The government program awards 1 million rubles (about $12,000) to university students launching technology startups through the University Technological Entrepreneurship Platform, a federal initiative designed to support startups founded by young people.
Groza found that in Republic of Tatarstan, youth policy activist Zhibek Aitbekova has been recruiting students to participate in the competition as nominee project heads for startup applications prepared by her team.
According to messages and voice recordings obtained by Groza, the arrangement works like this:
That leaves a key question: where do the remaining 900,000 rubles (~$10,000) in public grant funds go?
In response to Groza’s inquiry, Russia’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education said the practice contradicts the goals of the competition and confirmed that the student who receives the grant remains legally responsible for the project and the spending of the funds, even if others actually manage the company or carry out the work.
How this scheme works, who Zhibek Aitbekova is, and why it could leave students facing legal consequences — in Groza’s investigation.
The Student Startup competition is part of the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education’s University Technological Entrepreneurship Platform. According to the program’s official guidelines, its aim is to help students turn scientific ideas into viable businesses. The initiative is run by the state-backed Foundation for Assistance to Innovations.
The competition has been held for four years. It was launched in 2022, and the seventh round of applications opened on February 9, 2026.
The grant can be used to cover expenses such as salaries for specialists, registering a company, renting or purchasing equipment, and filing intellectual property rights.
Officials say the program is meant to “increase the share of youth technological entrepreneurship in the country’s economy.” Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko, who oversees Russia’s science and education policy, said the initiative is part of a broader goal set by Vladimir Putin.
But in Tatarstan, the idea of developing university technological entrepreneurship appears to be interpreted somewhat differently.
Aitbekova has been sending students — mostly student activists — the following message. Groza obtained the text and publishes it in full, without edits:
I’m writing to you with a good offer and asking for your help.
I’m currently working at the IT Park and preparing startup projects. I’ve been tasked with submitting and winning 50 startups. Our team is looking for 50 university students to participate in the Student Startup competition run by the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations.
We already have ready-made projects and a team to implement them, but to apply for the grant we need students to formally serve as project leaders, as required by the competition rules. The student’s field of study does not matter.
Participation terms and division of roles
We will handle all organizational and substantive stages of participation in the competition. The student’s involvement will be minimal. We will fill out and submit the entire application ourselves.
Stage 1: Application submission (February)
What our team does:Fully prepares the application text, business plan, and technical description of the project and fills everything out on the website.
What the student needs to do:
• Register on the competition website fasie.ru
• Provide access to their personal account so the application can be completed
• Request two certificates from their university dean’s office
Result: The application is submitted automatically on behalf of the student.
Stage 2: Project defense (May)
What our team does:Prepares the full defense script, creates a presentation, and conducts several online rehearsals with experts.
What the student needs to do:
• Attend rehearsals (online)
• Memorize the provided script
• Present the project to the jury online
Result: The student reaches the final and receives a grant of 1 million rubles.
Stage 3: Receiving the grant and project implementation
What our team does:
• Organizes a meeting with a bank to register a limited liability company (takes about 30 minutes)
• Handles all accounting and submits all project documentation
• Implements the technological part of the startup
In short, we fully carry out the project ourselves.
What the student needs to do:
• Sign documents when registering the company
Result: The student becomes the nominal director of the company without operational responsibilities.
What does the student receive if they win?
Financial reward
Total grant amount: 1 000 000 rubles (~$12,000)
Distribution of funds
100 000 rubles (~$1200) — a one-time payment to the student (a reward for participation). The student keeps this money as thanks for helping us win the grant.
900 000 rubles (~$10,000) — remain in the company’s account and are used by the team to implement the project (equipment purchases, software, marketing, etc.).
Benefits of participating in the Student Startup program
1. Winning a prestigious federal competition (a significant advantage on a CV when applying for jobs).
2. Additional admission points when applying for bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD programs (according to admission rules at many universities).
Given the team’s previous projects and experience winning in this program, the probability of receiving the grant is estimated to be high — around 90% for each student who fulfills the presentation requirements.
In a voice message sent by Aitbekova — which Groza has also obtained — she describes the scheme as follows:
“The project is written entirely under your name. The thing is, people working at the IT Park are mostly staff, while the Student Startup competition only allows students to apply. So we need 50 students — ready-made startups will be written under their names.
