Startups and breakthrough technologies are transforming industries and the urban environment, helping to scale solutions and turn technology into tangible gains in productivity, resilience and quality of life. These were the issues discussed by experts and participants at the second Moscow Startup Summit, dedicated to technological entrepreneurship and open innovation.
The second Moscow Startup Summit was held on September 29–30 at SberCity, on the campus of School 21. The event was organized by the Government of Moscow and Sber. Technology entrepreneurs, investors, representatives of major businesses, the academic community and relevant government agencies from Russia and 21 other countries attended the event. The summit’s online broadcasts received 50 million views.
More than 150 Russian and international speakers took part in the business program. In addition to panel discussions, the program included pitch sessions, an exhibition featuring more than 100 startups, and a technology award ceremony. One of the organizers’ objectives was to accelerate the adoption of new developments and facilitate deals between investors, corporations and technology companies.
International Sber500 Final
One of the key events of the second Moscow Startup Summit was the final of the seventh cohort of the international Sber500 accelerator. More than 1,800 applications from 52 countries were submitted for the program, with 25 teams from Russia, India and South Korea selected for the final program.
As part of the Demo Day, the finalists presented their technologies to investors, experts and major corporations. The startups operate in five areas: medicine and biotechnology, education and creative industries, agriculture and food, construction and urban development, and smart devices and robotics.
Around 85% of the finalists use artificial intelligence, including generative models, while 20 teams are deep-tech startups. The solutions presented included 3D bioprinting of collagen membranes, robotic electronics testing, an AI platform for developing new plant varieties, and five-axis 3D printing of composite components.
Herman Gref, President and Chairman of the Executive Board of Sberbank, said that Sber was ready to provide funded teams with access to laboratories and construction sites to test their technologies.
For the first time, a Neurocode neuroheadset developed by one of the Sber500 participants was used at the Demo Day. The device recorded the brain activity of jury members and showed how their attention and interest changed during the pitches.
Innovation and Technology Exhibition
At the startup exhibition held as part of the Moscow Startup Summit, teams from Russia, India and South Korea presented practical solutions for key areas of the economy. Their technologies demonstrated how artificial intelligence and engineering solutions can help address specific challenges in healthcare, agriculture and other industries.
Indian startup XpressCBC has developed a portable analyzer that performs a five-part complete blood count from a finger-prick blood sample in approximately 5–10 minutes without the need for a central laboratory. The device measures at least 18 parameters and markers. The solution is designed for outpatient clinics, rural clinics and mobile medical units, where, due to sample transportation and a lack of laboratories or specialists, patients may otherwise have to wait hours or days for test results.
Another Indian startup, eVerse.AI, presented a system for dairy farms. ConnectedCow collars monitor the health and activity of cows, while the GreenCow sensor measures methane emissions. A digital measurement, reporting and verification system shows how changes in feeding have helped reduce emissions and prepares data for carbon programs. The solution is designed for dairy cooperatives, large farms and government programs.
Russian team ELVIS V is developing an electronic vision system for people who have completely lost their sight. A camera and artificial intelligence process images of the surrounding environment, while a neural implant transmits signals directly to the visual cortex and creates light-based representations of objects. The technology is designed for people aged 18–50 who previously had sight, have completely lost their vision and do not benefit from conventional corrective devices.
The second Moscow Startup Summit brought international technology teams together with investors, experts and major businesses. The projects presented at the event demonstrated a wide range of practical applications for artificial intelligence, engineering technologies and deep-tech solutions.
