Selection of active accelerators and incubators in Kazakhstan

There are around 15 incubators and accelerators working in Kazakhstan. AIN.TECH publishes a selection of the most famous platforms that Startup Jedi has chosen.

Astana HUB Accelerator

Astana Hub is an international technopark for IT-startups that was opened in 2018. More than 300 projects have already taken part in its acceleration program, supported by the Kazakhstan government. 

For whom: Technology startups from the CIS countries that develop solutions in the field of IoT, AI, e-commerce, AR/VR, educational or financial technologies, IT security, Big Data and Machine Learning, as well as online and mobile games.

Startups can apply at the stage of MVP development and need to have at least 2 key team members.

What is offered: The acceleration program lasts three months. The startups will develop their project under the guidance of mentors and experts from various fields, and have access to program’s partners, investors and government networks. Astana Hub also offers a place in its coworking and fiscal relief for the participants.

Terms of participation: Participation in the program is free of charge for both residents of Astana Hub and participants from other countries. 

You can leave your application for the Acceleration 9.0 online-program on its website. 

Portfolio: Monetika, Zanbar, Kokozhe Green Lab, Proportunity are among others.

StartUP Kazakhstan 

StartUP Kazakhstan is an international acceleration program of an autonomous cluster fund Tech Garden and Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan. 96 startups have already received financing in the common amount of $2.5 million during 3 program releases. 

For whom: Local and foreign startups with Industry 4.0, new materials and energy, smart city, fintech, banking, retail and e-commerce, edtech or telekom projects.

What is offered: Three-month online acceleration program includes diagnostics of each startup, creating an individual plan for its development in Kazakhstan market and a targeted educational program. StartUP Kazakhstan also offers support of the government and national corporations and provides investment for the startups in the amount of over $10,000.

Terms of participation: StartUP Kazakhstan does not take equity from startups but concludes with them an option agreement. 

Portfolio: Speakus LTD, Smart LR, Partszone, CleanRoad and others.

Investment readiness accelerator

Investment readiness accelerator is a program of MOST business-incubator, the first private business incubator in Kazakhstan, which supports entrepreneurs-beginners on all stages of business development. 

For whom: Early-stage IT-startups from Central Asia with functional MVP and scalable education, health, agro, financing, insurance, e-commerce or retail solutions.

Terms of participation: The startup is able to choose the terms of the participation – to pay a fixed amount of $840 or free – it means to share the equity up to 1-8%, depending on the company’s valuation. 

What is offered: MOST offers different facilities for startups depending on the kind of terms of participation they have chosen – for $840 / for free:

• supervision of mentors who are investors at every stage of the program for 5 hours / 1 year;
• the possibility of considering a project in the MOST Venture Fund I for up to $100,000 / $500,000;
• consultations of MOST experts for 10 hours / in unlimited mode; 
• access to MOST Community of our partners, mentors, business-angels, investors, venture funds, entrepreneurs, startups, experts.

After Pitch Day, each startup will be able to get over $50,000 from one of the 30 investors.

The recruiting process for the September program is already closed. You can follow the news on the MOST website.

Portfolio: More than 90 participants including Kid Security, ApartX and others. 

NURIS

NURIS is an Innovation cluster of Nazarbayev University. It offers two programs for startup development: ABC incubation x Tech Central Asia and ABC Quick Start Acceleration. 

For whom and what is offered: ABC incubation x TCA in partnership with Shell Kazakhstan and ABC Quick Start Acceleration programs are dedicated to innovative early-stage startups, as well as traditional business projects with a potential to enter global markets. It can be IT, IoT, e-commerce, Big Data, AI, Machine Learning, hardware or solutions in industries agriculture, construction activity, healthcare industries.

The incubator supports each participant in creating a business model of startup and MVP. Shell Kazakhstan also provides grants for best projects in the amount of up to $2,500 and pre-seed financing $5,000.

The accelerator provides mentorship, access to the Nazarbayev University partners and infrastructure, financial support in the amount of up to $100,000 from ABC-I2BF Seed Fund for startups with a complete team and a working prototype. 

Terms of participation: Participation in both programs is free of charge. However, in the frames of ABC incubation x TCA program the Nazarbayev University has a right to acquire a 3% of the authorized capital of the participant’s company that has reached the final stage of the program.

Currently, the application process for both programs is closed. More details about the next programs can be found here.  

Portfolio: On-Moms, Jobster, Aero, TAZAmat, Space3D are among ABC incubation x TCA graduates. Kunde, Cleverest Technologies, EGIStic, KOMPRA and others are the ABC Quick Start Acceleration alumni.