Lithuania has started building a European Silicon Valley

The future European Silicon Valley - as mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas (Artūras Zuokas) calls the project of Technopark Vilnius. Once there was a military hospital. Now the place looks abandoned, and here it is possible to shoot a low-budget horror movie. But soon there will be construction equipment.

With the advent of the technology park rivalry between Lithuania and Estonia for the title of Baltic IT-capital will unfold with a bang. Estonia has Skype, Lithuania - Pixelmator. In Estonia develop electronic citizenship program and invite the entrepreneurs from around the world. Lithuania is building technological hubs and parks. Thanks to this rivalry, the Baltic technological cluster is developing rapidly.

A year ago, he moved to Lithuania founder of an investment fund IMI.VC Igor Matsanyuk. And he began to Lithuania a kind of catalyst for business processes in the field of IT. Perhaps this is the experience of entrepreneurial activity in harsh Russian conditions and lacking in Lithuanian business. Whatever it was, Igor Matsanyuk not only quickly became his own man in the business circles of Lithuania, but also successfully established contacts with the authorities. All together gave a striking result - talking about Lithuania as one of the most promising IT-markets in Europe.

"MakRadar" met Igor Matsanyuk and discussed with him the idea of ​​creating technopark Vilnius.

Vilnius industrial park built on the site of a former military hospital. When there is something available?

Already in December, the first body will be restored. There is a burden, because it is a historical place, listed building, and should be restored. Maybe it's good. The special atmosphere and aura. On the one hand, it is difficult, on the other - we like the concept. From Monday to begin construction here.

That there will be?

Everything is very simple. We want to make a place where there will be representatives from all the top IT Lithuania. Thus, the whole ecosystem will cross each other almost daily. We agreed with three Lithuanian funds, they will be here to keep their start-ups and their offices. Of course, anxious to platform joined us: Google, Facebook. Here it is impossible to think, they too are regulated. A main theme of which, I believe, will make tehpark - a coworking. We open three to five thousand square meters of coworking. It will be a conference hall with 500 square meters. Every day we will hold meet-up in the evening training. That's the idea.

On what will earn?

I'm going to make a startup that will be coming in coworking.

Intersection with Green Garage will not?

We have a plan, we still do not advertise it much, but we still do Prototype-center. In the industrial park we plan to do more software. All the more so with all the companies that will be working here, we have already agreed. Therefore, the concept will not change. And it will be different of Prototype-center. There's ten thousand square meters of semi-works area. There's a power in electricity, and there we are going to do hardware-things. A Green Garage - is an initiative of Alice Chumachenko. The basic idea - to find a Lithuanian hardware-specialists to understand how and what they are doing. Hardware-specialists in Lithuania more than software.

Lithuanians are rather conservative in the best sense of the word. Maybe, IT-sector it would be appropriate to develop, for example, in Estonia, from which he emerged Skype?

No, Estonians - it's more PR, than work, and Lithuanians - on the contrary. Here is the situation. Firstly, we support the government, and secondly - a major Lithuanian business. They are also looking for that make and sell. Of course, good to work at IKEA, Siemens, is guaranteed orders, but most do not get profit. In order to start earning, you have to produce your product. To make it appear, we need engineers who make prototypes. Without equipment prototypes can not do, and it's worth millions of euros. We want to build a bridge between production and development. Because, for example, with all good design. But the Lithuanians did not think about marketing and do not look on the Lithuanian market. And we - on the contrary. Of course, I am aware that it will not tomorrow. In Lithuania, I play vdolguyu.

Lithuania since your arrival has frequently appear in the reports IT-news in Russia. Write: Matsanyuk did Matsanyuk opened and so on. There is a feeling that the IT-sector in Lithuania is rapidly developing. How do you do it?

Yes, just to do, but do not be afraid. Here we propose to do something, and I say so in Lithuania is not accepted. If I say so, then I'm doing the right thing.