OREANDA-NEWS. The Bank of Russia opens the enrollment to FinTech startup contest to be held within the Forum of Innovative Financial Technologies FINOPOLIS 2.0 in Kazan on 13-14 October 2016. Applications are accepted and considered through GenerationS, a major startup accelerator in Russia and Eastern Europe, run by Russian Venture Company (RVC).

The contest invites Russian startups undertaking financial technology projects, which promote electronic interaction in the domestic financial market. Applications are accepted until 12 September, after that the contest panel will select 18 most promising projects from the market perspective. They will be presented to a wide range of financial market participants during the FINOPOLIS 2.0 Forum.

First, second and third prize winners will receive grants in the amount of three million, two million and one million rubles respectively.

“Awarding grants to gifted entrepreneurs, who generate and implement innovative FinTech ideas, promotes technological development of the Russian financial market,” said Sergey Shvetsov, First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Russia. “We expect it to boost startups and turn them into serious businesses, which will allow the domestic financial system to become more competitive and respond to the challenges.”

For details of contest terms and conditions, go to www.finopolis.ru, to enroll go to GenerationS website www.generation-startup.ru.

Annual Forum of Innovative Financial Technologies FINOPOLIS 2.0 is held by the Bank of Russia in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Tatarstan. The event brings together representatives of public authorities, Russian and international financial and IT sector, as well as expert community. The Forum is the key event dedicated to financial market digitalisation and the largest venue for professional discussion of application of digital technologies in financial markets, demonstration of new solutions and capacities, and discussion of global FinTech trends which allow providing clients with high-tech financial services.

OJSC Russian Venture Company (RVC) is a fund of funds and a development institute of the Russian Federation, one of Russia’s key tools in building its own national innovation system. RVC’s authorised capital amounts to more than 30 billion rubles. RVC is 100%-owned by the Russian Federation through the Federal Agency for State Property Management (Rosimuschestvo). RVC funds invested to as many as 197 innovation companies. The aggregate investments amount to 18.2 billion rubles.

GenerationS is a startup accelerator run by RVC since 2013. More than 150 public and commercial companies are involved in the GenerationS network. The total amount of grants issued by GenerationS-2015 partners stands at 160 million rubles.