More than 20 participants of the "YOUR business" program developed plans for their projects during business games.

      24 participants of the "YOUR business" project made plans for their projects during business games in Pavlovo, Uren, and Sergach. The program is implemented by the Ministry of Industry of the Nizhny Novgorod region and the regional center "My Business" with the support of the branch of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" fund, the "Work of Russia" personnel center, the regional Ministry of Demography and Human Capital Development, and the Center for Social Sphere Innovations in accordance with the goals and objectives of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Effective and Competitive Economy."

      "Business games are a practical stage of training. Participants apply the knowledge they gain from the online course and educational seminars. Together with specialists from the regional center 'My Business,' veterans and participants of the SVO, as well as their family members, worked on the concepts of their future enterprises: they identified the target audience, assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the projects, analyzed the market, calculated the financial model, and formed a promotion strategy. As a result of the game, each participant prepared a full-fledged business plan and defended it before an expert commission. Nine of the best projects became winners," said Maxim Cherkasov, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Entrepreneurship of the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      In Pavlovo, the best projects were recognized for organizing a sewing workshop, a mobile bathhouse, and knife manufacturing; in Uren, for a beekeeping farm, vending machine trading, and public catering points; in Sergach, for a smoking workshop, souvenir production, and the installation of water vending machines. The winners received certificates for 100,000 rubles for advertising their project on social networks. The list of services includes creating groups or channels if they do not exist and conducting advertising campaigns. The winners also have the opportunity to present their projects in a competitive selection in Nizhny Novgorod.

      "The practical experience of active entrepreneurs is one of the most valuable resources for those who are just starting their own business. Therefore, in the 'YOUR business' project, mentors—business leaders, entrepreneurs, and representatives of business associations in the region—work with the participants. They help refine business ideas, share experiences in developing their own businesses, and suggest the most effective solutions at the start. Mentors were selected taking into account the specifics of the projects in each municipality. This approach allows for maximum targeted support and increases the chances of successful implementation of entrepreneurial initiatives," added the minister.

      Mentors in Uren included Svetlana Kochugova, chair of the public organization "Assistance to the Population of the Uren District of the Nizhny Novgorod Region," individual entrepreneur Natalia Mitrofanova (provision of cosmetic services), individual entrepreneur Elena Sadova (retail trade), and individual entrepreneur Albina Smirnova (leasing non-commercial premises); in Pavlovo, Deputy Head of the Pavlovsky Municipal District Administration Dmitry Lisin, Director of LLC "Pavlovostroy" (timber trading) Natalia Pecheneva, General Director of LLC "Cheburkov Workshop" (knife manufacturing) Alexander Cheburkov, Director of LLC "Verkholaz" (textile trading) Alexey Fadeev, individual entrepreneur Alexey Devyatov (provision of legal services); in Sergach, individual entrepreneur Sergey Kapustin (public catering services), Head of the Economic Development Department of the Sergach Municipal District Administration Elena Barsukova, Head of the Entrepreneurship Support Department of the Sergach Municipal District Administration Elena Lazareva, public assistant to the Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights in the Sergach Municipal District Administration Natalia Bochkarnikova, social coordinator of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" fund Tatyana Kolesnik.

      The winner of the business game in Sergach was veteran of the special military operation Anton Maslov. He plans to launch a business related to the installation of vending machines for selling clean drinking water. Anton Maslov's journey in the army began with compulsory service. Later, he decided to continue serving under contract and became a firefighter-rescuer in a mixed aviation regiment. When the special military operation began, he decided to volunteer to go to the combat zone. During the execution of combat tasks, he was injured and could not continue his service.

      "Therefore, I started looking for an opportunity to realize myself in a new endeavor. The idea of creating a business for installing machines with clean drinking water emerged. To properly implement the idea, I became a participant in the 'YOUR business' project. Here I gained the knowledge I lacked for the start. Together with my mentor, we worked on the business plan, analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the project, calculated the economics, and built a plan for further steps. And now, if questions arise, I can always turn to them for advice and support. Today my project is in the preparation stage. I am negotiating with landlords, selecting locations for the installation of the first water vending machines. I hope to open the first two points by summer," said Anton Maslov.

      The "YOUR business" program will last until the end of September. In the first stage, all participants undergo general training, where they get acquainted with the basics of entrepreneurship and receive an assessment of their professional and managerial skills. In the second stage, they develop business competencies in seminars and work with business leaders in the region. The program then splits. Business games are provided for beginner entrepreneurs in municipalities. This is an opportunity to work through ideas and prepare to launch their own business. After that, they can participate in a competitive selection, where the 10 best initiatives will receive support in the form of creating a trademark, developing a personal website for the business, advertising on the radio, and on social networks. Active entrepreneurs will undergo training on "packaging" their business into a franchise, study tools for scaling the project and legal nuances, analyze cases, and learn to present their ideas. The business plans prepared during the project will allow participants to apply for a special social contract for SVO veterans.

      Also, as part of the project, participants undergo professional diagnostics at the "Work of Russia" personnel center and receive support from the branch of the State Fund "Defenders of the Fatherland." It is expected that more than 190 people will participate in the "YOUR business" program during its implementation.

      Let us remind you that information about all measures of support for businesses at the federal and regional levels can be found at the "My Business" center (мойбизнес52.рф), which operates within the framework of the federal project "Small and Medium Entrepreneurship" of the national project "Effective and Competitive Economy." The center has a hotline "My Business," where all necessary information can also be obtained. Hotline phone number: 8 (800) 301-29-94 (call is free).

      The national project "Effective 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 the development of small and medium entrepreneurship, increasing labor productivity, growing investment activity, low-carbon development, and developing the state system of statistics and forecasting. The NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and operational information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." When republishing, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.