Digital education

Digital Education LLC (a joint venture between VK and Rostelecom), the developer of Spherum, was formed in the summer of 2019 to create high-tech services in the field of education. The company is included in the register of domestic software and the register of operators processing personal data, and is also a resident of Skolkovo. The founders of Digital Education on a parity basis are VK and Rostelecom.

History

2023: VK buys stake from Rostelecom to become 100% owner

On March 30, 2023, VK Holding announced the signing of binding documents on the consolidation of 100% in a joint venture with Rostelecom - Digital Education, which is developing the Spherum educational platform designed for communication between teachers, schoolchildren and their parents. Its participants do not disclose the financial and other terms of the concluded agreement. The deal is scheduled to close in April 2023.

According to the press service of VK, the company will continue to develop Spherum in VK Messenger as a single technological environment for communication between schoolchildren, teachers and parents, and Rostelecom will focus on the implementation of infrastructure projects and the development of state digital services for education. At the same time, the companies will continue partnership both in the field of education and in other areas, added to VK.

Companies will continue partnership in both education and other areas

Digital Education LLC was originally created on a parity basis by the structures of VK and Rostelecom. The company is engaged in the development of high-tech services in the field of education. Service "Spherum" is included in the register of domestic software.

VK launched a training profile "Spherum" in the application "VK messenger" with silent mode after hours and a profanity filter for communication between schoolchildren, parents and teachers in Russian schools. Teachers can plan and run online lessons from one interface and securely transfer connection links to students via a button in an electronic diary or educational chat in the "VK messenger" without publishing them in the public domain.

It is expected that the platform "Spherum" in 2023 will become part of the federal state information system (FGIS) "My School."^[1]

2021: Skolkovo Resident Status

The company "Digital Education," the copyright holder of the information and communication educational platform "Spherum" (created by PJSC Rostelecom and Mail.ru Group), became a resident of Skolkovo. This was reported on August 3, 2021 by Rostelecom. The status will allow the company to use all measures to support the innovation center for further development.

The Skolkovo ecosystem gives participants tools for the development of technological business. This is acquaintance and the possibility of creating partnerships with other technology companies, grant support, tax preferences. The innovation center also provides its participants with services to support commercialization, promotion and preparation for participation in acceleration programs.

2019: Building a company

On June 13, 2019, Mail.ru Group and Rostelecom announced the creation of a joint venture to develop digital technologies in schools. The new company was named "Digital Education."

The main area of ​ ​ activity of the joint venture will be the development of information products designed to modernize the educational process in schools, including diaries, communication services for schools, teachers, parents and students. The parties will combine resources and expertise for the development of their own technologies within the framework of the joint venture, necessary for the processes of digital education.

Mail.ru Group and Rostelecom create a joint venture for the digitalization of schools

Support for education and science is among the strategic areas of development of the Mail.ru Group. For more than 8 years, we have been giving students the opportunity to gain practical knowledge in the field of IT, help students with career guidance and hold conferences and championships for professionals. We are glad that Rostelecom will become our partner in the development of this area. By joining forces, we hope that we can make education in schools throughout the country more technological and modern, "said Boris Dobrodeev, head of Mail.ru Group.

The parties did not disclose investments in the project. According to the managing partner of Skyeng Alexander Laryanovsky, investments can amount to 100 million rubles in two years.^[2]

The direction chosen for the joint venture in the future may become profitable, he notes. But this largely depends on who will pay for digitalization within the framework of the business model - the state or parents.

The number of personnel who are able to create competitive Russian IT products depends on how quickly it will be possible to digitalize the field of education, adds Dmitry Peskov, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Digital and Technological Development.

Notes