FranchCamp announces fourth franchise competition

FranchCamp has announced the launch of its fourth franchise competition. In a statement dated 5 October 2026, the organisers confirmed that entry for franchise businesses will remain free and that the new edition will be held as a standalone event. According to FranchCamp, the previous three editions attracted more than 400 applications, with a combined prize pool exceeding 26 million roubles.

How the new edition will work

The competition centres on in-person presentations in which companies defend their business models before a jury of investors and experts. The organisers will continue to divide entrants into categories based on network size. This format distinguishes between businesses that are only beginning to develop their franchise networks and more established franchisors.

Particular emphasis is placed on feedback during the presentations themselves. Entrants are promised not just a final result following the jury’s deliberations, but also expert comments on stage. For Russia’s franchising community, this offers an opportunity to present a business model publicly and field questions about it at a single event.

FranchCamp describes the competition specifically as a pitch and defence of a franchise business model. This should not automatically be equated with securing an investment deal: direct access to investors and an investor’s decision to commit funds are different outcomes. The announcement for the new edition focuses on presentations, expert assessment and networking opportunities.

The wider FranchCamp ecosystem also runs investment competitions, forums, mentoring programmes and podcasts for entrepreneurs, investors and franchisors. The fourth competition has been made a standalone event, while retaining its core format.

From emerging franchises to two categories

The first competition took place in February 2024 and focused on emerging franchises. It received more than 70 applications, with ten companies presenting on stage. The prize pool exceeded 1 million roubles, and tattoo studio chain Atlant Tattoo was named the winner.

By autumn 2024, the organisers had widened the field: the second edition introduced two categories, for emerging and established franchises. The competition received around 200 applications. Fifty-five companies were shortlisted, and 21 reached the on-stage final. The prize pool exceeded 10 million roubles.

The organisers named Minis yrovarnya, Latina Top and swimming club chain STARFISH among the winners in the emerging franchise category. Winners in the established business category included IThub, Superman and ZhiznMart. Portal VR received the audience choice award.

The first two editions show how the competition’s scope evolved: from a dedicated platform for emerging concepts to a format involving networks of different sizes. The organisers intend to retain this division by scale in the fourth edition. However, past results relate to those specific competitions and do not mean that the brands listed will automatically take part in the new one.

What the 2025 final showed

The third edition’s final took place in December 2025 at the Internet Initiatives Development Fund (IIDF). According to FranchCamp, the competition received more than 150 applications, with 40 companies shortlisted. More than 30 live presentations were delivered to a jury of 26 experts.

Winners were selected across 20 award categories, including ‘Breakthrough of the Year’ and ‘Top for ROI’. A separate award went to the winner of an online audience vote, in which more than 5,000 people took part. The third edition’s total prize pool exceeded 15 million roubles.

These figures describe different aspects of the event: applications indicate companies’ interest in taking part, on-stage presentations reflect the size of the final programme, and voting measures audience engagement. They should not be confused with the number of winners or deals concluded.

Similarly, the combined figures for the first three editions are not targets for the fourth. The more than 400 applications and prize pool exceeding 26 million roubles are results from previous competitions, cited by the organisers in the new announcement. Any assessment of the forthcoming event should be based on the separately announced terms for the new edition.

What prizes are on offer and how to assess participation

The fourth competition’s prize programme includes vouchers and access to business services, listings in specialist franchise directories, expert consultations and strategy sessions. The organisers also highlight the opportunity for direct contact with investors.

It is important to assess these items individually rather than looking only at the monetary value of the prize pool. A service voucher, a consultation and a directory listing serve different purposes. Their practical value to a particular network depends on whether it needs the tools and services concerned. These opportunities should not be interpreted as a promise of a cash payment to every entrant.

Free entry makes the competition a platform for publicly presenting and defending a business model without paying an entry fee. However, an award or expert feedback does not replace a prospective franchise partner’s own assessment of the franchise’s financial viability.

Practical takeaway: franchisors should decide in advance what they want to achieve by entering — a critical review of their model, an introduction to investors or access to services offered as prizes. This makes it easier to prepare the presentation and judge the value of the outcome against a specific objective.