A preliminary summary of the 2024 activities of the Investment and Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan (IVFRT) was presented at the Government House of the Republic of Tatarstan. The meeting was chaired by Rifkat Minnikhanov, President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan.

The Council approved the financial plan for 2025 and discussed other matters concerning the Fund’s activities.

Damir Galiev, CEO of IVFRT, delivered a report on the Fund's performance. In 2024, eight projects were jointly financed with the Industrial Development Fund (IDF), amounting to 1.5 billion rubles, including 148 million rubles from the Fund and 1.3 billion rubles from the federal IDF.

The supported enterprises include manufacturers of automotive components for freight and passenger transport, high-tech equipment for process automation, transmission parts, axle assemblies for trailers, composite materials, breathable films, gear sets for axle drives, and the modernization of specialized equipment production.

By the end of 2024, experts from the University Startup Studio reviewed 321 startup projects. Currently, the studio’s portfolio includes 29 companies.

Highlighted projects include:

• GruntSorbService (Kazan Federal University) – a project focused on purifying sewage waters from heavy metals, petroleum products and pathogenic microorganisms.
• TechnoConstructor (South Ural State University) – an educational online constructor for learning engineering disciplines, demonstrated through tasks involving space satellites and geomatics.
• Polymer Module (Novgorod State University named after Yaroslav the Wise) – a project to develop and manufacture unique modular cable wells.
• ElectroOptima (Kazan Federal University) – a hardware-software complex with a defect recognition system for small machine components and printed circuit boards.
• Monitoring R (Kazan Federal University) – a system for monitoring the tension of cargo fastening straps.

Damir Galiev also reported on the activities of the Lobachevsky Fund, which has selected 46 projects with a funding request of 400 million rubles. In 2024, the project “Komarik” was financed — an automated device for administering injections outside hospitals and clinics. It underwent pilot testing at the Kommunarka Center and demonstrated effectiveness with increasing sales on marketplaces.

This year, the Russian Venture Forum saw a record number of participants — over 4,000 people. For 2025, the goal is to increase the number to 5,000, with three times more startups, totaling 150, showcasing their projects, the Fund’s CEO emphasized.

During the meeting, it was noted that the 2024 competition “50 Best Innovative Ideas of Tatarstan” had been transformed into “Innovation of the Year.” The focus shifted to applied developments and projects with business potential. This led to an improvement in the quality of applications and the selection of the most promising initiatives. The live stage of the competition revealed that many projects have potential for participation in the programs of the Tatarstan Investment and Venture Fund, including acceleration and startup support. A total of 514 applications were received, and 22 projects were declared winners in the following categories: Perspective (5), Student Startup (5), Technology Company (5), Corporate Innovation (2), and Intellectual Property (5).

In 2024, the Fund established the Tatarstan Business Angels Club to facilitate early-stage venture deals with investor participation. Experts from the club evaluated projects, including those from the IVFRT portfolio. Additionally, a study of angel and private investments in Tatarstan revealed increased investor activity and a rise in the average deal size: from January to September, angel investments reached 445.3 million rubles compared to 263.9 million rubles in 2023, with 18 deals concluded (13 in 2023). Together with the Moscow Innovation Cluster, the Fund also launched the Venture Academy of Tatarstan, an educational program for future business angels. Program graduates will have the opportunity to invest in venture projects.

In the Year of Scientific and Technological Development in Tatarstan, the Endowment Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan was created as instructed by the Rais (Head) of the Republic of Tatarstan to finance fundamental science, technological projects, research, and development. The founders include the Investment and Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Academy of Sciences of the Republic. Two endowments have already been created.

In 2024, Unipark – the industrial park under the Fund’s supervision completed the construction of four production and warehouse facilities in the Aktanysh and Yutazinsky districts, totaling 1,200 square meters. The facilities are ready to welcome residents. Additionally, the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade awarded Unipark the status of a Scientific and Production Center for Unmanned Aerial Systems “BARS” as part of the National Development Project for Unmanned Aerial Systems.

The meeting also reviewed the performance of the Fund’s subsidiaries, the Small Business Leasing Company of the Republic of Tatarstan and Ijara-Leasing.

In conclusion, the President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan commended the fruitful work of the Fund in strategic areas: “There was active participation in projects under the University Technological Entrepreneurship Platform, the Industrial Development Fund, as well as the subsidiaries. For the first time, a Sharia-compliant Endowment Fund was created, which has already received its initial donations,” noted Rifkat Minnikhanov. He also highlighted the effective interagency cooperation achieved in partnership with the Fund.