Tens of thousands rise in Moscow. Will social media spur another revolution?

Tens of thousands of Russians protested in streets of Moscow Saturday chanting that Russia’s leader Vladimir Putin is “a thief,” in one of the largest anti-Kremlin demonstrations since the struggles of the post-Soviet collapse in 1993.

The protests have put Putin in a bind. The unrest doesn’t appear to be dissipating anytime soon: The crowds vowed a larger protest on Dec. 24.

And it comes as a surprise to Putin, who just a few months … Continue Reading

Russian Internet Titan Yandex pays $38M for mobile developer SPB Software

Russia’s Internet search giant Yandex has acquired mobile developer SPB software for an estimated $38 million, according to multiple sources. SPB has 75 employees and develops software for smartphones and tablet devices, with offices in Russia, Thailand and Taiwan.

“Mobile is a vital part of our growth strategy,” said Yandex Chief Executive Arkady Volozh in a Wall Street Journal report. “The acquisition of SPB Software creates new market potential for us and a plethora of … Continue Reading

Piracy gives overseas manufacturers a $2.9B competitive advantage

Microsoft released a new study today that quantifies the unfair advantage that manufacturers in emerging countries get by pirating software. The study says that companies that steal information technology software get a $2.9 billion competitive advantage over companies that pay for their software.

In just four emerging countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China — the competitive advantage is $1.6 billion per year. The number is based on a calculation about the competitive harm that … Continue Reading

Emerging markets will spend billions on games this year

Gamers are expected to spend billions of dollars in emerging markets this year such as Brazil, Mexico and Russia, according to market researcher Newzoo, based in Amsterdam.

Newzoo’s data shows that gaming is spreading rapidly around the globe, thanks to online play, mobile games, and new ways to pay for games such as free-to-play games with micro-transactions.

In Brazil, gamers are expected to spend $2 billion on games in 2011. Online and mobile gaming accounts … Continue Reading

Ozon.ru raises $100M to become Russia’s Amazon.com — and postal service

Ozon.ru, the fast growing online retailer that calls itself the Amazon.com of Russia, has raised $100 million in new equity funding to fund an ambitious expansion that includes recreating the Russian postal service.

And Ozon.ru is experiencing such terrific growth — 36 percent growth in the first six months of the year, compared to the same period last year — that it’s beginning to think about an IPO, chief executive Maelle Gavet told me an … Continue Reading

Social gaming firm CrowdStar moves into Russian market

CrowdStar is living up to its strategic expansion plan as it announces today that it will launch its hit game It Girl on three different social networks in the fast-growing Russian market.

The expansion shows that fast-moving gaming companies are in a land grab, expanding overseas so they can stake out the fastest-growing social and mobile game markets around the world before their rivals do. CrowdStar hopes to expand on its current user base, which … Continue Reading

Russian police free kidnapped son of Kaspersky Lab's founder

Russian police rescued the kidnapped son of Eugene Kaspersky, founder of Kaspersky Lab, in an operation that led to the arrest of five suspects.

The case involved one of Russia’s few stand-out successes when it comes to technology. The kidnapping drew attention to the perils of crime in Russia — risks that admittedly exist in any country — at a time when the Russian government is trying to establish a high-tech industry in Russia. It … Continue Reading

In Russia, startups need angels, not bodyguards — and now they may get them

Several proven Russian entrepreneurs have formed what looks to be the first promising seed-stage venture capital firm in Russia, called Runa Capital.

This is a significant development for the country, even if the sums involved are relatively small: The firm announced this week it has already raised $30 million and plans to raise more. The news is encouraging because the fund will provide the advice traditional angel investors in Silicon Valley have provided over the … Continue Reading

Investing in Russia? Better hire bodyguards and hunker down

Russia is the sixth-largest economy in the world, but it’s also a country relatively untouched by foreign investors, especially investors in technology. Could Russia potentially be the home of the next massive tech boom?

The short answer is: No way. At least not anytime soon. That’s the conclusion I’ve come to after a week in Moscow, a week in which I took part in the first ever delegation of US venture capital investors to visit … Continue Reading

U.S. private equity fund to invest $250M in Russian tech center

Russia is the sixth-largest economy in the world, but it’s also a country relatively untouched by foreign investors, especially investors in technology. Could Russia potentially be the home of the next massive tech boom?

The short answer is: No way. At least not anytime soon. That’s the conclusion I’ve come to after a week in Moscow, a week in which I took part in the first ever delegation of US venture capital investors to visit … Continue Reading

Twitter attacks can't keep Georgian blogger down

Russia is the sixth-largest economy in the world, but it’s also a country relatively untouched by foreign investors, especially investors in technology. Could Russia potentially be the home of the next massive tech boom?

The short answer is: No way. At least not anytime soon. That’s the conclusion I’ve come to after a week in Moscow, a week in which I took part in the first ever delegation of US venture capital investors to visit … Continue Reading