The architecture of the business program of the Russian SME Forum at SPIEF 2025 has been published

The 10th anniversary Russian Small and Medium-Sized Business Forum will traditionally be held on the opening day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), June 18. The main theme of the event will be the international cooperation of small and medium-sized businesses. The Roscongress Foundation and OPORA RUSSIA are the organizers of the forum.

The business program of the SME Forum is divided into five thematic blocks: "SMEs and the state", "SME Acceleration", "Promotion through services", "Personnel" and "Foreign economic activity". The main event of the day will be the plenary session "The role of SMEs in achieving new national goals". In addition to traditional thematic sessions and discussions, forum participants will be able to take part in workshops, intellectual battles and dialogues related to the development of SMEs in Russia and abroad. The forum's program is practice-oriented and is designed to gain new knowledge and build professional competencies in various areas of business, search for new partners and enter new markets.

"Small and medium—sized businesses today are the foundation of sustainable economic growth, a driver of technological change, employment and import dependence. As part of the implementation of the state program "Economic Development and Innovative Economy" and the national project "Efficient and Competitive Economy", we are consistently expanding measures to support SMEs and create conditions for their contribution to the country's GDP to grow. The Russian SME Forum on the sidelines of the SPIEF is a key platform where business and government can establish a direct dialogue, form new solutions and establish joint development guidelines," said Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.

The block "SMEs and the state" is aimed at stimulating a dialogue on mutual development and exploring the prospects and challenges facing small businesses in various sectors. Among other things, experts will discuss innovative strategies to support SMEs, the role of social entrepreneurship in the economy, effective non-financial support measures, business objectives in preserving and strengthening traditional spiritual and moral values, as well as the integration of SMEs into national projects.

The track "SME Acceleration" is dedicated to strategies and tools to empower SMEs for growth and success. Here, entrepreneurs will find answers to questions about how to attract finance, develop a brand, how to work with state-owned companies, and what prospects there are today for promoting Russian goods through online platforms.

The digital transformation of the economy requires SMEs to have an active presence in the online space to attract customers. At master classes and workshops within the framework of the "Promotion through Services" block, experts will tell you how to automate promotion processes and optimize marketing campaigns using digital technologies, scale business using PR technologies, and unlock the possibilities of artificial intelligence and digital platforms.

In conditions of an acute shortage of qualified personnel and high competition for talent, it is important for small businesses to find a solution to overcome the shortage of personnel and increase labor productivity. SMEs will learn where to start and how to move in this direction from the business sessions of the Cadres block. In addition, within the framework of the track, special attention will be paid to the social adaptation and employment of military veterans and their family members.

Russian SMEs are actively looking for new markets and suppliers, replacing their departed European partners. As part of the Foreign economic Activity track, special attention will be paid to promising Asian markets (China, Indonesia, India) and the countries of the Global South.

"The Russian SME Forum, which we are holding jointly with the Roscongress Foundation, traditionally opens the country's main economic forum, SPIEF, for the 10th anniversary time. Interest in the SME Forum is growing every year, and thousands of entrepreneurs and the self-employed visit the discussion platforms, including representatives of OPORA RUSSIA from all regions of our country, government officials, development institutions, and the banking community. The development of small and medium-sized businesses is one of the priorities of Russia's new economic development strategy, so the main emphasis will be placed on the participation of small businesses in achieving the national goals set by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In addition, we have planned practice-oriented formats — workshops, master classes, dialogues, thematic discussions on business-government interaction, SME acceleration, business development on digital platforms, personnel issues, development of foreign economic relations, the use of new services and technologies for business, and much more. The participants of the SME Forum will gain useful experience and new business contacts that they can apply in the further development of their enterprises and teams," said Alexander Kalinin, President of OPORA RUSSIA.

This year's St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held from June 18 to 21.