The Encyclopedia for Children, a 63-volume project produced by Avanta+ Publishing House, stands as the most prominent achievement of Maria Aksenova. Published with a circulation reaching 20 million copies, the series was designed to function as a modern equivalent to the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, earning recognition from the Ministry of General Education of the Russian Federation.
Founding Avanta+
Born in Moscow in 1969, Aksenova conceived the idea for a comprehensive children's encyclopedia while studying at the Moscow State University Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics. At age 20, she co-founded Avanta+ to produce educational materials, eventually serving as chair of the board of directors. The organization's mission focused on presenting the sum of all knowledge in an accessible format, resulting in various bestsellers including the Modern Encyclopedia and the album series The Most Beautiful and Famous. Aksenova personally authored over 50 introductory science articles and 8 encyclopedic entries for the main series.
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Beyond her publishing career, Aksenova expanded into television and radio. Between 2008 and 2012, she produced 168 episodes of the television program Do Russians Know Russian?, which analyzed the history of the language. Her written works include the book Do We Know Everything About the Classics of World Literature? and a collection of her own poetry, Blues of Emptiness, published alongside the work of her great-grandfather, Peter Evdóshenko. She also hosted the talk show The Taming of the Success and the radio program Outlook beyond the MKAD.
Investment and Entrepreneurship
Aksenova has maintained an active role in the business sector through various roles, including serving as an independent director since 2002. Her portfolio spans diverse industries, from the Sweets Empire Café and the Marocana restaurant chain to the Niyama Japanese restaurant franchise. As an investor, she has managed over five exits and supports impact-oriented startups through the Printing Pioneer Fund, which she has chaired since 2007. She is also a member of investment organizations such as AngelsDeck and the Business Women of Russia Confederation.
Awards and Recognition
In 2001, Aksenova received the Russian President's Prize in the field of education for her methodological work on the Encyclopedia for Children. That same year, she was named Manager of the Year in the publishing category by Kommersant. She is an academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences and has served as a speaker at government meetings regarding business development in Russia.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969, Moscow
- Education: MSU Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
- Notable project: Encyclopedia for Children (63 volumes)
- Professional role: Chairman of The Printing Pioneer Fund
- Awards: Russian President's Prize in the field of education (2001)
- Early sport: 4-time Moscow champion, Russian Draughts
- Languages: Russian, English, Spanish
- Hobbies: Ikebana, rescue diving, Qigong
Questions readers ask
What is the scale of the Avanta+ encyclopedia project?
The 63-volume set reached a total circulation of 20 million copies.
What is Maria Aksenova's educational background?
She holds a first-class degree from the MSU Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics and completed an Executive MBA at RANEPA.
Achievements
- Russian President's Prize in the field of education
- Educated at MSU Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics
