Egor Polyakov, Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Development Corporation, and Vladimir Balakin, Deputy Minister of Industry, Trade, and Entrepreneurship of the region, have assessed the progress in constructing engineering infrastructure at the state site of the special economic zone (SEZ) “Kulibin”, as well as at the “Technopark H₂O” and the “Aksis” enterprise.

“The scale of work is impressive. At the state site, all necessary infrastructure is being built from scratch, while residents are constructing their enterprises to the most modern standards. We can confidently say that the “Kulibin” SEZ is one of the main centers of investment activity in the region,” noted Egor Polyakov.

The state site occupies most of the total area of the SEZ in Dzerzhinsk – 416 hectares out of 724.7 ha. Currently, builders are working on water supply and sewage networks, as well as constructing two security checkpoints (CPs). Overall construction progress for infrastructure at the state site exceeds 70 %.

In parallel, construction of industrial production buildings is also underway. At these sites, workers are laying foundations and installing metal structures, reinforced concrete elements, and facade panels.

At the state site, LLC “Aksis” (part of the “Instrument” group of companies) is building a production facility for carbide tools and technological tooling as part of the regional machine‑tool and tooling cluster. The plant will manufacture carbide rods, multifaceted inserts, milling cutters, drills, reamers, and inserts.

Investment in the project exceeds 3 billion rubles, and 442 jobs are planned to be created. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

Company representatives noted that the enterprise is actively developing its workforce potential by hiring and offering internships to students and young professionals. In addition, in 2025, with support from the “Instrument” group of companies, the “Cutting Tool Design” laboratory was established at the Alekseev Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University (NSTU).

Egor Polyakov also assessed the construction progress at “Technopark H₂O”. Its infrastructure will include an engineering center for introducing new technologies into production, as well as an innovation and technology center offering consulting services to residents. To date, potential residents have already been secured for most of the technopark’s space. These companies plan to operate in the fields of chemistry and instrument engineering. Completion of the “Technopark H₂O” project is also planned for the first half of 2026.

In addition, the Deputy Governor visited the production facility for micronized silica gels and stable silica sols operated by “RusSilika”, which launched on the territory of the Kulibin SEZ in June 2025. Investment in the enterprise totaled 21 billion rubles, creating more than 200 jobs.

“To date, the Expert Council for the development of SEZ has approved 55 projects, with total investment exceeding 166 billion rubles. For the “Aksis” enterprise, which is set to launch soon, nearly all necessary engineering networks have already been connected, and telecommunications network connections are nearing completion. We plan to fully complete infrastructure development at the state site this year. We also expect several residents to begin construction activities on site this year,” said Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

For reference, the industrial special economic zone “Kulibin” was established in May 2020 on the territory of the Dzerzhinsk urban district. Today, the Dzerzhinsk part of the “Kulibin” SEZ covers an area of 724 hectares and includes the state site (415 ha), as well as private sites operated by DPO “Plastic”, “Oka‑Polymer”, and “Sintez OKA”. The private sites are already equipped with infrastructure. In November 2025, the Russian Government issued a resolution to expand the SEZ territory by another 117 hectares, incorporating a site in the city of Bor. The total area of the “Kulibin” SEZ now amounts to 842 hectares.

Landscaping work has commenced at the «Technopark H₂O» site within the special economic zone (SEZ) «Kulibin» in Dzerzhinsk. Employees of the site’s management company – the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation – planted the first trees. In total, around 20 maples and spruces are scheduled to be planted on the territory.

Overall, the construction readiness of «Technopark H₂O» exceeds 90 %. Currently, finishing works, installation of utility networks, and assembly of the entrance group are underway at the facility.

The technopark’s infrastructure will include an innovation and technology center to support resident development, laboratory spaces, a conference hall, and a meeting room. The total area exceeds 8 000 sq. m, with approximately 6 000 sq. m available for resident placement.

To date, potential residents have already been secured for most of the technopark’s space. These companies plan to operate in the fields of chemistry and instrument-making.

«SEZ «Kulibin» is the first preferential territory in the country to implement a low‑carbon development strategy. Ecology and nature conservation are key focuses of our work. The creation of «Technopark H₂O» is in its final stages, and landscaping is an important part of this process», – said Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

Those interested in becoming a technopark resident can use the following contacts: tel.: +7 (831) 469‑03‑60 (ext. 4222), e‑mail: zemskov@nn-invest.ru.

The establishment of the research and development center – «Technopark H₂O» – aligns with the goals of the national project «New Materials and Chemistry», which aims to develop the chemical industry and create innovative materials for key economic sectors.

