... external constraints, active steps are being taken in Russia and neighboring countries to develop their own startup ecosystems, aligned with global venture trends. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025), a new venture fund from PSB Bank was announced in partnership with others (target amount – 12 billion rubles) to invest in dual-use projects (drones, AI, robotics, and other high-tech areas). Besides government institutions, private players have started to show activity: for example,...

... previous quarter (and by 16% year-over-year). An unexpected leader in the region has been Mexico, which for the first time since 2012 surpassed Brazil in capital raised. Mexican startups secured significant rounds in fintech and e-commerce: the digital bank Klar raised around $170 million, while the auto marketplace Kavak raised $127 million. These deals helped Mexico City take the lead in the region. For comparison, in Brazil, a large round of $120 million was secured by cleantech startup New Wave ...

... May Day. Similar to the United States, Canada also celebrates Labor Day in September. The UK long lacked an official May 1st holiday, although workers' movements conducted marches; now, the British enjoy a holiday on the first Monday of May (Early May Bank Holiday), which is close in spirit. Japan does not celebrate May 1st as Labor Day, but they observe Labor Thanksgiving Day on November 23—a similar celebration stemming from an ancient agricultural festival. Thus, most countries around the world ...

... external constraints, active steps are being taken in Russia and neighboring countries to develop their own startup ecosystems while keeping global trends in mind. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025), a new venture fund from PSB Bank was announced in collaboration with partners—targeting a volume of around 12 billion rubles, the funds will support dual-use projects (drones, AI, robotics, and other high-tech areas). In addition to government institutions, private players are ...

... steps are being taken in Russia and neighboring countries to develop their own startup ecosystems in light of global trends. At the Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2025), a new venture fund was announced, with participation from the state bank PSB, targeting a volume of around 12 billion rubles for investments in dual-use projects — from drones and artificial intelligence to robotics. PSB is a cornerstone investor in this fund, also attracting private capital; even amid sanctions, the ...