described as the flagship company of the Russian IT industry.[12] Exports of software and IT services from Russia reached $7 billion in 2015, up from $2.8 billion in 2009.[13]
In 2012 MCST launched the NT-ElbrusS, a rugged laptop for military applications.[14]
In the aftermath of the War in Donbass and the annexation of Crimea, the Ukrainian government banned a number of Russian IT companies from conducting business in the country.[15]
In June 2015 the Russian parliament passed a law to establish a preference system for software developed in Russia.[16]
Worsening relations between the United States and Russia have led some to advocate a purge of Russian software.[17]
List of the largest internet companies based in Russia, according to the local version of Forbes:[18]
Rank | Name | Established | Headquarters |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Yandex | 2000 | Moscow |
2 | VK | 1998 | Moscow |
3 | Avito | 2007 | Moscow |
4 | Wildberries | 2004 | Moscow |
5 | Lamoda | 2011 | Moscow |
6 | Ozon Group | 2000 | Moscow |
7 | HeadHunter | 2000 | Moscow |
8 | Citylink | 2008 | Moscow |
9 | 2GIS | 1999 | Novosibirsk |
10 | KupiVIP Group | 2008 | Moscow |