April 25: 7^th Venture Fair was opened today in Kazan. Andrei Fursenko, Russian Minister of Science and Education, made an official opening of the Fair. KFU Rector Ilshat Gafurov was one of the participants in the opening ceremony. The Fair offers various technological projects to Russian and foreign investors. 36 projects were from Kazan, including those by KFU SMEs. According to our colleagues working at the exhibition stand, there was a great interest in KFU developments from both other scholars and investors. Rector Ilshat Gafurov noted that today KFU is moving from basic to applied research gradually turning towards real economy. Nayil Kashapov, Vice-Rector for Innovations, made a presentation on how KFU promotes itself at the innovation market training entrepreneurs from students and young scholars. Today, 22 technological SMEs are functioning at KFU in such areas as ecology, biotechnology, medicine, machine building, IT, laser technologies and others.