The Nizhny Novgorod region is accepting applications for an accelerator program for social entrepreneurs.

      24 December 2025 11:59 Economy

      The Center for Innovations in the Social Sphere of the Nizhny Novgorod Region (ANO "CISS NO"), with the support of the Ministry of Social Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region and with the assistance of the Fund for Support of Social Projects, announced the start of accepting applications for participation in the 2026 Acceleration Program.

      The program is aimed at creating a favorable environment in the region for the development of social entrepreneurship through the implementation of an effective support system that promotes sustainable growth and expansion of social enterprises' activities.

      The Nizhny Novgorod Region confidently ranks among the top five regions of Russia in social entrepreneurship (502 enterprises are included in the registry of social entrepreneurs). In 2025 the region was recognized as a leader in the development of social entrepreneurship based on the results of the annual Award for Contribution to the Development and Promotion of Social Entrepreneurship in Russia "Impulse of Good," established by the Foundation for Regional Social Programs "Our Future."

      "CISS of the Nizhny Novgorod Region is the center of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem: every year employees from other CISSes and entrepreneurs come here on business missions to exchange experiences. The organization does not stand still — it constantly develops, trains, and implements new support measures. The new Acceleration Program will continue this momentum, strengthening the region's leadership," said Igor Sedykh, Minister of Social Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

      The Nizhny Novgorod CISS's Acceleration Program received support and funding from the federal Fund for Support of Social Projects.

      "We actively work with social projects in Nizhny Novgorod and see great activity from entrepreneurs; they are showing good results. The next step is to consolidate this success and amplify the social impact with the help of the Acceleration Program. Our experience in implementing similar programs has proven effective in other regions. For example, 80 percent of graduates increased their client base, and 64 percent reported revenue growth," said Nikita Novosadov, Deputy Director of the Fund for Support of Social Projects.

      The program will include expert sessions, themed webinars, and a tracking program — individual project support from leading business experts. The program plans to hold offsite events in other regions to exchange experiences with social entrepreneurs. The program will conclude with a demo day during which participants will present their projects to investors and experts. The best projects will receive support, and all participants who attend a sufficient number of sessions will receive certificates of program completion.

      "The new Acceleration Program is a response to the real needs of social entrepreneurs in the Nizhny Novgorod Region. It combines intensive training, expert mentorship, and practical tools to help projects of any scale move from an idea to a sustainable business with a pronounced social impact," said Svetlana Kashina, Head of CISS NO.

      Registered socially oriented small and medium-sized enterprises in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, as well as individuals wishing to engage in activities in the social sphere, are invited to participate in the program.

      You can find out details and fill out the application form for participation in the program until 25 January 2026 at https://cissno52.ru/akselerator-dlya-sp/.

      Information about social entrepreneurship support programs in the region can be obtained by contacting the regional Center for Innovations in the Social Sphere by phone: 8 (831) 435-15-24, by e-mail: [email protected], or at: Nizhny Novgorod, Akademika Sakharova St., 4, office 529.

      Supporting entrepreneurship, including social entrepreneurship, is a primary objective of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Effective and Competitive Economy," which is being implemented at the initiative of the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. The activities of the regional Center for Innovations in the Social Sphere, established in 2017, contribute to achieving this objective.

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