Young entrepreneurs of Tatarstan can compete for a grant of 1 million rubles

The Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) and the SME Corporation announced the launch of the federal youth entrepreneurship competition "Create OURS". Its participants can be young people from 14 to 28 years old who want to start their own business or have a business for up to two years. The winners will receive a grant from the Youth Entrepreneurial Initiative Foundation in the amount of 1 million rubles. 

Registration has opened on the SME.RF digital platform, you can apply until March 10. The winners of the competition will be invited to a special acceleration program of the SME Corporation. In addition, they will receive a grant from the Youth Entrepreneurial Initiative Foundation in the amount of 1 million rubles to implement a business idea or develop their company.

"There are now 4 million sole proprietors in our country, there are more than 1 million of them under the age of 35, that is, 25% are young people. If we talk about the self-employed, the average age is 35 years. A generation is growing up that is braver, not as afraid as older people, to make mistakes and try their hand at starting a business. After all, any business is always fraught with risk. Therefore, it is very important to support those who are ready to try and open their own business," said Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation.

"The federal competition "Create OURS" is a continuation of the Agency's comprehensive work to support young entrepreneurs, which is now actively underway, including on the Constructorium platform. As in the case of the platform, during the Create OURS, we adhere to the principles of openness and accessibility, implementing an online format and providing an opportunity for young people from all over the country to participate," said Alexander Vaino, Director of the ASI Youth Initiatives Center.

The competition program is organized according to two tracks: "Youth without business" and "Business up to 2 years old". Participants need to complete an educational program on the basics of entrepreneurship, and at the next stage - to develop a business project to open or scale their business. Based on the results of the study of the projects, the competition commission will determine 30 winners.

Today, most of the employees in catering are young people, said Anton Pinsky, businessman, founder of the Pinskiy&Co restaurant holding, owner of the Stars Coffee and Domino pizza chains and a member of the Create OURS competition commission. It is the youth, according to him, who largely determines the vectors of development in this area today. "In our restaurants, 80% of the employees are young people. And many, starting with a waiter, become businessmen and restaurateurs. In our field, as in others, innovators win; new trends are set by the younger generation. We listen to their opinion very much," said Anton Pinsky.