The construction readiness of «Technopark H₂O» in the special economic zone (SEZ) «Kulibin» has exceeded 90%. The technopark’s infrastructure will include a shared scientific equipment usage center, an innovation and technology center to support resident development, laboratory facilities, a conference hall, and a meeting room. The total area is over 8,000 square meters, with approximately 5,500 square meters being usable space.

“The construction has reached the finishing stage: landscaping of the adjacent territory and interior finishing works are underway. The location of “Technopark H₂O” within the SEZ territory will facilitate cooperation between science and industry, as well as significantly reduce the process of integrating new technologies into production processes”, emphasized Andrey Sanosyan, Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

The commissioning of “Technopark H₂O” is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025. Currently, potential residents have already been identified for approximately half of the technopark’s space. These companies plan to operate in the fields of chemistry, instrumentation, and unmanned systems.

The management company of SEZ “Kulibin” is the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

“For potential residents, there are still available spaces in “Technopark H2O”. The most comfortable conditions are being created here for companies to conduct scientific research in various fields. The facility meets all requirements and is included in the federal register of industrial technoparks in Russia. I am confident that this will raise the quality of Nizhny Novgorod products to an even higher level”, noted Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Development Corporation of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

Companies locating their facilities in “Technopark H₂O”, upon obtaining SEZ resident status, will receive tax benefits. It should be noted that the preferential conditions of the SEZ reduce profit tax rates for its residents from 25% to 2% in the first 5 years from the moment of receiving the first profit, to 5% in the next 5 years, and 14.5% thereafter. Additionally, zero rates are established for property, land, and transport taxes.

In turn, Mikhail Klinkov, Mayor of Dzerzhinsk, emphasized the importance of the new research center for the region’s development.

“SEZ residents are already attracting highly qualified personnel to Dzerzhinsk, and the opening of a new research center will expand the range of products created here and increase the city’s attractiveness. For our part, we will make Dzerzhinsk comfortable, convenient, and modern”, he said.

The establishment of a research development center aligns with the goals of the national project “New Materials and Chemistry”, which aims to develop the chemical industry and create innovative materials for key sectors of the economy.

The “Technopark H₂O”, located on the territory of special economic zone (SEZ) “Kulibin” in Dzerzhinsk, has received a commissioning permit.

“There are already several companies planning to become residents of the technopark. They operate in the fields of chemistry and instrument making. The companies will be provided with all the necessary infrastructure. In the long term, the technopark is expected to become one of the most modern and high‑tech development centers in the region,” noted Egor Polyakov, Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

The total area of the “Technopark H₂O” amounts to over 8,000 m², with around 6,000 m² available for resident placement. The technopark’s infrastructure includes the establishment of an engineering center designed to introduce new technologies into production processes and an innovation and technology center providing consulting services to residents. The adjacent area has been landscaped, with maple and spruce trees planted.

The management company of the “Kulibin” SEZ is the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

“The commissioning of the “Technopark H₂O” opens up new opportunities for residents of the “Kulibin” SEZ and Nizhny Novgorod companies in general, enabling faster integration of new technologies into production processes. Spaces that will be leased by residents have already been prepared. The facility is included in the federal register of industrial technoparks in Russia, which further confirms its compliance with all requirements,” said Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

Those wishing to become a resident of the technopark can contact via phone: +7 (831) 469‑03‑60 (ext. 4222), or by email: zemskov@nn-invest.ru.

The Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation has launched the updated website of “Technopark H₂O”: https://technoparkh2o.ru/en.

Website visitors can familiarize themselves with the technopark’s technological and engineering infrastructure, the benefits and conditions for locating enterprises, and the benefits available to residents.

In addition, potential investors can submit an application to obtain resident status at “Technopark H₂O” directly via the website.

“A modern and user‑friendly website is now a necessity for any site working with investors. At present, the technopark still has available space for locating enterprises. We expect that launching an updated, intuitive website will boost interest in the center among potential residents,” said Igor Ishchenko, Director General of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Development Corporation.

For reference, the “Technopark H₂O” research and development center is located on the territory of the special economic zone (SEZ) “Kulibin” in Dzerzhinsk. Its total area exceeds 8,000 m², with around 6,000 m² available for resident placement. The establishment of engineering and innovation‑technology centers is also planned. Technopark residents are exempt from property and transport taxes until December 31, 2029. The simplified taxation system may also be applied.

The establishment of the research and development center aligns with the goals of the national project “New Materials and Chemistry”, which aims to develop the chemical industry and create innovative materials for key sectors of the economy.