Association RUSSOFT summed up the final results of the work of the software development industry of Russia in 2017 and formulated a forecast of its development.
The total amount of business of all Russian software development companies in 2017 was $ 14.3 billion, which is 19% more than a year ago. In ruble terms, this indicator increased by 4% and reached ₽834 billion.
The high growth in dollar and the low growth in rubles are explained by the strengthening of the national currency of 2017. As a result sales in the domestic market grew in dollars much more than in rubles.
Sales abroad
The total sales of Russian companies abroad amounted to $ 8.8 billion in 2017, which is 16% more than a year ago. The sales of conditionally Russian companies are recognized.
The export of «computer services» amounted to $ 3.417 billion. At the same time, sales growth is even higher — 28.3%! It is noteworthy that the acceleration or slowdown in the volume of foreign sales under the version of RUSSOFT and the CBR indicator always (except for 2015) coincides, which indicates the existence of interconnection between them.
Also it is wrong to consider that the export of computer services reflects all the net inflow of currency from the sales of Russian software companies. Because it includes «Services in the field of research and development», revenues from «Advertising, marketing», «Payment for the use of intellectual property», «Professional services and consulting services» and other. Thus, according to the expert assessment of RUSSOFT, the total inflow of currency provided by Russian software developers in 2017 is $ 5.5 billion. The sales of all IT companies, including Internet companies reaches $ 8-9 billion.
Domestic market
Total sales in the domestic market after an increase of 34% in 2016 increased by only 9% (to ₽321 billion) in 2017. Russian software companies have increased sales in the domestic market slightly more than the market itself has increased.
Thus, Russian developers increased sales in the domestic market by 5 percentage points relative to the growth of the market itself. The process of import substitution continues, but it has slowed down.
Projections for 2018
If we look at the expectations of the companies surveyed, then by 2018, overseas sales should grow more than in 2017. It is projected that they will exceed $ 10 billion. The same is true for the proceeds from working in the domestic market, but in this case we are talking only about the income received, measured in rubles. Dollar sales in its own market will grow less than in 2017 (primarily due to the depreciation of the ruble). The aggregate turnover of Russian software companies in 2018 is likely to exceed ₽1 trillion.
Brief conclusions on the categories of companies
1. Foreign sales of outsourcing companies in 2017 grew slightly faster than the developers of replicated solutions.
2. In 2017, the activity of small companies (with amount of business of $ 1 million — $ 5 million) outside the country increased. If before they grew faster within Russia, now they have higher growth rates of foreign sales.
3. Despite the recovery of the domestic market, the amount of business of companies that account for more than 50% of sales revenue from sales abroad is still higher than that of software companies, that receive more than half of the proceeds from working in the Russian market. However, this difference became smaller.
