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ITL report successful show at VendExpo in Russia

Published

5 years ago

April 2, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Notwithstanding the global situation, VendExpo in Moscow took place last week spanning over three days in the Russian capital. The 14th international exhibition of vending technologies and self-service systems was held at the Expo centre and was one of the first major global exhibitions to take place since the pandemic began last year.

Commenting on ITL’s presence at the show, Georgiy Frolov, Business Development Manager said, “VendExpo was a welcome opportunity to meet up with partners, colleagues and customers given the past year we have all had. Despite the expected reduction in customer traffic compared to previous years, the show was quite successful for us and we had a good number of quality leads, so we predict that overall, the show will produce more potential customers. The team also noticed that both exhibitor and visitor profiles where more varied compared to 2019 suggesting the show is attracting other market sectors beyond vending such as banking and kiosk. Customers from all industries who visited the booth could see the potential for facial recognition and updating their units to improve their recycling capabilities.”

Georgiy continued, “A big success for the region is the adoption of our compact recyclers NV11 Spectral and NV22 Spectral. These are the first choice for Vending applications due to their flexibility and size. Visitors were impressed with their proven ability to maximises cash efficiency and reduce operational costs significantly. It was also great to see some of our more traditional products on other stands such as the BV50, which is used widely across Russia within vending applications.”

“For higher volume, retail applications, customers showed a keen interest in our recycling offerings for both bills and coins using the Spectral Payout and Smart Coin System combination. The Spectral Payout is an 80 note ‘true’ mixed denomination recycler which uses the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) certified NV200 Spectral validator. It gives complete note image capture for exceptional protection against fraudulent and stained notes as well as eliminating change starvation & reducing the note float level required to keep machines operational. This unit combined with the SMART Coin System – a multi-denomination coin recycler, which is now able to work with 1-10 RUB coins – proved to be popular with the visitors.”

Concluding Georgiy said, “This year we also participated in one of the conference programme discussions on self-service innovations. We reviewed ICU, our facial recognition and age verification device, as a part of self-service systems of the future. This was well received and resulted in several discussions and potential partnerships. On the booth ICU was also creating interest with more perspectives of its practical use such as loyalty programs and night clubs. The ICU age verification feature demonstrated on the booth attracted high interest from visitors who sell age-restricted goods and services both in retail and vending sectors as an effective way to automate age checks to ensure compliance. This new era of self-service is fast moving and presents interesting prospects for the future. We look forward to working with customers and partners in the region to explore how our new products and technologies can benefit their businesses.”

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

45 minutes ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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