The Sberbank and 500 Startups-driven programme is extending its geographic remit beyond Russia as it prepares to receive applications for its third cohort.

Russia-headquartered financial services firm Sberbank has initiated the third cohort of its Sber500 accelerator together with early-stage venture capital firm 500 Startups.

The closing date for applications is January 10, 2021, and the scheme will include a pre-accelerator bootcamp to be held online, from which 25 startups will progress to the final stage.

Sberbank and 500 Startups have also extended the geographic remit of the initiative beyond Russia to include several countries in the surrounding region – Belarus, Kazakhstan, Lithuania,…