On 11 August 2020, experts held a videoconference in preparation for the upcoming SCO Startup Forum.
The participants discussed the joint promotion of startup projects within the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, reviewed the development of the startup industry and the creation of business incubators in the SCO member states.
Deputy SCO Secretary-General Sherali Jonon set forth SCO cooperation guidelines in this area. It was noted that the Organisation attaches great importance to developing the digital economy and e-commerce and to expanding cooperation between SCO member states in the startup industry.
Mr Jonon noted that SCO heads of state approved a concept of cooperation in the area of digitalisation and information and communication technologies at the 2019 Bishkek summit, and that a new wording of the Programme of Multilateral Trade and Economic Cooperation of the SCO Member States until 2035 has been approved following the November 2019 Meeting of the SCO Heads of Government Council in Tashkent.
"The documents approved by our Organisation facilitate the joint development of the regional countries' digital economies through experience exchanges, the development of human resources and the implementation of joint economic and R&D projects," the Deputy SCO Secretary-General noted.
According to Sherali Jonon, all startup projects are linked with information and communication technologies. This expedites their development and turns them into the so-called unicorn companies.
The majority of in-demand startups have social significance and therefore evoke the interest of state institutions and receive state grants for future development.
The SCO Secretariat suggested that videoconference participants study the possibility of holding a series of online training sessions for implementing these documents.
The representatives of SCO member states supported the SCO Secretariat's proposals. They agreed that it was necessary to hold webinars, online training sessions and other similar events for exchanging experience and more deeply studying and implementing startup projects.