Sprout of the future

Mr. Innovator
Why former top RAO UES Alexander Chikunov
invests tens of millions of dollars
in scientific experimentsAnastasia Ringis, "Investgazeta" No. 46-2012

"There is no such second in Russia anymore," is how they usually say about Alexander Chikunov. He is a human phenomenon. Since 2009, a former member of the Board of RAO UES has been investing in scientific research, and considerable funds. Although he refuses to define "venture capitalist". "I invest in what interests me, not in what will bring profit," says economist Chikunov.

There are six projects in the investment company "Rostock Group" created by him. Each of them has its own global goal – from the creation of anti-aging pills to the establishment of a Genomics Center, whose employees are looking for genes for Alzheimer's, schizophrenia and some oncological diseases.

Before creating the Rostock Group and becoming famous as the first private investor in Russian science, Alexander Chikunov made a career in his native Novosibirsk.

He was vice-president of the Siberian Stock Exchange, headed the Investment Development Center. In Moscow, at RAO UES, he was called in 2002 for his special managerial talent - Chikunov had a reputation as a manager who was able to restore order, systematically approaching any issues.

From 2005 to 2008, at RAO UES, he managed the Business Unit No. 1 of the energy holding (the total revenue of the generating companies included in the division was about $20 billion. per year).

In 2008, the reform of RAO UES was completed. And Chikunov, as he admits, fell into a stupor. He spent several months after that in a depressed state. No matter how hard I tried, the meaning of life disappeared. The desire to do a global project helped him to get out of this state.

Jonah SkulachevA new plan in the life of Alexander Chikunov matured after former chief Anatoly Chubais introduced him to biochemist Vladimir Skulachev.

Doctor of Biological Sciences Skulachev told Chikunov about his own theory of aging, which assumes genetic programming of cells. According to the idea of Vladimir Skulachev, the cell can be affected in such a way as to postpone the aging process. "This means that we will push back about 70% of the diseases that people suffer from," explains three years

later Alexander Chikunov. Since then, the Rostock Group has invested several million dollars in Skulachev's idea. The scientist has developed the antioxidant SkQ1, which fights free radicals. It was he who formed the basis of the Visomitin eye drops, which slow down the aging of eye tissues, sales of which began this year. "Drops are a by–product," says Chikunov. According to him, anti-aging pills are on the way, which should reverse the principles of pharmacology.

ScreeningInvesting in the ideas of Vladimir Skulachev, Chikunov in 2009 found a team of scientists also working on the problems of aging under the guidance of Professor Alexey Ryazanov of the Medical University of New Jersey.

Professor Ryazanov describes the essence of the Screening project as follows: "We intend to test about 100 thousand medicines, that is, almost the entire spectrum of biologically active substances, for the ability to increase the life of mammals by more than 30%."

For several years now, the experiment has been taking place in one of the vivariums of the US National Cancer Institute. What are the first results?

"We have already come across several such substances," says Chikunov. "By selling the results of the research to pharmaceutical companies, we expect to make money."

According to Alexander Chikunov, his projects are not just dreams. Rostock Group bought out Alexey Ryazanov's company, which was developing a drug used to protect healthy cells during chemotherapy of cancer patients. The drug is undergoing preclinical trials, after which Rostock Group plans to bring the drug to the market. Chikunov also claims that the group has found a cure for diabetes, and clinical trials are now underway.

Genomics CenterAnother project that Alexander Chikunov ventured on is the creation of a Genomics Center.

It is aimed at detecting the genes responsible for the occurrence of diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and some oncological diseases. Chikunov does not tell how much he invested in the project. "This project is for the future," the businessman explains.

The head of the Genomics Center, geneticist Evgeny Rogaev, is one of the most cited Russian geneticists, is the discoverer of two of the three currently known genes for Alzheimer's disease. He simultaneously directs the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of the brain of the Scientific Center for Mental Health of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences and the laboratory of the University of Massachusetts UMASS.

Alexander Chikunov assures that he spends more than 90% of his income on investments in science. The only commercial division of his "Rostock Group" is the real estate investment agency "Rostock Estate". But unlike those projects on which he does not earn, but spends, Chikunov speaks about him reluctantly.

"I have twenty years of experience in business, and making money is not a problem for me," he retorts. – I have other business projects. It's boring for me to talk about how I earn money from ordinary things."

Founder of the Rostock Investment Group Alexander Chikunov –
about investments, finances and where to invest money.– How do you choose projects to invest in?

– My criterion is this: if an idea can benefit a large number of people, then in this case there is always a chance to come up with a business model.

– Do you have any financial partners?

– I am a happy enough person to finance my projects on my own.

– What kind of research, besides medicine, would you be interested in investing in?

– It is necessary to understand that by 2030, 9 billion people will live on the planet. people. And we need to be aware that the current food supply depends on the technology of nitrogen fertilizer, which was created at the beginning of the last century. Since we have problems with the exhaustion of the potential of the soil, all the technologies that allow us to improve the condition of the land, to get a bigger harvest are of great interest. Everything that works in the agricultural sector today is just small improvements. But that's not all I'm researching right now.

– Is there something that interests you more?

– Climate change. I'm trying to understand what it is, how it will affect specifically, where it will manifest itself more, where less. If it seems to you that somewhere there are smart people who know the answer to these questions - you are mistaken. There are many answers, and there is no systematic work. We, humanity, need systemic changes not only at the level of the economy, but also at the level of social relations. We need a different formula for success, a non-consumerist model of behavior. We don't need new gadgets, we need Google in the field of energy and agriculture.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru03.12.2012