Polycentric strategies for increasing the region's technological sovereignty

This article examines the formation of polycentric models of regional economic development as a tool for achieving technological sovereignty. Using the example of the Sverdlovsk Region, a major industrial center with a high concentration of risk objects, the potential for creating distributed research and production clusters focused on the development of high-tech equipment for civil defense and emergency response (MES) is analyzed. The study focuses on economic mechanisms for meeting the needs of the Russian Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies, and Disaster Relief (MES) for modern technologies and equipment. The framework for the study is established by the premise that decentralizing innovation and leveraging the industrial potential of secondary centers in the region allows for the creation of a sustainable import substitution ecosystem. The opposite effect is caused by the monopolization of developments and supplies within a single center (monocentrism), creating vulnerabilities in the security system. As an alternative solution, a polycentric cooperation model is proposed, involving the distribution of functions between research and educational clusters, industrial sites, and innovation areas, synchronized with the needs of the regional MES administration. The paper presents specific tools for such coordination: a competency map, targeted investment programs, and a platform for interaction between customers (MES), developers, and manufacturers. The implementation of this strategy will result in the formation of a sustainable, self-developing regional ecosystem capable of quickly meeting technological needs in the security sector, reducing critical dependence on external supplies, and strengthening the region's sovereignty in this area.