OREANDA-NEWS. September 28, 2012. Business Incubator of Karelia has held the first educational training for expecrts of the Northwest of Russia. Tom Strodtbeck, representative of National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) lectured at the training. The agreement with the management of the Business Incubator of Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the MFA of Russia on teaching this course was reached during a trip of the expert from Karelia to the NBIA's 26th International Conference on Business Incubation in Atlanta. Among the training participants there were directors of incubators from Kaluga, Altai and Murmansk, as well as from The Polar Star Norwegian-Russian Business Incubator and Business Incubator Innovation Center (MGIMO).

According to Vasily Nikolaev, Director of the Business Incubator of Karelia, certified educational trainings of MGIMO-NBIA is the first professional development program for heads, experts and residents business incubators of Russia. The program is developed by the MGIMO Foundation for Development of Innovations and Business Incubation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia and NBIA. The National Business Incubation Association is the world’s leading organization advancing innovation entrepreneurship which serves more than 1900 business incubators from 60 countries.

Two-day trainings were adapted for Russian business incubators and represented a basic program necessary to obtain the international certificate.

Along with Moscow and Saratov, the capital of Karelia became a venue for the training. Such a scale cycle of training is held in Russia for the first time.

Last year at the Russian-American Forum Business Incubator of Karelia has won The Young Lions 2011 National Premium for the best management and was presented with the annual membership in NBIA.