Five firms are poised to inject a total of 5.5 billion rubles into the special economic zone (SEZ) initiative in the Republic of Mari El, a move highlighted on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). This development reflects ongoing engagement with potential investors and a shared aim to accelerate regional economic diversification through targeted SEZs.
Officials have reiterated that talks with prospective backers remain active. At present, five enterprises have signaled their readiness to participate in the Mari El SEZ project, signaling a robust level of interest across different sectors and capacities. The participating companies include JSC Krasnogorsk Van Plant, which has committed the largest share of the initial investment at four billion rubles. Autotransport Enterprise LLC is contributing 524 million rubles, while Intercold Production Company LLC plans to invest 551 million rubles. Technopark Ludo Management Company LLC has allocated 309.5 million rubles, and LLC AKTO is contributing 100 million rubles. Together, these investments underscore a multi-source backing for the SEZ and a diversified approach to regional industrial growth.
Earlier at SPIEF, regional officials announced agreements totaling 15 billion rubles, underscoring the broader momentum behind Mari El’s development strategy and its SEZ ambitions. The forum provided a platform for presenting concrete investment cases and reinforcing commitments from various stakeholders across the economy.
In a related note, the event showcased a homegrown robotics solution named Zhenya, introduced as a potential contributor to the housing and communal services sector. Zhenya was presented as a prototype aimed at improving service delivery and efficiency in urban infrastructure, illustrating how technology and manufacturing capabilities may converge to support public utilities and resident welfare in the region.