IBM may open research center in Skolkovo hub

U.S. IT and consulting services firm IBM (International Business Machines Corp) is considering locating a research and development center in Skolkovo high-tech hub outside Moscow, a non-binding memorandum of understanding signed between the organizations on Saturday said. The document was signed by Viktor Vekselberg, Skolkovo President, Bruno  Di  Leo,  General  Manager, IBM Growth Markets Unit (GMU) and Kirill Kornilev, Country General Manager of IBM Russia/CIS during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. "IBM  has 100 years of experience in driving innovation. For this reason we are  keen  to  tap  into  IBM's  expertise  to support Skolkovo's corporate development  and  the  growth of innovative start-up projects inside the   Foundation," a press release quoted Vekselberg as saying. Skolkovo is President Dmitry Medvedev's pet modernization project. The hub will focus on research in five priority spheres: energy, information technology, communication, biomedical research and nuclear technology.