... heightens competition for promising startups worldwide. Russia and the CIS: Local Focus Amid Global Trends In Russia and neighboring countries, steps are being taken to develop their own startup ecosystems with an eye on global trends. The state and businesses are launching new funds and support programs to stimulate technological projects in the region. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025, the PSB Bank venture fund was announced with partners (volume ~12 billion rubles) to finance dual-purpose projects (drones, AI, robotics, etc.). A state fund, Qazaqstan Venture Group, valued at $1 billion, has been established in Kazakhstan to support ...

... influential players in the venture market, conducting IPOs and exploring opportunities for mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In this article, we will discuss the latest news on startups and venture investments, as well as key trends and events happening in the business world throughout August 2025. Global Startup and Venture Capital News for August 12, 2025: The Return of Mega Funds, Record AI Rounds, Successful IPOs, Mergers and Acquisitions, Industry Trends, and Forecasts for the Venture Market. By mid-August 2025, the global venture capital ...

... Inflation, and Corporate Profits The rapid rise in wages begs the question: is it matched by gains in efficiency? Current projections suggest labor productivity will grow much more slowly than wages. According to the Ministry’s forecast, productivity in 2025–2026 will increase by only ~2.2–2.3% per year, improving to around 2.8–2.9% by 2028. In other words, wage growth in Russia is outpacing productivity by nearly a factor of two. This gap poses risks for inflation and business performance: if companies have to pay employees significantly more without commensurate output gains, their costs rise and competitiveness can suffer. To maintain profitability, firms will need to either raise prices (further fueling inflation) ...

... at record levels and plans for companies' IPOs back in the spotlight. Major funds and corporations have resumed substantial investments, launching new venture programs, while governments across various countries have ramped up support for innovative businesses, striving not to fall behind in the global technology race. Preliminary estimates suggest that the first half of 2025 has been the most successful since 2021 in terms of total venture investments. In North America alone, investments in startups during this period surged approximately 87% (to ~$116 billion) compared to the same timeframe last year, primarily due ...

... services. There are also early precedents of companies going public with a considerable "crypto" component to their business. Additionally, some technology firms announce purchasing digital currencies for their balance sheets (following the example ... ... liquidity and market depth is smoothing out sharp fluctuations more and more. Mass Adoption of Cryptocurrencies: Growing Trust 2025 has seen a significant rise in the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies worldwide. The number of market participants — both ...