Russian Tech Tour Sponsors

At Microsoft, we're motivated and inspired every day by how our customers use our software to find creative solutions to business problems, develop breakthrough ideas, and stay connected to what's most important to them. We run our business in much the same way, and believe our seven core business units offer the greatest potential to serve our customers in the coming decade. They include: Windows Client, Information Worker, Business Solutions, Server Platforms, Windows CE & Mobility, MSN, and Home & Entertainment. We are committed long term to the mission of helping our customers realize their full potential. Just as we constantly update and improve our products, we want to continually evolve our company to be in the best position to accelerate new technologies as they emerge and to betterserve our customers.

PricewaterhouseCoopers provides industry-focused assurance,tax and advisory services for public and private clients. More than 120,000 people in 139 countries connect their thinking, experience and solutions to build public trust and enhance value for clients and their stakeholders.

Vision Capital is a Trans-Atlantic fund providing growth capital for leading technology companies. Vision invests in promising European and US technology companies and then takes an active, hands-on approach in expanding these businesses across the Atlantic. Vision Capital specializes in investments focusing on communication, software and Internet/e-commerce companies that are proven winners and have global potential. Their portfolio consists of venture backed European technology companies with a strong foundation in Europe who wish to enter U.S. market and U.S. companies who seek an added-value investor who can assist in global expansion.

Weber Shandwick is a Communications Partner of the European Tech Tour, supporting both the European level organization and the various country tours.  Weber Shandwick, a unit of The Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), is one of the world's leading public relations agencies, with offices in major media, business and government capitals around the world. Weber Shandwick is a leader in marketing public relations, public affairs and corporate communications counseling, and also provides services in advocacy advertising, market research and visual communications. Find out more at www.webershandwick.com.

At IBM, we strive to lead in the invention, development and manufacture of the industry's most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, storage systems and microelectronics.We translate these advanced technologies into value for our customers through our professional solutions, services and consulting businesses worldwide. www.ibm.com.

Rostelecom is Russia's national long-distance telecommunications operator. The Company owns and operates a nationwide digital trunk network that is unique in scale. We play a critical role in enabling the provision of telecommunications services in every region of the Russian Federation.

Rostelecom has been transformed over the past few years into a financially strong and efficient organization that is responsive to the demands of the marketplace. The Company has been a leader in establishing good corporate governance and corporate social responsibility programs. Rostelecom's strategy is to further strengthen its competitive position and profitability, playing an active role in the growth and reform of the Russian telecommunications industry.

Intel Capital, Intel's strategic investment program, focuses on making equity investments and acquisitions to grow the Internet economy in support of Intel's strategic interests. Intel Capital invests around the world in hardware, software and services companies in several market segments, including computing, networking, and wireless communications. For more information, visit www.intel.com/capital.

Squire, Sanders & Dempsey is a leading global law firm, with more than 700 attorneys in 26 offices worldwide. On the ground in Moscow since the early 1990s, Squire Sanders has one of the leading intellectual property practices in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Our CIS intellectual property group, which includes three licensed patent attorneys, counsels a broad range of corporate clients in a variety of industries, including the Internet, semiconductors, computer hardware and software, life sciences, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and avionics, computer imaging systems, process control systems, and electronic games and publishing. Our CIS IP group's expertise includes litigation, licensing and in-depth counseling on patent, copyright, mask work, trademark, trade dress and trade secret issues, and related antitrust issues, as well as the special issues that arise in the protection and dissemination of computer software, computer network services and other high-tech products.

The Russian Venture Partners (RVP) was established in the middle of 2004 by private individuals and companies. RVP helps to the Russian origin high-tech companies and innovative teams to convert their technology ideas in the real business opportunities by providing financial capital as well as business experience, market expertise, industry contacts and entrepreneurial knowledge. RVP investment priorities are focused on the companies and teams with great potential growth on the international and domestic markets.

White & Case's Moscow office is one of the largest international law firms in Russia, with over 50 lawyers, including eight partners. With an office in Moscow since 1991, we have built up wide-ranging expertise to help our clients achieve their business objectives quickly and cost-effectively. White & Case has represented clients in key groundbreaking deals in Russia, from the early privatization process to major foreign investments, as well as the entry of Russian companies into international markets. The main practice areas of the Moscow office are Finance, Corporate, Tax, Capital markets, Energy, Real estate, Disputes, and Pro bono. Lawyers in the Moscow office are qualified to practice law in Russia, England, Germany, New York state, and other jurisdictions. To meet the global needs of the firm's international and domestic clients, lawyers in the Moscow office work closely with other lawyers in the White & Case global network. Founded in New York in 1901, White & Case is a global law firm with lawyers in the United States, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. The firm was recently named "Eastern Europe Law Firm of the Year" by Chambers Global, an independent legal benchmark publication.

Sellys focuses on solutions and its services include interactive web design, e-services and IT consulting.

FORTUNE is the world’s premier business magazine. FORTUNE delivers the most sought-after eyeballs in business: more than five million senior global decision-makers and influencers. With its own unique brand of storytelling, FORTUNE delivers in-depth, cutting-edge editorial coverage and exclusive insider access to some of the sharpest minds in the world.

Tornado Insider is the only true pan-European technology media company serving the pan-European technology industry, providing entrepreneurs, investors, service providers and other participants with the information they need to succeed in Europe's high-growth high-tech economy. By connecting all the relevant players across industry and geographic boundaries through a rich mixture of news, analysis, research and conferences, Tornado Insider plays a vital role in helping Europe's entrepreneurs and investors build great companies.