A virtual fellowship for Russia’s foremost entrepreneurship management professionals
The application for the 2023 VEMFA program is now open until May 28, 2023!
Program Dates: August 21 – September 29, 2023
VEMFA is a six week virtual program funded by the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. It connects Russian employees of entrepreneurship centers, co-working spaces, business accelerators, and incubators to analogous companies and foundations based in the U.S. The program consists of three distinct elements, described below, which combine to provide one truly unique and valuable experience:
- Entrepreneurship Center Management Certificate – all participants will collectively participate in this tailor-designed program to bring the best management practices from American business accelerators and incubators to the Russian context.
- Virtual mentorship – Applicants to VEMFA are competitively selected and then matched with a mentor in the U.S. with whom the participant will communicate and collaborate during the six-week program.
- U.S. and Russia joint projects – as the program draws to a close, the Russian participants and U.S. mentors will be able to apply for seed funding to launch a virtual partnership program between the two entities.
The Virtual Entrepreneurship Management Fellowship in America is your chance to expand your network, collaborate with and learn from some of the best entrepreneurship management professionals from Russia and the United States, and hone your own entrepreneurship management center programs and operations, all while continuing with the daily responsibilities of your current position.
Program goals:
- Learn how entrepreneurship centers, business accelerators, and incubators operate in the U.S.
- Revise your own center’s entrepreneurship management program and adapt best practices from the American context.
- Receive the premiere industry credential Entrepreneurship Center Management Certificate by completing an online InBIA course.
- Develop joint projects to support U.S.-Russian entrepreneurship partnerships.
Learn more about the Program on the website: https://www.vemfa.org/
To be eligible to apply, individuals must:
- Be citizens and current residents of Russia. Applicants living outside Russia or on a long-term program outside Russia will not be considered eligible to apply.
- Be between 25 and 40 years of age at the time of the application period.
- Be proficient in English.
- Have at least one year of relevant experience in contributing to and building a local or regional entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
- Be employed by a local or regional business incubator, business accelerator, co-working space or entrepreneurship center.
- Be committed to a career in the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem.
The following individuals are NOT eligible to apply:
- U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States
- Private entrepreneurs
- Individuals currently residing or working outside Russia
- Persons arrested for, charged with, or convicted of a crime
We encourage all eligible candidates, including those belonging to under-served and under-represented groups, to apply for the VEMFA program.
Any qualified finalist who needs support on program due to a disability will be provided with reasonable accommodations as defined by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure their ability to actively participate in VEMFA.
Please, apply through the Program’s website: https://www.vemfa.org/
The application deadline is 28th of May, 2023.
