Press Release, 9.09.2021

Photo by the Yabloko Press Service

On 9 September, Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov met with young entrepreneurs in Moscow. The theme of the event was “Startups. Hope for the Future”. The speakers were Efim Kolodkin, the founder and CEO of the Uprising Agency (the web design and development agency) and the startup Bash Today, Alena Popova, co-founder of the TyNeOdna (You Are Not Alone) mutual assistance network for victims of violence and co-founder of the W project for support of women-entrepreneurs, and Yevgeny Kaverzin, technologist of the Chisty Mir (The Clean World) company.

According to the entrepreneur Efim Kolodkin, improving the investment climate, reducing the persecution of entrepreneurs and increasing the transparency of the courts should help businesses and startups to create in the long term a normal ecosystem in Russia, form a stable venture capital market, attract money to Russia and bring Russian startups to the world level.

“We have a many talented people and a lot of opportunities, it would be a pity to lose them over the next five – ten years. I really hope that the Yabloko party will make every effort to win the confidence of voters and a faction will emerge in the parliament that will represent my interests and the interests of millions of Russians, including entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs will be able to take up their direct responsibility – business, not politics,” Kolodkin said.

Yevgeny Kaverzin emphasised the importance of developing entrepreneurship in the field of environmental protection, and also spoke about the difficulties that the The Clean World company experienced during the pandemic.

“If we do not want the development of a green economy in Russia, nothing will happen. Any business can be destroyed at the behest of one person who does not want competition. I believe that Yabloko is on the right path towards the state in which entrepreneurs will feel needed,” Kaverzin said.

Alena Popova said that Russia is a country of divorced working mothers. Women are most often owners of small businesses. Popova also noted an increase in the number of startups created by women. Popova called for the support and development of women’s entrepreneurship.

Yabloko leader Nikolai Rybakov emphasised in the discussion with entrepreneurs the importance of re-creating the Supreme Arbitration Court, which would resolve disputes between entrepreneurs. Also, the leader of Yabloko noted the need for a tough antimonopoly policy, the development of competition, and protection of private property.

Rybakov noted that a predictable tax policy was needed, and medical, biotech, green and IT startups needed to be exempt from VAT for five years, as well as there should be a moratorium on any tax increases for five years.

Also the Yabloko leader called for the introduction of a visa-free regime with European countries, the creation of an environment to ensure freedom of information, introduction of a ban on all types of censorship, and free access to information.