- Статьи
- Economy
- They are busy themselves: teenagers and young people in the Russian Federation set a record for opening sole proprietorships
They are busy themselves: teenagers and young people in the Russian Federation set a record for opening sole proprietorships
Entrepreneurial activity of young people is growing in Russia. While employers complain about the shortage of staff, teenagers and students en masse go into their own business — they sell goods on marketplaces, create IT startups and launch their brands. As the SME Corporation told Izvestia, the number of sole proprietors among Russians under the age of 25 increased by 16% over the year and exceeded a record 270 thousand. Schoolchildren also prefer to work for themselves: there are already over 608 thousand self-employed minors in the country. How the state supports aspiring businessmen and why this trend worries the labor market — in the Izvestia article.
How many young sole proprietors and self-employed people are there in Russia
Russian legislation is gradually adapting to the development of youth entrepreneurship, said Ekaterina Kosareva, Managing Partner of the VMT Consult agency. According to her, it is possible to apply for self—employment or register as an individual entrepreneur in Russia from the age of 14 - with the consent of parents or legal representatives.
Self-employment remains the easiest option for teenagers: it has minimal restrictions and simplified tax reporting. At the same time, sole proprietorship status provides more opportunities for business development — it allows you to hire employees, sign large contracts and scale a project, although it requires more serious reporting and fixed insurance premiums.
The interest of young people in entrepreneurship in Russia is growing rapidly. Currently, more than 270 thousand individual entrepreneurs under the age of 25 work in the small and medium—sized business sector, a record figure, Alexander Isaevich, CEO of SME Corporation, told Izvestia. The number of young sole proprietors increased by 16% in a year, and by a quarter in three years.
There are also minors among them: today more than 3,500 are registered in the country. Sole proprietors are under 18 years old, said Alexander Isaevich. Compared to last year, the indicator has hardly changed.
At the same time, the number of self-employed teenagers is growing much faster. According to the SME Corporation, by April 1, 2026, their number reached 608 thousand people against 356 thousand a year earlier. They choose self-employment more often, since it is more difficult to keep a sole proprietor until adulthood.
There are most young entrepreneurs in the trade. As Alexander Isaevich explained, 43% of underage businessmen are engaged in this field, and more than half of them sell goods through marketplaces. IT, catering, hospitality, and scientific activities are also popular.
Businessmen aged 18-25 have a more diverse business structure, said Daniil Gonenko, Associate Professor of Economics and Finance of the Public Sector at the Presidential Academy. According to him, in addition to trade, young people are actively developing projects in technology, tourism, education and creative industries.
Many people start a business while still in school or university. So, Daniil Makatrov, a Muscovite, came up with a startup for the development of sports gadgets in the eighth grade. He created a chip that was first embedded in hockey players' shoes, and now can be used in equipment, pucks and balls. This development helps to analyze workouts and improve their effectiveness.
Another example is Peter Ptushkin, a Polytechnic student, who created an application for building operation using BIM technologies - digital models containing all information about the facility from engineering systems to the maintenance schedule. The project, which began as a learning experiment, later turned into a full-fledged business.
Ksenia Kurochkina, a student at MIPT, founded the Zhivaya Zeleny startup, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) told Izvestia. Her team has developed modules for growing fresh herbs directly at retail outlets, which helps reduce product write-offs and increase customer interest in healthy eating.
Why young people have become more active in starting businesses
The growth of youth entrepreneurship in Russia indicates deeper changes in the economy and society, Daniil Gonenko believes. According to him, online sales, digital payments and work through platforms are a familiar environment for the new generation, so young businessmen adapt faster to changing market rules.
An additional incentive was the lowering of the threshold for entering a business, said Olga Gogaladze, an economist and expert on financial markets. Thanks to digitalization, it is possible to register an individual entrepreneur or self-employment in a few minutes without visiting the tax office. In addition, it is no longer necessary for novice entrepreneurs to rent an office, hire employees and build a complex offline model, Daniil Gonenko added. According to him, many start with small projects, for example, in design, programming, online commerce or digital services.
The values of youth are also changing. As Alexander Vaino, director of the ASI's Young Professionals department, noted, if earlier business was associated only with income, then for the new generation it is also independence, creativity, and the development of a personal brand. The expert believes that young people treat risk differently: the fear of mistakes is gradually giving way to a willingness to try and move towards results step by step.
Young people are more likely to choose their own business because of the desire to earn more and manage their time independently, says Natalia Milchakova, a leading analyst at Freedom Finance Global. For some aspiring entrepreneurs, business is becoming an alternative to low starting salaries, while for others it is an opportunity to create their own projects instead of hiring.
However, not all initiatives are successful. According to Alexander Isaevich, underage entrepreneurs often close their businesses in the first months due to lack of experience and knowledge.
What does youth entrepreneurship mean for the labor market
There are several programs in Russia to support young entrepreneurs, including minors. Sole proprietors and companies with at least 50% owned by the founder for 14 to 25 years can receive grants from the Ministry of Energy from 100,000 to 500,000 rubles, and in the Arctic zone — up to 1 million. For teenagers, learning the basics of business remains a prerequisite.
Besides, preferential loans, regional subsidies and acceleration programs are available to young people, Ekaterina Kosareva added. She clarified that in many regions there are separate competitions and intensive courses for youth projects. Izvestia asked the Ministry of Energy for comments.
The growth of youth entrepreneurship has both advantages and risks for the economy. According to Daniil Gonenko from the Presidential Academy, developing your own business helps to legalize early business activity, accelerates digitalization and creates new services. Economist Olga Gogaladze added that this also contributes to the growth of financial literacy and tax revenues.
At the same time, the mass departure of young people into the microbusiness increases the personnel shortage in traditional industries. Industry, retail and the service sector are losing potential employees in line positions, the expert noted.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak also spoke about the shortage of personnel earlier. According to him, in the next five years, the economy will need to replace about 11 million jobs due to the retirement of employees, and by 2030, the additional need for personnel will amount to another 3.1 million people.
Thus, youth entrepreneurship is becoming a significant driver of the economy and digitalization, but at the same time it is increasing competition for young professionals in traditional companies.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
