itSMF Russia

What itSMF Russia does

itSMF Russia (legal name: Ассоциация организаций и специалистов в сфере управления информационными технологиями «ИТ сервис-менеджмент форум») is a Moscow-based non-profit professional association serving IT Service Management practitioners and organizations across Russia and the CIS. Its core mission is to develop, localize, and promote ITSM standards and methodologies in the Russian-speaking market, including official Russian translations of ITIL V.3 and ISO/IEC 20000 and the proprietary RITM (Rational IT Methodology / Рациональная ИТ-методология). The association also publishes the annual ITSM Almanac and industry research, runs the ITSM Project of the Year award, hosts the annual XVI Conference itSMF, and operates educational and community programs such as the Junior ITSM League, Open Lectures for universities, ITSM labs workshops, the Process Labyrinths business game, and the Sarafan Radio networking initiative.

The portfolio extends across twelve named products and services grouped around four pillars: (1) core methodology (RITM); (2) standards localization and content (ITIL V.3 publications and glossary, ISO/IEC 20000 translation, ITSM Almanac, research publications); (3) professional development and competitions (ITSM Project of the Year, Junior ITSM League, Process Labyrinths, ITSM labs, Open Lectures); and (4) community and events (annual conference, webinars, Sarafan Radio). Revenue mechanics rely on annual membership fees (individual and corporate tiers, pricing not publicly disclosed), ticketed and sponsored events including the annual conference, sale of ITSM books and publications through the online bookstore (itsmforum.ru/reference/itshop/), and recurring research/analytics subscriptions. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, with multi-channel distribution via the website, webinars, email, university partnerships (MIIT, MISIS, GUU, VSHBI at HSE), and a partner network including OSP, CDTO, and corporate sponsors.

The member base comprises over 30 organizations spanning banking (Sberbank, Alfa Bank, PAO MTS Bank), financial infrastructure (PAO Moscow Exchange), technology (Yandex), IT consulting and services (IBS, Cleverics, Infrascom, RS-Team, Naumen, K2Tech, Softline, Inline Group, IT Expert, Skyflabs, Radiant System, Rubytech, Eureca), Russian ITSM software vendors (SimpleOne, ELMA365), insurance (AlfaStrakhovanie), and government entities (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, which implemented ITSM on ELMA365). Headcount is reported at 251–500. The organization is governed by a Supervisory Council, Steering Committee, and founding members, with no venture, private equity, or parent-company ownership indicated.

Name

itSMF Russia

Legal name

Ассоциация организаций и специалистов в сфере управления информационными технологиями «ИТ сервис-менеджмент форум»

Website

https://itsmforum.ru

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

itSMF Russia is a Moscow-based non-profit professional association that develops, localizes, and promotes IT Service Management practices for practitioners and enterprises across Russia and the CIS, centered on the proprietary RITM methodology, Russian translations of ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000, an annual conference, and educational and research programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Service Management Professional Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

ITIL/ITSM Process Consulting & Implementation (BPAEAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

ITSM Governance, Compliance & Audit Readiness (BPAEAJAM), Systems Administration & IT Operations (Windows/Linux, Monitoring, ITSM) (EDABAFAH)

Keywords

• IT service management
• IT management methodology
• Professional association services
• Annual conference events
• Standards translation publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Moscow

HQ country

Russia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Association generates revenue through annual membership fees from organizations and individual professionals in the ITSM field. Various membership tiers exist with different benefits.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from annual conferences, webinars, and professional events including the XVI Annual Conference itSMF-2026 and various educational webinars.
3. Publications and Book Sales: Sale of ITSM-related publications, books, and research materials through the online bookstore (Книжный магазин).
4. Research and Analytics Services: Industry research reports and analytics publications including the ITSM Almanac and sector-specific research studies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

itSMF Russia is a professional nonprofit association that develops and promotes IT Service Management (ITSM) standards and methodologies in Russia and CIS countries, with the proprietary RITM (Rational IT Methodology) framework as its signature intellectual product. The association operates an annual conference (itSMF), a webinar program, an online bookstore, individual and corporate memberships, official Russian translations of ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000, the ITSM Almanac, research publications, student competitions, and university outreach initiatives targeted at ITSM practitioners and IT-managed organizations.

