Sber launches Startup Race: a youth entrepreneurship reality show
Sber is introducing Startup Race, a reality series that follows young minds who are turning ideas into real businesses. The show features ten schoolchildren and students from various Russian cities, aged 16–18, who have already launched their own projects at Sber youth accelerators. The weekly episodes begin airing on November 5.
Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors at Sber, stresses that the bank wants to empower young people to bring their ideas to life and sharpen their business skills under expert guidance. He notes that Russia needs a new generation of strong technology leaders, and building the right infrastructure plus concrete examples can turn ideas into realities. “Hopefully the reality show will educate viewers, help them see themselves in the contestants, spark inspiration, and encourage tech entrepreneurship,” he says.
As explained by Sberbank, the reality show will span six weeks of immersive learning in creative technologies, teamwork, and core entrepreneurial skills such as business negotiations, public speaking, and practical decision making. Mentors will be prominent experts who share actionable tips and case studies designed to be valuable for both the participants and viewers aiming to adopt a modern entrepreneurial mindset.
Each episode presents a series of tasks where performance shapes progress toward the finals. The culminating Demo Day will bring participants together to present their progress. Projects will be reviewed by Sber’s senior managers, investors, and market specialists, with top ventures receiving investment opportunities.
Audience participation is part of the journey. From the premiere episode, viewers can vote for their favorite contestant to earn an “immunity” advantage and advance to the finals, independent of expert scoring. This fan involvement adds excitement and helps showcase emerging talent to a broad audience. (Source: Sber press service)