A press conference dedicated to the anniversary 20th Russian Venture Forum (RVF) was held at the TASS news agency. The forum will take place on April 8-10, 2026, in Kazan and Innopolis. The main theme for this year is "Technological Leadership – Investing in the Future."

The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan Rifkat Minnikhanov, Director of the Investment and Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan (IVF RT) Damir Galiev, and partner at the investment company Kama Flow Evgeny Borisov.

The anniversary forum promises to be the largest in its history. More than 6,000 participants are expected, and the exhibition will feature over 150 startup projects.

"It is no coincidence that Tatarstan is hosting the anniversary forum. The development of high-tech entrepreneurship is becoming the most important driver of sustainable development for Tatarstan. The republic has reached first place in the maturity index of the scientific and technological development management system, second place in the innovation development ranking of Russian regions, and has secured third place in the national scientific and technological development ranking. Behind these indicators lies a specific institutional architecture. Scientific projects are viewed as startups. The support ecosystem is structured according to technology readiness levels (TRL 1–9), from a scientific idea to industrial scaling," stated Rifkat Minnikhanov, President of the Tatarstan Academy of Sciences, during the meeting.

The business program spans three days and is distributed across two venues: the first day (April 8) will be held in Innopolis, while on April 9-10, the main events will take place at the Kazan Expo International Exhibition Center.

The forum's structure includes six key blocks:

Innopolis Day: Focus on partnerships, visionary lectures, and speed dating (quick meetings between investors and startups).

Main Business Program: A plenary session with the participation of the leadership of the Government of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Tatarstan, as well as expert discussions.

Satellite Events: This year there are three: Youth Day (supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation), a "Bioeconomics" section, and a "Creative Industries" section.

Special Formats: A "Venture Games" show-competition for young entrepreneurs, "Tech Shorts," and a panel with the participation of family offices.

The forum confirms its status as an international platform: delegations and investors from BRICS, EAEU, and SCO countries have confirmed their participation. Key foreign partners include the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, funds from Saudi Arabia (Tadaamun Investment, Active VC with $400 million), the IT Park of Uzbekistan, and the Electronics Export Promotion Council of India.

Following pitch sessions involving 210 startups, up to 20 projects will be selected for participation in accelerator programs:

BRICS Accelerator: Assistance in entering MENA markets (Middle East and North Africa) and launching pilots with foreign corporations.

Technology Request Accelerator: A three-month mentoring program with the participation of 10 funds and 15 large corporations.

Director of IVF RT Damir Galiev mentioned that the number of applications from startups for participation in the exhibition and business program has grown significantly this year. More than 1,300 applications have been submitted to date. "We are confident that RVF-2026 will be not only the largest but also the most useful – with new projects, investments, and partnerships," Galiev noted.

For effective networking, an RVF mobile application has been launched, allowing participants to book meetings in an "investor-startup" format and track their personal schedule. Specialized startup catalogs and an "Investor's Diary" have also been prepared.

Partner of the investment company "Kama Flow" Evgeny Borisov added that participants in the IT market suffer from a lack of direct communication. "The Russian Venture Forum is precisely a platform where various market representatives gather, and all these players are united by a common agenda, a common motivation to create the future. We actually get that breath of fresh air, exchanging contacts and gaining insights shared at the venue," he stated.

Special attention is paid to working with media. A competition for journalists with a prize fund of 300,000 rubles is held as part of the forum. Applications in four categories (best TV story, radio story, media publication, and blog) are accepted until April 17.

Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova thanked the Republic of Tatarstan and personally the Rais for organizing the forum and involving students in technical entrepreneurship. "I hope that the 20th anniversary forum will be even more active than the previous one, but the bar that has already been set is already quite high," said Deputy Minister Petrova.

Free shuttle buses for forum guests will run from the Prospekt Pobedy metro station to Kazan Expo at 30-minute intervals. Delegations will be accompanied by 150 volunteers and 50 attaches. 14 hotels in Kazan, offering participants discounts from 5% to 20%, have become partners of the forum.