About Zimin Foundation
Institute mission
The Institute will realize the Vision by initiating, catalyzing, connecting, supporting, leveraging and growing the regional smart cities ecosystem. Specifically, we will:
Boris Zimin and father Dmitry Zimin
- Identify and target promising transformative technology solutions in the people-centric Smart Cities application space
- Connect researchers across disparate disciplines and application spaces to catalyze new synergistic collaborations
- Fund critical-stage cutting edge research to break barriers and advance nascent technology solutions
- Leverage ASU / local testbeds and innovative regional Smart Cities initiatives, collaboratives and funding streams
- Grow the Smart Cities entrepreneurial ecosystem: venture funding, startups, new revolutionary products
The Zimin Foundation is a non-for-profit organization established by the Zimin Family with the aim to support education and science.
Historically the Zimin Family focused its philanthropic activities on Russia operating through the Dmitry Zimin Dynasty Foundation. The Zimin Foundation continues those activities to some extent. However, The Zimin Foundation does not limit itself geographically to Russia and extends its activities to different countries.
The Zimin Foundation is financed by the Zimin Trust.
Dr. Dmitry Borisovich Zimin is the Founder and Honorary President of Vimpelcom, the first Russian company listed in 1996 on NYSE through IPO.
Dr. Zimin retired and sold his controlling stake in Vimpelcom in 2001. Since then, He devoted majority of his time to philanthropic activities founding the Dmitry Zimin Dynasty Foundation in 2002.
In 2007 Dr. Zimin transferred nearly 90% of his wealth to an endowment legally structured as the Zimin Trust. Although the Zimin Family retains a decisive vote on giving from the endowment, neither Dr. Zimin, nor his heirs may benefit from the Zimin Trust.
The Carnegie Trust recognized these efforts in 2013 with Dr. Zimin becoming the first Russian philanthropist to be awarded the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
In 2015 Dr. Zimin was honored by the award “For Commitment to Science” by the Ministry of Science and Education of the Russian Federation.
Dr. Zimin passed away in December 2021. His commitment to philanthropy is continued by his son Boris Zimin, who’s actively involved in the family’s philanthropic activities.