Yandex technology services and smart devices

Founded in 1997 by Arkady Volozh and Ilya Segalovich, Yandex began as a pioneering search engine for the Russian language. Over nearly three decades, it transformed into a massive technology ecosystem often called 'Russia's Google,' offering everything from ride-hailing and e-commerce to highly advanced AI and smart home hardware. Many of its hardware products, like the Yandex Station smart speakers, are designed in Russia while manufacturing often takes place in China or via local partnerships such as its server production initiatives within Russia.

In July 2024, the brand underwent its most significant transformation due to global geopolitical shifts. The original Dutch holding company, Yandex N.V., completed a landmark $5.4 billion sale of its Russian assets to a domestic consortium led by internal management and major Russian investors. This deal essentially split the brand: the international non-Russian startups moved under a new entity called Nebius Group (headquartered in the Netherlands), while the core Yandex brand and its vast Russian operations are now owned by a localized parent company, IPJSC Yandex, headquartered in Kaliningrad and Moscow.