In 2005 American Business Association of Russian Professionals (AmBAR) established its annual Technology Investment Conference - Silicon Valley Open Doors (SVOD). The inaugural SVOD-2005 took place in the heart of Silicon Valley (California, USA) on November 14-16, 2005.

The goals of the conference are to demonstrate investment and business development opportunities available in Russia, Ukraine, and other CIS countries to US/European investors and corporate leaders; to assist Russian companies, technology parks, incubators, research institutes, as well as individual entrepreneurs in the creation of successful high technology products and their expansion into international markets; and to help Russian and CIS investors identify partners among US/European venture capital firms.

SVOD conference is the only event of its kind bringing dozens of high-tech innovators from Russia, Ukraine and other FSU countries together with US sources of capital. It introduces American venture capital community to ideas, technologies, and entrepreneurial talent that come out of universities and research labs in the Former Soviet Union. SVOD provides an unparalleled opportunity for the Russian and Ukrainian entrepreneurs to commercialize their ideas globally, learn American venture fundraising practices, acquire necessary business acumen and skills, meet US investors, and create partnership ties with Silicon Valley's ecosystem.

The SVOD-2005, attracted over 250 attendees from innovative technology companies from the Former Soviet Union; prominent Silicon Valley VC firms (i.e., Sequoia, NEA, DFJ, Asset Management Company, Bessemer Venture Partners, Alloy Ventures); top US technology companies (i.e., Amgen, Adobe, Cisco, Oracle, Genentech, PayPal, Sun Microsystems, and Google) and leading technology and business media.

The program included companies’ exhibits as well as individual training sessions and seminars conducted by leading venture capitalists, Stanford University professors, US lawyers, and other experts in the areas of finance, business development, and general management of creating high technology ventures, developing business plans, structuring deals, and transferring intellectual property. Representatives of some of the major Silicon Valley companies spoke about partnership opportunities.

The Conference was supported by the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications of the Russian Federation.