Plekhanov university
Your Business Needs More Than a Good Idea.
It Needs the Right Direction
It Needs the Right Direction
APPLY FOR THE PROGRAM
Starting date: September 26, 2026
Duration: 12 hours, 4 sessions
Format: In person at the Plekhanov University Innovation Hub
Duration: 12 hours, 4 sessions
Format: In person at the Plekhanov University Innovation Hub
Designed jointly by Plekhanov University’s Innovation Hub (i@π) and the dynamic business network Eurasia Gulf, this innovation build-up and startup development program utilizes a data-driven approach to take startups and SMEs from business ideation all the way to investor-ready pitching. You'll go from discovering the opportunity space, finding the problem-solution fit to validating the solution-market fit using AI powered open innovation frameworks.
Startup Professional Development Program
3
Build your unit economics, financial projections, and growth plan.
PLAN
2
Define your value proposition and build a business model around a real market need.
POSITION
4
Turn the business into a persuasive proposition designed for regional and international investors and clients.
PITCH
1
Test your assumptions, understand your customer, and establish whether the opportunity is commercially viable utilizing open innovation frameworks such as Design Thinking, Futures Thinking, and Systems Thinking with an embedded AI layer.
VALIDATE
From Idea to Investor Room in Just Four Sessions
A structured path from your first hypothesis to an investor pitch.
People who have experience building and selling companies, raising capital, and entering new markets.
5. Expert-Led Instruction
A quarterly pitch session with investors, clients, and other ecosystem partners. Program graduates have the opportunity to pitch and receive feedback.
4. Pitch Day
Eurasia Gulf opens access to an invaluable network of contacts: funding opportunities, angel investors, and industry partners across the GCC, Russia, Central Asia, and Eastern Europe.
3. Investor and Customer Network
Enjoy a complementary 3-month membership in a private community of entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate partners across two major markets. An environment where you can find partners, investors, and customers your competitors may not have access to.
2. Complementary 3-Month Eurasia Gulf Membership
AI-powered Design Thinking, Futures Thinking, Business Model Canvas, and other open innovation frameworks: learn to apply these specialized tools under expert guidance to correctly define a problem and find the right problem-solution fit.
1. Tools That Turn an Idea Into a Structure
One program that covers what would normally take months to put together.
Exclusive Benefits
MENA Startups Raised Approximately $3.8 Billion in 2025, a 74% YoY Increase
Rejection is most often not due to a weak idea, but to an idea presented weakly. To the lack of the right numbers, models, and a clear answer to the question "Why you?"
This program closes that gap: in four sessions, your project is transformed into a proposal investors can understand and evaluate.
This program closes that gap: in four sessions, your project is transformed into a proposal investors can understand and evaluate.
Is your business ready to compete?
Where Are You in the Journey?
Your idea is promising, but it still lives in your notes.
Test the hypothesis, understand the market, structure the business model, and turn the idea into something you can confidently present.
Test the hypothesis, understand the market, structure the business model, and turn the idea into something you can confidently present.
You have built something, but the market is not seeing the value.
Refine your positioning, align the proposition with customer needs, and understand what it will take to make the business commercially viable.
Refine your positioning, align the proposition with customer needs, and understand what it will take to make the business commercially viable.
The business is running, but growth has stalled.
Build the financial and strategic structure needed to understand your next stage of growth, enter new markets, pivot your offering and make better-informed decisions.
Build the financial and strategic structure needed to understand your next stage of growth, enter new markets, pivot your offering and make better-informed decisions.
RUssia
Central Asia
Eastern Europe
Caucasus
Balkans
GCC
GCC · Russia · Central Asia · Caucasus · Eastern Europe · Balkans
Eurasia Gulf is an Innovation Hub partner and a business network connecting entrepreneurs, investors, corporate partners, and industry organizations across the GCC and Eurasia.
Whether you are looking to expand from the GCC into Eurasia or bring a Eurasian business into the GCC, this program gives you the market insight, connections, and visibility to make that move with confidence.
Whether you are looking to expand from the GCC into Eurasia or bring a Eurasian business into the GCC, this program gives you the market insight, connections, and visibility to make that move with confidence.
One Program, Two Thriving Business Ecosystems.
Inside The Program
Is there a business here?
Move from a raw concept to a structured, testable hypothesis using lean evaluation methods to test market demand and establish commercial viability.
Move from a raw concept to a structured, testable hypothesis using lean evaluation methods to test market demand and establish commercial viability.
Why should the market choose you?
Use human-centered design frameworks to align your product's capabilities with real market needs and develop a clear, differentiated proposition.
Use human-centered design frameworks to align your product's capabilities with real market needs and develop a clear, differentiated proposition.
Can the business support the growth you want?
Understand the financial mechanics behind expansion and develop the unit economics, cash flow projections, and growth budgets needed to scale.
Understand the financial mechanics behind expansion and develop the unit economics, cash flow projections, and growth budgets needed to scale.
Can you make an investor care?
Turn your work into a persuasive, data-driven commercial proposal designed for regional and international investment environments.
Turn your work into a persuasive, data-driven commercial proposal designed for regional and international investment environments.
A Technological, Entrepreneurial University
Study at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics’ Dubai campus, one of Russia’s leading universities in economics.
11 Alumni on the Forbes Billionaires List
According to Forbes’ 2025 rankings, 11 Plekhanov University alumni are included on the list of Russian billionaires.
A University Founded by Entrepreneurs, for Entrepreneurs
Plekhanov University was founded with funding from Moscow businessmen as an educational institution for those passionate about entrepreneurship.
More Than 120 Years of Academic History
The university’s main campus in Moscow has been operating since 1907.
The program is led by entrepreneurs and practitioners who bring experience from business, innovation, investment, and cross-border markets.
Mr. Filippov is a professional, lecturer, and expert in management and artificial intelligence. He has been an avid researcher of AI-based tools, including agentic systems as well as principles for safe and ethical use of AI systems in management, for over three years now.
Mr. Filippov has been an invited speaker for executives in the utilities sector, a consultant to international sports teams on the digital transformation of management, and an author of academic publications at the intersection of management and AI.
Mr. Filippov has been an invited speaker for executives in the utilities sector, a consultant to international sports teams on the digital transformation of management, and an author of academic publications at the intersection of management and AI.
Roman Filippov
Dr. Nadkarni is a professor, business consultant, and digital innovation expert. He has extensive experience working with startups and SMEs through consultancy, incubation programs, and structured innovation services.
Dr. Nadkarni has led numerous projects for international corporations and government entities, and has taught at universities across Asia, the GCC, and Europe.
Dr. Nadkarni has led numerous projects for international corporations and government entities, and has taught at universities across Asia, the GCC, and Europe.
Dr. Sanjay Nadkarni
Who Will Lead The Program
