Artificial Intelligence and the Next Generation of Industry: UNIDO Centre at Startup Village 2026
June 01, 2026
On 28–29 May, the Skolkovo Innovation Center hosted the international technology festival Startup Village 2026 — one of the largest platforms for interaction between technology companies, investors, corporations, and development institutions. This year’s event brought together more than 10,000 participants, over 100 sessions in the business program, and thousands of B2B meetings dedicated to the development of the innovation economy and the implementation of advanced technologies.
Startup Village has been organized by the Skolkovo Foundation since 2013 and is one of Russia’s leading platforms for showcasing technological projects, attracting investment, and fostering international innovation cooperation. In 2026, the forum was held in an updated tech-festival format focused on practical interaction between technology developers and corporate customers.
The Head of the UNIDO Centre for International Industrial Cooperation in the Russian Federation took an active part in the forum. Igor Kozhin attended a series of expert discussions, thematic sessions, and business meetings dedicated to technological development, international cooperation, support for innovative entrepreneurship, and the introduction of new solutions in industry.
Special attention at Startup Village 2026 was given to artificial intelligence technologies. Key topics included the development of AI infrastructure, the integration of artificial intelligence into industry, digital platforms, robotics, and the automation of production processes. Separate discussions focused on shaping demand for AI solutions, developing competencies, and creating conditions for scaling innovative products.
The greatest interest for the Head of the UNIDO Centre was drawn to practical case studies of artificial intelligence applications in industry. The solutions presented at the forum demonstrated the strong potential of AI to enhance production efficiency, optimize resource management, develop digital services, and accelerate the technological transformation of enterprises.
Startup Village traditionally serves as a platform for building new partnerships between business, government, and technology companies. This year, the organizers placed special emphasis on open technological requests from large corporations, enabling startups to present solutions tailored to specific industrial needs. This approach contributes to faster innovation deployment and the development of international cooperation in high technologies.
Participation in Startup Village 2026 allowed the UNIDO Centre to become familiar with current technological trends, expand professional networks, and identify promising areas for cooperation in the digital transformation of industry, including projects related to artificial intelligence and innovative production technologies.