An accelerator for small businesses in the creative industries has launched in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      October 15, 2025, 14:30 — Economy

      Fifty representatives of small businesses took part in the first session of an accelerator for the creative industries and manufacturers of goods from Nizhny Novgorod brands organized by the ANO Park of Masters "Nizhpograph."

      The development of entrepreneurship in Russia is the main task of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Effective and Competitive Economy," initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

      Photographers, artists, jewelers, clothing brand creators, theater professionals, tour guides and owners of their own productions are taking part in the accelerator. Among them are those who are just starting their businesses and those who already confidently occupy their niche in the industry. The accelerator program includes six training modules on key areas: strategy and business model of a creative project, branding and product design, marketing and promotion of a local brand, sales and distribution, finance, investment and support, scaling and collaborations.

      "More than 200 applications were submitted to participate in the accelerator. From them we selected 50 projects with real potential for development and scaling. We hope that the program will allow entrepreneurs not only to gain new knowledge and master new tools, but also to establish the partnerships necessary to enter new markets. Given the strong interest, we are already working on the program for a second season to give more interested residents of Nizhny Novgorod the opportunity to gain new knowledge," said Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Andrey Sanosyan.

      Practicing experts at the federal and regional levels have been invited to work with the participants. They include Lidia Raimm, a lecturer at the Russian State Academy of Intellectual Property; Grigory Khromov, chairman of the board of the regional branch of the Union of Designers of Russia; marketing agency owner Artem Klimin; and others.

      The final stage of the accelerator will be the defense of projects with the involvement of potential investors and the awarding of the most outstanding program participants. Prizes include individual mentoring consultations, development of brand strategy and corporate identity, as well as services for promoting the product in the media space. Partners of the accelerator are the National Federation of Professional Mentors and Coaches, the non-profit entrepreneurs' club "Terra" and the Design Development Center of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      "'Park of Masters Nizhpograph' is a space for the development of local brands and a hub for creative initiatives. Within Nizhpograph, large projects such as Dreamlaser, the Center for Theatrical Mastery, the School of Restoration and others are successfully developing. We hope that the accelerator will become a new impetus for the growth and promotion of other regional brands, as well as provide a foundation for the formation at the Nizhpograph site of an engaged community of entrepreneurs who can exchange experiences and find new opportunities for cooperation," said Mikhail Konyakhin, director of the ANO Park of Masters "Nizhpograph."

      Recall that in February 2025 a law on creative industries came into force, which made it possible to enshrine the concept of "creative industries" and create targeted mechanisms to support the sector.

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