Product overview

itSMF Russia (ИТ сервис-менеджмент форум) is a professional association and community for ITSM practitioners in Russia. The organization offers a portfolio of methodologies, tools, and knowledge resources centered around the RATIONAL IT METHODOLOGY (RITM) as its core intellectual product, complemented by educational programs, competitions, publications, and collaborative initiatives. The portfolio includes: РИТМ as the primary methodology; research publications and the ITSM Almanac as knowledge resources; ITIL and ISO/IEC 20000 translations and glossaries as standards support; business simulation games (Process Labyrinths) and the Junior League competition for professional development; open lectures for universities; and the ITSM labs workshop for solution testing. The organization also facilitates industry events, including its annual conference.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• РИТМ (Рациональная ИТ-методология): Rational IT Methodology - a methodology developed and promoted by itSMF Russia for IT management
• Лига юниоров ITSM
• ITSM Проект года
• Процессные лабиринты
• Сарафанное радио
• ITSM labs
• Альманах ITSM

Products and services

• RITM (Rational IT Methodology / Рациональная ИТ-методология) Proprietary IT management methodology developed and promoted by itSMF Russia to standardize ITSM practices in Russian organizations. Used by member organizations as a framework for IT service management design and implementation.
• Individual Membership Annual subscription membership for individual ITSM professionals providing access to member resources, standards translations, conferences, webinars, publications, and the community network.
• Corporate/Organizational Membership Annual subscription membership for organizations providing multi-employee access to member resources, events, industry research, and association visibility, including sponsorship opportunities.
• Annual Conference itSMF (e.g., XVI Annual Conference itSMF-2026) Ticketed annual flagship conference bringing together hundreds of ITSM professionals, practitioners, and vendors for keynote talks, presentations, networking, and association activities.
• ITSM Almanac (Альманах ITSM) Annual compendium of ITSM knowledge, practices, and case studies contributed by Russian organizations and practitioners.
• ITIL V.3 Publications (Публикации по ITIL V.3) Russian-language educational and reference materials covering the ITIL Version 3 framework for ITSM practitioners.
• ISO/IEC 20000 Standard Translation (Russian Version) Official Russian translation of the ISO/IEC 20000 IT service management standard published by itSMF Russia.
• ITIL 3 Glossary (Глоссарий ITIL 3) Russian-language terminology glossary covering ITIL V3 concepts for ITSM practitioners, students, and translators.
• Process Labyrinths Business Simulation Game (Процессные лабиринты) Interactive business simulation game focused on process management training, designed to train ITSM professionals through hands-on scenarios.
• ITSM Labs (Laboratory of ITSM Solutions / Лаборатория ITSM решений) Hands-on laboratory workshop for testing and demonstrating ITSM solutions, methodologies, and tooling for member organizations.
• Junior ITSM League (Лига юниоров ITSM) Annual diploma/thesis competition for graduates of Russian universities focused on ITSM topics.
• Open Lectures ITSMF-to-Universities (Открытые лекции ITSMF-вузам) Educational lecture program delivered to Russian university students to introduce ITSM principles, frameworks, and career pathways.
• ITSM Research Publications (Исследования) Industry research publications, surveys, and analytical reports covering ITSM trends, practices, and benchmarks in the Russian market.
• Sarafannoe Radio (Сарафанное радио) Networking and Referral Program Community-driven knowledge sharing initiative connecting ITSM practitioners through referrals, networking, and experience exchange.
• ITSM Project of the Year Award (ITSM Проект года) Annual industry award recognizing outstanding ITSM implementation projects across Russian organizations.
• ITSM Online Bookstore (Книжный магазин) E-commerce storefront selling ITSM-related publications, reference books, research reports, and translated standards.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 major organizations as members including leading Russian companies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SILA UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026ООО «СИЛА Юнион» and itSMF Russia signed a cooperation agreement for the development and popularization of the Rational IT Methodology (RITМ). This partnership aims to advance ITSM practices in Russian organizations through the RITM framework.
• IT Ecosystem LukomoryecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026IT ecosystem «Lukomorye» and itSMF Russia formalized their partnership for RITM development, building on a multi-year informal collaboration. The agreement secures formal cooperation in promoting and developing the methodology.
• IBSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIBS is a corporate member of itSMF Russia, participating in the association's activities and ecosystem.
• InfrascomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInfrascom is a corporate member of itSMF Russia, participating in the association's ecosystem.
• RS-TeamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRS-Team is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• Infеrit ITMenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInfеrit ITMen is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• EurecaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEureca is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• YandexminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYandex is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• ClevericsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCleverics is a corporate member and partner of itSMF Russia.
• SimpleOneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSimpleOne is a corporate member of itSMF Russia, Russian ITSM software vendor.
• K2TechminorGTM or Marketing PartnerK2Tech is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• NaumenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNaumen is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• ELMA365minorGTM or Marketing PartnerELMA365 is a corporate member of itSMF Russia.
• OSPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOSP is a partner of itSMF Russia in the partner network section.
• CDTOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCDTO (Center for Digital Transformation) is a partner organization of itSMF Russia.
• VSHBI (Higher School of Business Informatics)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerVSHBI at HSE is a partner of itSMF Russia, collaborating on educational initiatives.
• MIIT (Moscow State University of Railway Engineering)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMIIT is a partner of itSMF Russia, collaborating on university outreach programs.
• GUU (State University of Management)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGUU is a partner of itSMF Russia, collaborating on educational programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ISACA: Global professional association for IT governance, risk, audit, and cybersecurity professionals. Larger and more globally distributed than itSMF Russia but operates an analogous model of certifications, conferences (e.g., ISACA Conference), chapters, and research publications for IT practitioners.
• PMI (Project Management Institute): The world's largest project management professional association. While focused on PM rather than ITSM, the operational model — membership fees, certifications (PMP), annual congress, chapters, and published standards — is structurally analogous to itSMF Russia's operating approach.
• CompTIA: Global non-profit trade association issuing vendor-neutral IT certifications (A+, Network+, Security+, ITIL-aligned credentials). Comparable as a certification-driven professional association with global reach, large corporate membership, and training/exam revenue streams.
• IEEE Computer Society: The largest international professional organization for computing professionals, with conferences, publications, certifications, and local chapters. Operates a similar member-funded model for IT practitioners at a much larger scale than itSMF Russia.
• PeopleCert (owner of AXELOS/ITIL): Owns and develops the ITIL framework that underpins itSMF Russia's content offerings. As the licensor of ITIL certification and exam programs, PeopleCert is the global anchor of the ITSM standards ecosystem in which itSMF Russia operates.

Regional players

• itSMF UK: The UK chapter of itSMF International, sharing the same mission and operating model as itSMF Russia but serving a UK audience. Direct sister chapter and the most structurally comparable peer — useful benchmark for membership economics, event scale, and content strategy.

Direct peers

• itSMF International: The global umbrella organization for national ITSM forums, of which itSMF Russia is the official Russian chapter. Most directly comparable — same mission (ITSM community, education, standards), same membership model, same event-driven GTM.
• BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT): UK-based chartered professional body for IT practitioners, offering certifications, events, publications, and member communities. Comparable as a national-level IT professional association with membership, training, and publishing revenue streams.
• HDI (Help Desk Institute): Global professional association for technical support and service management professionals, with similar focus on service desk, ITIL-aligned training, certifications, and an annual conference. Closely comparable in mission, audience, and revenue model.

Emerging players

• DevOps Institute: A professional community focused on DevOps, SRE, and emerging IT operations practices, with certifications, training, and events. Represents the next-generation alternative to traditional ITSM frameworks and a competitive force for practitioner mindshare that itSMF Russia must contend with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about itSMF Russia