The student doesn’t actually have to do anything — they only need to pitch the project. Everything else will be done for them: all the forms, the certificates, the presentation, the pre-defense. Everything will be filled out and attached on their behalf.”
Aitbekova also explains that if someone wins the grant, “the project will formally belong entirely to the student.”However, the actual implementation, reporting on the grant, and the administration of the company created for the project will be handled by other people.
Once “all reporting is completed and the startup is closed” — meaning the grant money has been fully spent — “the project will remain entirely with the student, and they can then do whatever they want with it,” Aitbekova says.
When asked whether a lack of business experience could be a problem, she replied: “Not at all.”
Asked about possible risks, she answered simply: “There are always risks,” adding that “the main risk is that we might not win.”
“There are no risks and no credit obligations. Just focus on the work you want to do, and the funding will be provided to you. And you’ll get help with reporting — it’s very disciplining, and that will be even more useful in life than the grant itself!” the competition’s website says.
However, the program’s official regulations state that grant winners have obligations to the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, the state fund that administers the program.
Within one month after signing the grant agreement, the winner must register a limited liability company, hold a controlling stake in it (at least 51%), and serve as its director.
The rules also specify that the majority of the grant funds — 900,000 rubles (~$10,000) — can only be spent on approved categories of expenses, including:
In addition, grant funds cannot be used to outsource the development of the project to third-party companies.
Grant recipients are also required to regularly report on how the funds are spent and on the progress of the project, and the foundation that issued the grant has the right to conduct audits.
In case of violations — for example, misuse of funds, failure to meet project deadlines, or providing inaccurate information — the foundation can demand that the grant be repaid in full within 30 days of its request. If the money is not returned, the student who received the grant may face legal proceedings.
After publishing the article, Groza sent inquiries to the Russian Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, the Ministry of Youth Affairs of Tatarstan, and the Ministry of Digital Development of Tatarstan.
We asked clarifying questions about the rules of participation in the competition, including whether regional authorities have targets for the number of participants and whether Aitbekova’s scheme complies with the program’s rules.
Below are excerpts from the Ministry’s responses to Groza’s questions. The reply was signed by Natalia Streblyanskaya, deputy director of the Ministry’s Department for Coordination of Educational Institutions.
Are there quotas for the number of participants or winners from specific regions?
Ministry:
No quotas, plans, or target indicators for specific regions have been established. Winners are selected based solely on the competition criteria outlined in the Student Startup regulations, without regional quotas.
Can regional authorities organize recruitment of students to participate in the competition?
Ministry:
Regional authorities may inform students about the competition and encourage participation as part of broader efforts to promote technological entrepreneurship.
However, participation must remain voluntary, and there must be no pressure on applicants or conflicts of interest.
Can project work be delegated to contractors or third parties?
Ministry:
The grant — 1,000,000 rubles (~$12,000) — is awarded to the individual student. After winning, the student must register a company and the funds are transferred to that company’s bank account.
Grant funds may be spent on approved categories of expenses, including:
• salaries and payments under civil-law contracts;
• equipment, materials, and components;
• rent;
• intellectual property registration;
• contractor services;
• other project-related costs.
Students may hire employees or contractors to carry out specific work.
However, the grant recipient and the company they create remain responsible for achieving the project’s results and for the proper use of grant funds.
Is it acceptable for regional authorities to organize centralized recruitment of students?
Ministry:
Regional authorities and universities may provide informational and organizational support for the competition.
However, practices in which students are recruited centrally while being assigned standardized projects, participating only formally, or being placed in structures dependent on organizers contradict the goals of the competition, which is intended to develop students’ own technological entrepreneurship and intellectual contribution.
How do organizers verify that projects are actually implemented by the student team?
Ministry:
Oversight is carried out by the Foundation for Assistance to Innovations, which provides the grants.
Grant recipients must:
• hold at least 51% of the company created for the project;
• serve as its sole executive director;
• submit regular reports on the project’s progress.
The foundation may also conduct inspections. These measures are intended to identify cases where a student participates only formally while the project is actually carried out by third parties.