More than 50 participants in the "Svoe delo" project drew up plans for their projects at the first business games.

      01 October 2025 15:57 Economics

      More than 50 participants of the “Svoye delo” project took part in business games in Uren, Lukoyanov, Pavlovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Navashino and the city of Bor.

      The project is being implemented by the regional Ministry of Industry, Trade and Entrepreneurship, the regional center "My Business" with the support of a branch of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" fund, the Rabota Rossii employment center, and the Labor and Employment Department of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, the Center for Social Sphere Innovations, and the Corporate University of the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region in accordance with the goals and objectives of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy."

      The Minister of Industry, Trade and Entrepreneurship of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Maksim Cherkasov, noted that at the business games participants put into practice the knowledge gained during online training in the basics of entrepreneurial activity and at seminars on developing business competencies.

      “Most participants joined the project either with minimal entrepreneurial experience or with none at all. During the business game, experts from the regional center 'My Business' and mentors helped participants work through business ideas, including describing the product or service, conducting a SWOT analysis, as well as market analysis, selecting communication channels, calculating financial results and determining the socio-economic significance of the project. At the end of the business game each participant received a finished business plan. The projects were also defended, and 15 winning projects were identified based on the results,” said Maksim Cherkasov, Minister of Industry, Trade and Entrepreneurship of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      In Nizhny Novgorod the best projects were recognized as those for trading in ice cream, beverages and confectionery, producing textiles with embroidery, logos and chevrons, as well as repairing and retrofitting buses, manufacturing folding tables for small premises and cars. In the city of Bor — projects to open a glamping site and a public catering outlet. In Lukoyanov — projects for a goat farm and a parcel pickup point. In Uren — projects to open a fish-breeding enterprise, a forge and a grooming salon. In Navashino — projects to open a catering outlet and a company for comprehensive renovation and finishing of residential and commercial premises. In Pavlovo — projects for installation of car audio, opening a medical center and an auto repair shop.

      “Mentors work with participants of the ‘Svoye delo’ project — successful entrepreneurs and company directors, heads of municipal business associations. They share with novice businessmen the most valuable thing — their personal experience: they talk about how they created their business, how they overcame difficulties and achieved success, how they received government support. Mentors for each district were chosen taking into account the specifics of the ideas that project participants plan to implement in that municipality. Such targeted interaction will allow novice entrepreneurs to avoid many mistakes when implementing their business projects,” the minister added.

      Mentors in the city of Bor included Elvira Larikova (social entrepreneur, head of the Psychological and Pedagogical Assistance Center "Sest'_slona"), in Lukoyanov — Natalya Guskova (retail and wholesale trade), in Uren — Svetlana Kochugova (head of a textile shop, chairperson of LLC "Union of Entrepreneurs of the Uren District"), in Navashino — Pavel Melentyev (construction works), in Pavlovo — Natalya Pecheneva (managing owner of the "Toskanka" recreation base) and Maksim Yefanov (founder of the advertising agency "Reclaim").

      The winner of the business game in the city of Bor was Andrey Svyatov. He plans to open a glamping site on the shore of a lake in his municipality. From adolescence he prepared for military service, studied at a cadet school, and then at an educational institution of Russia’s security agencies. After completing his studies he received an officer’s rank in the army and also carried out tasks in the special military operation zone.

      “My whole life I have strived to be of service to people, and this goal remained with me after leaving military service. I decided to create a comprehensive center where you can switch to various types of physical activity: stand-up paddleboarding and wakeboarding, bicycle rides. I also plan to create conditions at the glamping site for the rehabilitation of participants of the SMO. The 'Svoye delo' program is helping me develop this project. At the seminars on developing business competencies we worked with artificial intelligence, studied the legal and regulatory aspects of doing business, as well as risks associated with poor planning. Thanks to the business game I was able to work out my project plan in detail and outline concrete steps for its implementation,” said Andrey Svyatov.

      The "Svoye delo" program will run until the end of November. For the winners of the business games, employees of the "My Business" centers will develop individual development maps taking into account current government support measures. Authors of the 10 best projects will be able to receive one of the services free of charge related to website development, an online store or another format of product promotion, product certification, development of a brand book and a business plan. About 140 people took part in the seminars of the "Svoye delo" program.

      As a reminder, information on all business support measures at the federal and regional levels can be obtained at the "My Business" center, which operates within the framework of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy." A "My Business" hotline also operates at the center, where you can get all the necessary information. Hotline phone: 8 (800) 301-29-94 (toll-free).

      The national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy," initiated by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, will become the main tool for forming a new growth model. It includes federal projects aimed at developing small and medium-sized businesses, increasing labor productivity, boosting investment activity, low-carbon development and the development of the state system of statistics and forecasting.

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