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How can corporations speed up the global progress and what should be the role of the State in the fourth industrial revolution were discussed at the Open Innovations forum by the participants of the “Welcome to industry 4.0. Future manufacturing processes” discussion.

Over the last five-six years business areas related to Industry 4.0 have been continuing to develop and to be relevant, noted session moderator, Vice-President and Executive Director of the Skolkovo Foundation Alexei Belyakov, “The topic is most certainly hyped. We see both public and private corporations invest into this technological sector, and start venture funds, there have already been first deals. In Skolkovo there has been created a cluster, where over 400 resident companies are developing corresponding technology.”

“Every second a colossal amount of information comes down from space, and this information needs to correctly processed. This is why we have grown accustomed to digital exploitation. We just have to be ahead of everyone else. Here, we don’t pilot, we build up. Digitalization cannot be conducted, it can only be dived into, as if into remodeling, and undertaken to increase the digital maturity index,” stated Head of the Digital Development Center Konstantin Shadrin.

The complexity and scale of reorganizations taking place during the forth industrial revolution, require new tools, strategies, development models. The constant development of digital skills in the staff is important for companies not only as a means of attracting young employees, who constitute the driving force behind digitalization, but also for training experienced workers.

“The matters of mentorship, known since the Soviet times, are becoming relevant again. Only now the tables have turned and it’s the young who come to experienced candidates and doctors of science and tell them what they can attain by combining digital services and their deep knowledge, amassed over decades of working in the industry,” added Konstantin Shadrin.

Businesses need to “stop trying” and start showing results, thinks Accemtire Managing Director Nicolás Gutiérrez, “Only 20% of companies receive profit they expect from their investments. This is very unimpressive.”

SPbPU Vice-Rector for Innovative Projects Alexey Borovkov, Founder and Managing Director of WAKANDAI Ventures Ahmed El Behairi, Senior Vice-President of Dassault Systemes Christian Nardin, Digital Technologies Director Alisa Melnikova, Head of IT Department at Nornickel Yuri Shekhovtsov, Zyfra CEO Igor Bogachev also took part in the session.