Kama Flow's exit from BITBLAZE.

There have been changes among the shareholders of BITBLAZE (Promobit LLC), a manufacturer of data storage systems, servers and laptops. Recently, the owner of Trumplin Ventures Svyatoslav Kapustin, who has recently been concentrating assets related to the development of software and computer hardware on Russian Elbrus processors, acquired a stake in the company.

Earlier Kama Flow invested in BITBLAZE. Currently BITBLAZE has 5 co-owners, the main share of 74% belongs to the founder of the company Maxim Koposov, who also heads the company. Svyatoslav Kapustin has received a 10% stake in the company's authorised capital (the entrepreneur bought 5% each from Kama Flow and Koposov). The amount of the transaction is not disclosed, tentatively the company is estimated within half a billion roubles. Further rounds of investment are planned, which will strengthen BITBLAZE's production capacity.

Kapustin has a strategic interest in the development of technology on Russian processors. Recall that the Microelectronics Design Centre of ICST, the developer of Elbrus processors, in December 2023 established Elbrus LLC, which will develop high-performance and secure software and hardware complexes based on Elbrus. 35% in the new LLC was received by the Research and Development Centre for Digital Technologies (RDC DT), which is 70% owned by Kapustin. Thus, as a result of the current deal, the competences of ICST and SIC DT will be joined by the production base and technical capabilities of BITBLAZE, which should allow to successfully develop the line of import-substituted computing equipment, namely data storage systems and servers.

Comment from Ivan Pokrovsky, President of ARPE (Association of Developers and Manufacturers of Electronics): "In Russian electronics, most investments so far remain in the logic of technological followers, it is either localisation of production on foreign platforms, or cloning and russification of "open" platforms, at best development of separate options. Creation of solutions on our own microprocessor platform, of course, requires understanding of all the achievements and trends of the global market, but at the same time it implies the possibility to participate in the formation of trends, and not only to follow the already set guidelines. Investing in those who are ready to lead, not just follow the world leaders, is a bet on technological sovereignty."

Comment from Eduard Adamyan, Partner at Kama Flow: "We have always believed in the great potential of Russian micro and radio electronics, and the dynamic development of BITBLAZE, one of our first portal investments, has confirmed our hypotheses. We see that in today's reality, technology teams backed by qualified venture capital can quickly grow into flagships of technological sovereignty. That is why Kama Flow continues to work actively in the Russian technology market, making both new deals and exits. At the same time, we are pleased to see the growing interest of private and strategic investors in Russian microelectronics, and we hope that this trend will multiply the number and, most importantly, the quality of Russian products on our market".

Comment from the Executive Director of ANO "Consortium of Domestic Storage Developers" (RosSHD): "Interest in domestic microprocessor architecture will only increase. Real independence from Western hardware and software ecosystems will be increasingly in demand. This will lead to the creation and development of new projects and the creation of new products. Companies that already have extensive experience in the development and production of solutions based on domestic component base, for domestic microprocessors and operating systems become maximally attractive from the point of view of investment. "The development of not alien, but own developments and production facilities is maximised from an economic, technological and strategic perspective".