Russia is coming up with a growing ecosystem for startups with its vast area and vibrant economy. The country is fostering the perfect climate for companies and entrepreneurs, driven by businesses in the technology, fintech, and AI sectors. Whether starting a technology company or finding investment opportunities, Russia can offer much to drive innovation. Here, we prepared a full list of venture capital investors and picked up the top 10 venture firms in Russia. You can find more information about investment opportunities here.
Here's a table that summarizes the overall VC data for a quick overview:
| VC Firm | Ticket Size | Stages | Founding Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF) | $100,000 to $3 million | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A | 2013 |
| Almaz Capital | $1 million to $10 million | Early to Growth | 2008 |
| Baring Vostok Capital Partners | $10 million to $200 million | Growth, Expansion | 1994 |
| Runa Capital | $1 million to $10 million | Seed, Early | 2010 |
| AddVenture | $1 million to $10 million | Seed, Early | 2008 |
| Frontier Ventures | $1 million to $10 million | Early, Growth | 2011 |
| AltaIR Capital | $100,000 to $5 million | Seed, Early | 2010 |
| Target Global | $1 million to $50 million | Seed to Growth | 2012 |
| RTP Global | $1 million to $10 million | Seed, Early | 2000 |
| Skolkovo Foundation | $100,000 to $10 million | Seed to Series A | 2010 |
1. Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF)
IIDF VC invests in IT companies that develop either software products or internet platforms. They invest from 5 to 200 million rubles at early and mature stages inclusive. IIDF VC supports scaling with personalized acceleration, expert support, and finding decision-makers. The main industries for investment include Big Data, Fintech, Telemedicine, and Enterprise Software-with a focus on building profitable, highly scalable companies with high growth perspectives.
- Website: iidf.ru
- Founding Year: 2013
- Investment Range: $100,000 to $3 million
- Stage: Pre-seed, seed, and series A
- Sector: Technology startups
- Geography: Russia
- Notable Investments: Timepad, CarPrice, Profi.ru, Skyeng, YouDo
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
2. Almaz Capital
Almaz Capital is a VC firm supporting global tech startups. Focused on Central and Eastern European founders, they bridge them to resources and networks in Silicon Valley. Almaz brings in far more than just capital to help link a startup with customers, talent, and advisors. Deep in high-tech and hands-on, they enable entrepreneurs to scale their businesses and create an impact worldwide.
- Website: almazcapital.com
- Founding Year: 2008
- Investment Range: $1 million to $10 million
- Stage: Early to growth stages
- Sector: Technology, including software, IT, and internet services
- Geography: Russia, CIS, and the U.S.
- Notable Investments: Yandex, Qik, Acumatica, GridGain, GoodData
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
3. Baring Vostok Capital Partners
Baring Ventures is a venture capital firm that manages private equity funds of 5.5 billion dollars. They back entrepreneurs in scaling businesses to long-term success across Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas. Powered by sustainability and transparency, they happen to be one of the global investors apart from pension funds and sovereign wealth funds. The firm has listed an array of companies on stock exchanges hence standing out in nurturing remarkable ventures.
- Website: baring-vostok.com
- Founding Year: 1994
- Investment Range: $10 million to $200 million
- Stage: Growth and expansion stages
- Sector: Consumer products, media, technology, telecommunications, financial services
- Geography: Russia and CIS
- Notable Investments: Yandex, Ozon.ru, CTC Media, Tinkoff Bank, VkusVill
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
4. Runa Capital
Runa Capital is a global VC firm backing early-stage tech startups in deep tech, enterprise software, and fintech infrastructure. With over $500M under management, it backs founders with funding, operational expertise, and a strong transatlantic network. Their portfolio includes innovators like NGINX and Brainly. With offices in Luxembourg, Palo Alto, London, Paris, and Berlin, Runa helps startups scale across global markets.
- Website: runacap.com
- Founding Year: 2010
- Investment Range: $1 million to $10 million
- Stage: Seed and early stages
- Sector: Cloud computing, machine learning, SaaS, deep tech
- Geography: Global, including Russia
- Notable Investments: Nginx, MariaDB, Zopa, Ecwid, DrChrono
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
5. AddVenture
AddVenture is a global VC firm investing in early-stage companies from the sectors of FoodTech, HealthTech, and home services. By investing $1-10M per company, they will be looking for startups that solve practical problems, such as workforce marketplaces, telemedicine, and personalized food services. AddVenture partners with founders to build scalable and impactful businesses that will improve daily life.
- Website: addventure.vc
- Founding Year: 2008
- Investment Range: $1 million to $10 million
- Stage: Seed and early stages
- Sector: E-commerce, internet services, consumer products
- Geography: Russia and CIS
- Notable Investments: KupiVIP, Mamba, Delivery Club, Profi.ru, CarPrice
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
6. Frontier Ventures
Frontier Digital Ventures is a VC firm focused on online marketplace companies in emerging markets. In property, automotive, and general marketplaces, it brings expertise while partnering with local teams to create impactful businesses. The role of FDC goes beyond funding; it covers strategic guidance and support in operations that would help scale the entrepreneurs' endeavors. All while gaining trust and building collaboration, it also helps founders create marketplace success stories serving both local customers and world standards.
