The BRICS International Business Mentoring Program was launched at the World Youth Festival Assembly
Young entrepreneurs from BRICS countries will be able to receive mentoring support as part of the International Business Mentoring Program. The joint initiative of the World Youth Festival Directorate and the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance was launched at the World Youth Festival, which is being held from September 17 to 21 in Nizhny Novgorod. Young people aged 18 to 35 will be able to participate in the program.
“The mentoring program is a powerful resource for young entrepreneurs from BRICS countries. Participants will receive practical tools from mentors—successful members of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance—for scaling their businesses, entering new markets, and raising investments, as well as finding potential partners. The project not only promotes professional growth, but also lays the foundation for long-term economic cooperation and the strengthening of business ties within the association,” said Vakhtang Khiklandze, Deputy Director General of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
The program covers 8 key areas, such as medicine, media and marketing, IT and digitalization, high-tech manufacturing, social entrepreneurship, education, creative industries, agriculture, and food products. Young entrepreneurs can expect individual consultations, master classes, webinars, internships, and the opportunity to present their startups to potential investors at partners’ events.
“The goal of the initiative is to grow a new generation of business leaders capable of effectively developing international ties and promoting innovative solutions on a global scale. Program participants will gain access not only to the cutting-edge experience of mentors, but also to our network of business contacts on the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance’s unified digital platform, which has already been joined by female entrepreneurs from more than 40 countries,” said Anna Nesterova.
The program mentors include: Marianna Ghali, Chair of the Egyptian section of the BRICS WBA, Managing Director of Qalaa Holdings, Azam Karami, member of the Iranian section of the BRICS WBA, founder of Vira Kavir, Zahra Rahai, Chair of the Iranian section of the BRICS WBA, founder and CEO of Navak Chemipakhsh, Irawati Hermawan, member of the Indonesian BRICS Women’s Association, CEO of Hermawan Juniarto & Partners, Rinewati Pritahatingi, co-partner and COO of PT Infinitie Berkah Energi, Lebogang Zulu, chair of the South African section of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, executive director of Kampara Group Holdings, as well as Anna Nesterova, chair of the Russian section of the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance and founder of the Palekh Watches watch manufactory.
The general partners of the WYF Assembly-2025 are the Russian Music Union, JSC Russian Railways, and Phygital Games. The general information partner is the international television channel RT, and the general media partner is ANO Dialog Regions. The partner for the excursion and regional programs is the More Than Trip program. The strategic partner is VK Tech. Co. The following have also joined the partnership program: “New Generation” program arranged by the Federal Agency for Affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Residing Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Movement of the First, the presidential platform “Russia – Country of Opportunities”, Sovcombank, the Avito Tech. Co., State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, Russian “Znanie” (Knowledge) Society, the Film Studio Soyuzmultfilm, the Government of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Central Bank of Russia, the program for young entrepreneurs “Rosmolodezh.Undertake” and the Mashuk Knowledge Center. Information support for the event is provided by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Argumenty i Fakty publishing house, the African Initiative and the Window to Russia project of ANO “TV-Novosti”.
The organizer of the World Youth Festival Assembly is the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the co-organizer of the event is the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, and the event operator is the World Youth Festival Directorate. The Festival pursues the goals of the Youth and Children national project.
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In accordance with the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, on preserving and developing the legacy of the World Youth Festival, which took place on the Sirius Federal Territory in 2024 and united 20,000 young people from 190 countries of the world, festival events in the territory of the Russian Federation will be held annually. The next World Youth Festival for 20,000 participants will be held in 2030. In 2026, there will be a smaller event, an International Youth Festival with 10,000 participants. In between, the World Youth Festival’s themed Assemblies will be held annually for 2,000 participants. The World Youth Festival Directorate continues its work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.
