Joint Stock Company RUSNANO was created on 11 March 2011 through reorganization of Russian Nanotechnologies Corporation, a state-owned entity set up in 2007. RUSNANO assumed all the rights and duties its predecessor, and 100% of RUSNANO shares remain in state ownership. RUSNANO’s status as a joint-stock company makes it easier to work with for investors and partners.

The main objective of RUSNANO is to commercialize advances in nanotechnology by turning them into viable businesses. The company acts as co-investor in projects with substantial economic potential.

RUSNANO aims to build a competitive nanotechnology industry in Russia, using the capacities of Russian science and transfer of advanced foreign technologies.

The non-profit Fund of Infrastructure and Educational Programs, set up by RUSNANO, assists the development of innovation infrastructure for nanotechnologies, including the implementation of education and infrastructure programs initiated by RUSNANO.

Main priorities for RUSNANO are the efficiency, profitability and repayment of its investments. RUSNANO therefore uses commercial criteria to select nanotechnology projects with the greatest economic potential. The task of the non-profit Foundation for Infrastructure and Educational Programs is to support the development of all Russian nanotechnology enterprises, including those which are not a part of the RUSNANO portfolio. Combination of these two approaches provides a full-function state development institution for the nanotechnology industry in Russia.

RUSNANO is one of the country's largest technology investors. Its investments to date are in excess of 100 billion rubles and it is expected that sales by RUSNANO portfolio companies will total more than 300 billion rubles in 2015, when total sales by the Russian nanotechnology industry will be worth 900 billion rubles.