Investment attractiveness: startups will be given additional benefits
Startups with a turnover of up to 4 billion rubles per year can be exempt from income, property and VAT taxes if they are registered at the Skolkovo innovation Center, an informed source told Izvestia. This initiative is being discussed by relevant departments and development institutions, it follows from their correspondence. Currently, the tax-free limit for small technology companies is 1 billion rubles. But it was established back in 2010 and is no longer relevant due to inflation, market participants say. The increase in the limit is important, among other things, for MTS, which develops dual-use products, experts say.
Which startups will be able to qualify for tax benefits
The range of small technology companies (MTCs) to which the government provides tax incentives may expand. A source familiar with the discussion of the initiative in relevant departments told Izvestia about this. We are talking about zeroing out VAT, income and property taxes for residents of Skolkovo and, possibly, some other technoparks, he told Izvestia.
Design and production of helicopter-based UAVs at Skolkovo
Currently, companies registered with Skolkovo enjoy tax benefits until their annual revenue reaches 1 billion rubles per year. Officials and state development institutions are discussing the possibility of raising this limit to 4 billion rubles — depriving startups of preferences too early reduces their development potential, the source points out. According to him, new regulations may be introduced as early as 2026, which requires approval of amendments to the Tax Code.
The fact that the issue is being worked out is also evidenced by the appeal of VEB.The Russian Federation to the Ministry of Finance, which was reviewed by Izvestia. In particular, it says that the premature loss of tax benefits by companies after they reach revenue of 1 billion rubles does not correspond to the scale of modern technological projects and creates obstacles to their growth. The document also outlines a range of interested companies: these are startups developing dual-use products, namely unmanned systems, electronic warfare (electronic warfare), communications and encryption.
Andrey Bezrukov, Chairman of the Board of the Autonomous Non-Profit Organization Center for Unmanned Systems and Technologies (CBST), is familiar with the course of the interdepartmental discussion.
— The limits of tax benefits for Skolkovo participants — 1 billion rubles of revenue and 300 million rubles of profit — were set in 2010 and are currently stifling the growth of our technology companies. Inflation has devalued these thresholds in 15 years: producer prices have more than tripled. Raising limits is a fair adaptation to reality, allowing companies to grow and invest in development, rather than being afraid of losing support. This is critically important for achieving national goals of technological leadership," he told Izvestia.
The editorial board sent requests to the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economic Development, as well as to Skolkovo.
As of June 2025, the number of participants in the Skolkovo project has reached 5.1 thousand companies, the indexation of tax benefits will allow them to save up to 5.8 billion rubles, according to the materials of one of the development institutes reviewed by Izvestia.
— The limit of 1 billion rubles for continued support of technology companies in Skolkovo was set more than 15 years ago. There have been many changes since then. In particular, the status of the ITC, enshrined in law, has appeared," the deputy chairman of VEB told Izvestia.Russian Federation Igor Drozdov. — It would be logical to build the entire support system for technology companies based on the metrics applied to the MTK. Such optimization can better focus the work on increasing the number of innovation projects needed by the country and achieving the goals of technological leadership, which is one of the key priorities of the VEB Group.The Russian Federation in the framework of the strategy until 2030.
Which startups benefit from support measures
The Ministry of Economic Development noted that they are not familiar with this initiative, but conceptually support it, as it is aimed at promoting the development of small technology companies. In total, according to the ministry, there are currently about 20 measures in place to support the ITC. Among them are grant programs of the Innovation Assistance Fund, a range of support measures for the Skolkovo Foundation, a grant program for "growing" products, industrial mortgages, accreditation and acceleration of IT companies.
The work of a wire production line based on high-temperature superconductors in one of the workshops of S-Innovations LLC, one of the residents of the Skolkovo Foundation and the Slava Technopark
— We support the initiative. Reducing the fiscal burden mainly affects the willingness of investors to invest in technology projects," said Sergey Izrailit, Deputy Chairman of the Board for Development and Planning of the Skolkovo Foundation (VEB.RF Group).
According to him, expanding access to tax benefits for all organizations that meet the requirements of the ITC will increase the volume of investments attracted not only in technology development, but also in the creation of high-tech production facilities based on them. Updating the regime will also encourage MTK to gradually replace foreign components used in production with its own developments, Sergey Izrailit believes.
— In terms of tax incentives, a number of regional preferences are provided for the MTC. For example, the right of regions to set a reduced income tax rate for the ITC, part of which goes to the budgets of the regions, as well as the right for subjects of the Russian Federation to set an investment tax deduction (INV) for corporate income tax for contributions to an investment partnership making venture investments in the ITC, the press service of the Ministry of Economic Development noted.
If the benefits for MTK are maintained with revenue of up to 4 billion rubles, this measure looks like protectionism against companies developing dual-use products, said Leonid Konik, a partner at ComNews Research. Revenue of 4 billion rubles is a very significant indicator, indicating a well—established business, he says. The expert gave an example: in the ranking of the largest Russian IT companies by revenue in 2024, players ranked 25th and below have revenue of less than 4 billion rubles.
"So such a support measure is justified only if the state is interested in receiving dual—use products from the ITC and in increasing its production,— Leonid Konik points out.
An increase in the "tax-free" turnover limit for small technology companies is welcome, says Denis Kuskov, CEO of TelecomDaily. This will give them more capable means to develop and produce innovative products, including dual-use ones, the expert concludes.
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