Innovative startup-projects: experience, evaluation, implementation contradictions

Innovative companies in the conditions of global post-crisis economic recovery and increased economic activity become again a promising area for investments of large investment and venture capital funds, venture divisions of large transnational corporations, business angels and other private investors. This is confirmed by the data on the increase in the volume of venture capital market in the US and Europe and on a significant increase in the cost of the leading foreign and Russian start-up companies which are rated as of 2014 in the present article. The comparative analysis of the leading Russian and foreign start-ups showed the prevalence of companies engaged in the field of IT-Internet-Mobile and focused on the provision of various kinds of innovative services to consumers among the foreign participants of the rating. Among Russian startups-winners the companies of technological orientation (biological, medical, and "clean" technologies) dominate. They reflect the increasing importance of start-ups in the innovative development of the Russian economy. Participation in such competitions and ratings is a favorable factor of promoting start-ups, increasing awareness of potential investors and consumers of start-up products. The importance of start-ups formation and the development of effective regional and national innovation systems update the studies related to the identification of the fundamental contradictions in the activities of Russian start-ups and to the development of recommendations for their resolution. The article identifies the key issues of economic, organizational, informational and marketing character causing the collapse of start-up projects in the Russian economy in modern conditions.