UpGrowth x IVF RT
Pitch to Russian investors: the corridor's pitch session
A joint online pitch session where the startups of Cohort #1 present directly to the team of the Investment and Venture Fund of the Republic of Tatarstan and its network. 15 places; applications close on August 31. Selected startups are contacted directly with the date and preparation plan.
- Online, no travel needed
- Direct line to a state venture fund
- UpGrowth prepares you before you pitch
- 15 places · closes August 31
How it works
Apply
One application through the corridor form, about 8 minutes. Tick the pitch session track; the same profile also enters you for RVF and corporate challenges.
Co-selection
UpGrowth screens and shortlists with IVF RT. Selection favors substance over polish: a real product and real numbers beat a beautiful deck.
Preparation with UpGrowth
Selected startups get a working session with the UpGrowth team: deck review, story tightening, and the questions Russian investors actually ask.
Pitch and follow-through
You present online to the fund's team and its network, take questions, and UpGrowth routes every follow-up conversation afterwards.
What selection looks at
Corridor sector fit
Your startup sits in one of the nine RVF deeptech clusters, from AgriTech to AI to advanced materials.
Traction and readiness
Paying clients, pilots or a deployable product. Idea-stage projects are better served by applying to the corridor first and pitching in a later cohort.
A clear ask
You know what you want from Russia: investment, a corporate pilot, a distributor, an R&D partner, and can say it in one sentence.
Working language
The pitch runs in English; Russian is a plus, not a requirement. UpGrowth bridges the rest.
Are you ready to pitch? Check yourself
Answer the four honestly. You get an instant read and a clear next step. There is no wrong answer: selection favors substance over polish.
My startup fits one of the nine RVF deeptech clusters (AgriTech, FinTech, AI, industrial, GreenTech, biotech, materials, mobility, education).
I have paying clients, active pilots, or a product I can deploy within months.
I can say what I want from Russia in one sentence: investment, a pilot, a distributor, or an R&D partner.
I can present in English (Russian is a plus, not a requirement).
Answer the four to see where you stand.
Who is in the room
IVF RT is the Republic of Tatarstan's state fund for technology development: USD 134 M invested to date, 400+ projects supported, and every fund ruble attracts nine more from co-investors. It organizes the Russian Venture Forum, Russia's largest venture event, which gathers 150+ investors and 60+ venture funds.
What to prepare
A pitch deck in English (10 to 12 slides is plenty), a one-line description of what you do, your key numbers (users, revenue, pilots, funding raised), and your ask. If you are selected, the preparation session polishes all of it with you, so apply with what you have.
Ready to pitch?
Applications go through the Cohort #1 form with the pitch session track preselected, and close on August 31. Already applied? You are in the pool; we contact you when the cohort is selected.
Questions first?
Reach the corridor team directly:
