"The companies organised with the support of RUSNANO alone will have reached a production value of more than 20 billion roubles by the end of 2011. If we include independent makers, the production volumes of the new market will amount to 40 billion roubles," Sergei Ivanov said at the forum opening.

The deputy prime minister noted that one of the areas of industry development includes regional nanotechnology centres established with the support of RUSNANO. The state company's experience has shown that there are many opportunities for discovering, selecting and implementing hi-tech projects.

Sergei Ivanov reminded attendees that in the past three and a half years, RUSNANO had approved 134 investment and infrastructure projects with a total value of nearly 533 billion roubles. Another 72 projects have started receiving funding in priority areas such as solar power, energy-conservation, medicine and biotechnology, engineering and metals processing. "It should also be mentioned that foreign companies, investors and researchers now trust our country with the development of innovation projects. About 25% of RUSNANO's projects are currently implemented with foreign participation," the deputy prime minister clarified.

Mr Ivanov also said that government plans call for RUSNANO funded nanotechnology production to reach a value of at least 300 billion roubles and the total production value of the entire Russian nano-industry to reach a value of 900 billion roubles by 2015.

Several investment agreements have been signed on the establishment of nanotechnology centres in eight Russian cities, including Kazan and Novosibirsk, according to Sergei Ivanov.