The mentoring in entrepreneurship is one of the most important segments of Youth Business Russia YBR programme. YBR managers have thoroughly studied mentoring experience in Scotland, Canada, India, Argentina. Boris Tkachenko, CEO of YBR and Institute of Mentoring completed trainings in international mentoring methodologies at Youth Business International (YBI) / Accenture seminar delivered by Professor John Cull in August 2008.

YBI methodologies were adopted for implementation in Russia and were tested successfully in Voronezh pilot region, followed by extending the mentoring programme in Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Kaluga, Rostov-on-Don, Moscow and Kirov. Currently, mentor-mentee matches are working in YBR covered regions, training seminars for mentors and mentees and other events are being carried out.

Mentees Igor Zaboev and Petr Boikov, supported by their mentor Yuri Segal were awarded Best Ecological Entrepreneur prize at YBI Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 international contest and were the winners in Young Entrepreneur nomination at EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 Russian contest.

Since 2013, as part of the energetic workshop-conference activity, YBR and the Institute of Mentoring are carrying out, on the regular basis, the Days of Mentoring, a series of events dedicated to mentoring in entrepreneurship, in cooperation with international and local experts, business and public organizations, young and experienced businessmen.

Based on the acquired experience, YBR experts advised partner organizations in Serbia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan on establishing local mentoring programmes.