Nizhny Novgorod is once again hosting the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time."

      The VI forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time" (16+) has started in Nizhny Novgorod. Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. Since 2020, the forum has served as the main platform for finding and scaling initiatives that help develop the country. This year, the organizers - ASI, "Roscongress," VEB.RF, and the government of the Nizhny Novgorod region - have prepared a rich program: more than 30 sessions on the most relevant topics, from AI and digital services to family support and ecology. More than 1,700 experts, entrepreneurs, and project authors have registered for the forum. Governor Gleb Nikitin noted that the choice of Nizhny Novgorod as the venue is a recognition of the region's merits: residents of Nizhny Novgorod have submitted over 10,000 ideas, many of which made it into the top 100 best projects in the country. The forum will present 300 of the best initiatives selected from 48,000 applications. The work of the platform will last until August 28. We decided to find out the experts' opinions on the significance of the forum. Which of its missions - economic, political, social, or intellectual - is currently the most important for Russia? And what effect do regions that host such large-scale events experience?

      Andrey Chugunov, journalist:

      "The idea must mature!" - the head of the department of theoretical physics said admonishingly in response to a remark from one of his subordinates that he had an idea, and even two, on how to solve a complex equation written in chalk on the board. At the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time," a patronizing tone is likely not welcomed. At least because ideas first undergo evaluation for compliance with the competition rules, then experts assess their socio-economic potential and relevance to contemporary challenges, and only after that do they gain the right to be presented "to the city and the world." "I would like to note that every year, thousands of the best ideas receive specific support. Their teams and leaders are provided with educational and methodological assistance necessary for further development, and the 100 most significant initiatives are sent to the Government, ministries, agencies, and regions of the Russian Federation for their use in formulating systemic solutions," said Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin, over five years (from 2022 to 2026), residents of Nizhny Novgorod have presented more than 10,000 initiatives, of which 201 made it into the top 1000, 17 into the top 100, and one into the top ten best. He presented to the forum participants a project for an inclusive office based on "Work of Russia" (over three years, 4,000 people with disabilities have turned to it, of which 2,300 are already employed, 450 received psychological assistance, and 500 received support for socialization), the project "SVOe Delo" (help for veterans of the SVO in starting a business), and demographic projects "There is an Opportunity" and "We Will Give Birth Again," which helped in forming the program "FOUNDATION - the Nizhny Novgorod Life Project." It is probably impossible to assess the immediate impact of such projects on the development of the region, as they are designed for long-term implementation. At the same time, it is clear that they are a certain "driver" of regional development in the corresponding direction. The fact that this year's forum results will be summarized in Nizhny Novgorod is a clear recognition of the already visible results of this work.

      By the way, Deputy Governor Oleg Berkovich reported that next week the acceptance of applications for the second season of the "Kreanopolis 2.0" accelerator - a free educational program for creative entrepreneurs in the Nizhny Novgorod region developing projects in 16 areas: from fashion to IT - will open. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, it seems that ideas - economic, political, social, and intellectual - are not only born but also quite successfully mature and bear fruit.

      Evgeny Semyonov, Deputy Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, Head of the Nizhny Novgorod Branch of FoRGO, Political Scientist, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor:

      A mission is not a project and not a strategy; it cannot be "digitized" by conventional metrics. Its value lies in the very fact of existence. The project "Strong Ideas for a New Time" is unique in that it combines several missions, which proves its exceptional significance. The synergy of the project is evident in everything. In the economy, it creates new jobs, innovations, and startups that evolve into regional programs and national projects. In politics, it represents real inclusion: the project has become a bridge between society and the authorities, giving people the opportunity to be heard. In the intellectual sphere, it creates a "pollination effect," where interdisciplinary collaboration enhances the intellectual potential of the entire country. But if we talk about the most important aspect, it is the social effect. Most of the forum's ideas are aimed at supporting families, creating an accessible environment, and helping those in need. By systematically changing the quality of life, the project overcomes social atomization. This is a global demand that the entire world community strives for, and Russia acts here as an active driver of change.

      Maxim Lubyanoi, Director of the Research Institute of Social Management Problems, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences:

      The intellectual mission of the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time" is today more important than the others, but not in the narrow sense of expert evaluation of projects, but as a systematic work with the national resource. Historically, Russia has had an abundance of talent and inventive thought. The problem was not their absence but the mechanisms of packaging: a brilliant idea that remains at the level of insight does not become development. In a high-tech world, the speed of idea generation and their transformation into solutions is a critical advantage. Lagging in this area means not just a technological gap but a loss of the ability to respond to changes faster than they occur. It is here that the state ceases to be an observer and becomes an investor in the flow. Not because private initiative is weak, but because the scale of the task requires institutional support: expertise, logistics, resource backing. The forum demonstrates this shift. It marks the transition from passive "we are talented" to active "we are designing." The state does not just recognize the existence of ideas but creates infrastructure for their selection and advancement to the implementation stage. This is not directive management from above but co-financing of the intellectual flow.

      Nizhny Novgorod in this picture is not an accidental address. A region with a stable scientific and educational foundation and project culture becomes not a recipient of federal decisions but one of the nodes of intellectual assembly. By hosting the forum, it engages in the federal logic of working with ideas, but not as a passive platform, but as a generator and filter simultaneously. The main effect of such an approach is not the number of applications and not even the quality of the finalists. The effect is that the very formulation of the task changes: the state learns to work with the intellectual resource not incidentally but systematically. And the forum here is not a parade but a tool for regular practice.

      Elena Mozgunova, Historian, Candidate of Political Sciences, Associate Professor at the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Management - a branch of RANEPA:

      A significant and noticeable event in the socio-political agenda is the forum "Strong Ideas for a New Time." A wide representation of experts, public figures, and entrepreneurs confirms this. Essentially, the forum has become a "think factory," where ideas undergo expertise, receive due attention and PR. I believe one of the priority missions is social, which aligns with the rapidly changing conditions of the digital age and external circumstances. About 25,000 applications were submitted specifically in this area, concerning improving the quality of life, expanding opportunities for family support, and inclusion. This reflects the fundamental values of modern Russia.

      It is evident that the implementation of the state's social mission directly adjusts to the economic function, so this area has also received a lot of attention. After all, if a person has a decent job and a corresponding salary, then the quality of life will be at a high level. The acceptance of the forum on Nizhny Novgorod soil is not only a short-term effect from the influx of tourists and recognition of the region's merits and status but also mass business communications, attracting investors' attention, and a green light for new projects. Moreover, it is precisely such platforms that give a start to pilot initiatives, which are then scaled to the national level. Therefore, as an effect, we expect new, strong, and breakthrough projects in the near future in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      Andrey Dakhin, Doctor of Sciences, Professor at the Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Management - a branch of RANEPA:

      Nizhny Novgorod is hosting the Forum of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) "Strong Ideas for a New Time" for the second time (the first time was in 2021, after COVID), and it becomes clear how much this project has grown. In the in-person program in 2026, representatives of federal and regional authorities, business, development institutions, the scientific and expert community, public organizations, as well as authors of initiatives - a total of more than 1,700 people - will