The article is devoted to the analysis and the choice of the priorities in technology development and, particularly, to the use of patent landscaping as a tool for the study of technology trends. Currently, patent activity indicators are often used for technology foresight and for competitive intelligence as well. Nevertheless, causal relationship between these indicators, on the one hand, and strategic and tactical decisions in the sphere of technological development on meso- and microeconomic level, on the other hand, are not adequately investigated to solve practical tasks. The goal of the work is to systemize the challenges of technology trends analysis, which could be effectively solved on the base of patent landscape analysis. The article analyses the patent landscaping methodology and tools, as well as their use for evaluating the current competitive environment and technology foresight. The authors formulated the generalized classification for the criteria of promising technologies for a selected region. To assess the compliance of a technology with these criteria, we propose a system of corresponding indicators of patenting activity. Using the proposed methodology, we have analysed the patent landscape to select promising technologies for the Sverdlovsk region. The research confirmed the hypothesis of the patent landscapes performance in evaluating such technology indicators as stages of the life cycle stage, universality (applicability in different industries), pace of worldwide development, innovations and science availability in the region and potential possibilities for scientific collaboration with international research institutions and universities. The results of the research may be useful to the wide audience, including representatives small and medium enterprises, large companies and regional authorities for the tasks concerned with the technology trends analysis and technology strategy design

Technology entrepreneurship is one of key research areas in the modern economy as fast-growing companies significantly contribute to the economic growth of the regions and Russia in general. Identifying factors influencing the emergence and success of start-ups could give the tools to support and stimulate entrepreneurship in this field. In this research, we collected and analysed data on technological start-ups founded in the past decade. We focused on identifying global start-ups, in which at least one of the founders was educated in Russia. The final sample includes more than 1000 start-ups of Russian origin. During the study, we discovered the main trends in the educational, geographical and sectorial paths of start-up founders. We hypothesise that the promotion of technical education in the regions, and the use of information technologies in business play a significant role in the development of technology entrepreneurship. The econometric analysis allowed us to determine regional factors influencing the emergence of successful start-ups in the region, as well as regional factors affecting the intention to establish a technology start-up in a country or a region differing from the place where they had obtained education. In the regions close to Moscow and relatively developed regions, the level of salaries for programmers is of significance. An entrepreneur’s desire to change a region or a country can be affected by the level of inventive activity in a region, the number of students of mathematical specialties, the distance to Moscow. Future studies can focus on a country analysis of the success factors of technology start-ups, an analysis of the world’s most attractive entrepreneurial start-up ecosystems, and the place of Russian technology entrepreneurs on the map of successful global start-ups.