- Website: frontierdv.com
- Founding Year: 2011
- Investment Range: $1 million to $10 million
- Stage: Early and growth stages
- Sector: Internet and technology
- Geography: Russia and emerging markets
- Notable Investments: Ozon.ru, Avito, Tinkoff Digital, CarPrice, Lamoda
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
7. AltaIR Capital
AltaIR Capital is a venture capital fund investing globally in early to growth-stage startups with disruptive ideas. With $600M under management, their investment focus spans AI, SaaS, FinTech, InsurTech, Digital Health, and Productivity Tools. They support driven teams with scalable business models and impressive product vision, AltaIR Capital looks for game-changing innovation with high return prospects, from idea stage to successful exits.
- Website: altair.vc
- Founding Year: 2010
- Investment Range: $100,000 to $5 million
- Stage: Seed and early stages
- Sector: Software, SaaS, information technology
- Geography: Global, including Russia
- Notable Investments: Miro, PandaDoc, Turing, Scentbird, Guesty
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
8. Target Global
Target Global operates as a European VC with over €3 billion in assets under management. They invest in tech companies from pre-seed to pre-IPO. Offices in London, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and Abu Dhabi support transformative startups to later become unicorns: Delivery Hero, Wefox, and Kuda. Known for backing 15 unicorns and achieving 21 exits, Target Global empowers founders to disrupt global markets and scale groundbreaking businesses.
- Website: targetglobal.vc
- Founding Year: 2012
- Investment Range: $1 million to $50 million
- Stage: Seed to growth stages
- Sector: E-commerce, fintech, mobility, software
- Geography: Europe, Israel, Russia
- Notable Investments: Auto1, Delivery Hero, WeFox, Rapyd, Dreamlines
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
9. RTP Global
RTP Global is a VC firm that supports bold founders in building transformational companies. With more than $3 billion in assets and teams in the USA, Europe, and Asia, RTP invests in early-stage companies. They focus on B2B and B2C tech sectors, including AI, fintech, and health. Renowned for long-term partnerships, they have helped create unicorns such as Datadog and Delivery Hero. RTP is far beyond capital; they are believers in realizing true potential.
- Website: rtp-global.com
- Founding Year: 2000
- Investment Range: $1 million to $10 million
- Stage: Seed and early stages
- Sector: Technology, internet, software, fintech
- Geography: Global, including Russia
- Notable Investments: Yandex, Delivery Hero, Cred, Datadog, RingCentral
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
10. Skolkovo Foundation
The Skolkovo Foundation is a leading innovation hub that supports technology startups in Russia and globally. It offers access to finances, acceleration programs, tax incentives, and office space, among other things. Skolkovo harbors expertise in areas like AI, health tech, and microelectronics, where their team fosters collaboration between startups, investors, and industry leaders for the creation of an enabling environment that will facilitate technological advancement.
- Website: sk.ru
- Founding Year: 2010
- Investment Range: $100,000 to $10 million
- Stage: Seed to Series A
- Sector: Tech, green technologies, IT, biotech
- Geography: Russia
- Notable Investments: SolarFlux, Biocad, DataMole, Kite Pharma, Nanolek
- Submit Pitch/ Contact: Link
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Is VC high risk?
Venture capital is a type of investment that can be risky but has the potential for high returns. However, there is no guarantee of success. Investing in startups is always uncertain, and you might lose your money. Even though VC firms try to minimize risks, investing in startups is always uncertain, and you might lose your money. - What is the best country in Europe to set up a VC fund?
Luxembourg is ideal for setting up a VC fund in Europe due to its investor-friendly regulations, diverse investment vehicles, and a strong financial sector that supports local and foreign investors. The country's tax efficiency and stability further make it a preferred choice. - Which European cities have the most VC investments?
The top cities for VC investments in Europe are London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Stockholm. London leads with $22.67B in 2023, followed by Paris and Berlin. These cities are known for strong startup ecosystems and significant funding opportunities. - What is the minimum amount for a VC fund?
Venture capital funds usually ask for a minimum investment of $250,000 to $500,000, and sometimes even more. Investing a small amount of money can still cost a lot. These funds are usually only open to wealthy people and big organizations that have a lot of money. - How do I choose a VC fund?
To choose a VC fund, check how much experience and success the venture capital firm has had before. Look at the companies they’ve invested in before to see if they match what your business does. This can help you figure out if they’re a good match for you.
Best of luck with your amazing ventures.
Please note that this list is filtered by various metrics, and all the data are collected through various third-party websites, mostly the VC website. Since data such as ticket size or industry may change, you are requested to visit the official website given in the blog for the latest and updated information.