On June 9, 2022, the Youth Startup Forum was held in Khanty-Mansyisk, one of the events of the Northern Youth Forum, held as part of the Arctic Startup Expedition dedicated to technology and entrepreneurship.

The event is designed to become a unique platform for discussing the development of technological entrepreneurship in the North and the Arctic in a rapidly changing environment.

The forum was held in a hybrid format (online and offline). Speakers and experts took part in offline events in Khanty-Mansyisk as part of the Northern Forum Regional Coordinators Committee Meeting and the XIII International IT Forum with BRICS and SCO participation. Participants of the event joined online the Forum from the northern and arctic regions of Russia.

The program of the forum events included the sessions “Innovations and Technological Development of the North and the Arctic”, “Formation of Startup Ecosystems”, an educational track for startups and project pitching. It should be noted that the Arctic Startup Expedition was presented within the framework of the forum. In addition, the speakers and experts of the forum took part in the final event of the project school “Practice of the Future” of the forum for children and youth “Junior-IT”.

The forum participants were shown a short animated cartoon “Kyndykan”, based on the storyline of the fairy tale of the same name. Kyndykan is a little northern girl who escaped smallpox and survived in the harsh conditions of the Far North almost 200 years ago. The character acts as a new symbol of strength of the northern peoples’ spirit, uniting people with the desire to preserve the natural way of life, balance in the modern world.

In addition, within the framework of the event, a cooperation agreement was signed between the Northern Youth Forum and the student research club “Arctic” of MGIMO University.

“The North and the Arctic is a region of global importance, which has always been an island of stability and cooperation in a rapidly changing world. We are open to proposals for cooperation and hope that the youth of the Northern and Arctic regions will be able not only to draw attention to the development of the North and the Arctic, but also to take real steps for the sustainable development of the region.

The Youth Startup Forum can be called a preparatory event for the Arctic Startup Expedition. The application campaign started on May 25th at Startup Village Skolkovo and will continue throughout this summer. The Expedition will last until the end of 2022. In addition to many online events, field events are planned in the northern and arctic regions. We are open to suggestions and invite everyone who is interested in the development of technologies in the North and the Arctic, taking into account ESG principles, for cooperation,” commented the Head of the Partnership and Acceleration Programs Department of Yakutia Venture Company JSC, Chair of the Northern Youth Forum Savina Alekseeva.

The Youth Startup Forum was organized by the Northern Forum, the Northern Youth Forum, the North-Eastern Federal University and the Innovation Development Fund. The organizers thank the Department of Public, External Relations and Youth Policy and the Department of Information Technologies and Digital Development of the Khanty-Mansyisk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra for their comprehensive assistance.