Information & Computer Technologies Industry Association (APKIT) was formed in the fall of 2001.
The companies who cooperated to form this advocacy organization include 1C, Aquarius, Cognitive Technologies, DPI, ELST, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, iTeco, Kraftway Computers, Microsoft, Oracle, R-Style, TopS, Verysell, Xerox, ASK, ACSIT, White Wind, DialogNauka, IVK, Interface, Kaspersky Laboratory, Lanit, Marvel, NAMIP, Pirit, et cetera.
In terms of its membership APKIT is the most representative noncommercial association in the Russian IT Industry. Association members have earned acclaim as leading Russian and international businesses, distributors, system integrators, vendors and developers. By many accounts, APKIT members control up to 70% of the official market.
APKIT unites associations representing individual market segments as well as regional unions. Among the APKIT members are subindustry and niche associations APEAP (Association of Electronic Apparatus and Device Makers), ARPP Domestic Software (Association of Software Developers), NP MOOP YaRD, NP PPP (Noncommercial Partnership of Software Product Suppliers), RUSSOFT Noncommercial Partnership and regional associations AKCIT (Southern Russia Digital and Information Technology Companies Association) and RASPO (Russian Association of Free Software).
A mouthpiece for IT industry interests, APKIT defends them with the major public associations. It is a member of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and WITSA and cooperates with the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, OPORA (Russian Non-governmental Association of Small and Medium-size Businesses), AMR (Association of Managers), the Institute of Contemporary Development, RATEK (Electronic Appliance and Computer Distributors and Producers Association), BITKOM and ICC. APKIT representatives sit on expert and advisory boards at the Russian State Duma, government commissions, ministries and departments (Ministry for IT and Communications, Ministry for Economic Development, Ministry for Education and Science, Ministry for Industry and Trade, Ministry for Culture and Mass Communications, Federal Customs Service, and the Federal Antimonopoly Service).
Uniting the industry elite, APKIT forms a system of values, improves mechanisms of interaction within the industry
and works to build an open, civilized market as a safeguard of IT business stability.