NUR-SULTAN – The Astana Hub, Kazakhstan’s international technopark of IT startups, presented its new digital platform on July 8, focused on automating all processes from submitting applications and participating in Astana Hub programs to filling out online reporting for residents receiving tax and visa preferences, said Astana Hub Director Magzhan Madiyev during the live-streamed presentation.
The hub was founded by First Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in November 2018. Photo credit: Astana Hub press service
The digital platform is yet another step to making the hub more accessible and reaching its key targets – helping startups attract US$200 million in investments by 2022 and bring the export revenues to US$500 million by 2025.
“Astanahub.com is designed for IT companies, startups, investors, specialists, and representatives of government agencies and corporations to allow them to share news on the platform, learn new skills, receive services and get to know each other, which will eventually lead to signing deals,” said Madiyev.
Founded in 2018, the hub seeks to develop an ecosystem of innovations in Kazakhstan. It offers various startup development programs including the startup school, the school of investors, incubation as well as acceleration programs.
The number of participants in the hub amounts to 507. Since its launch, startups supported by the Astana Hub have attracted 34.5 billion tenge (US$80.6 million) of financing.
The new platform is also open for suggestions to improve the country’s IT industry directly submitted to profile ministries.
“The Astana Hub mission is to promote startup culture in Kazakhstan and support IT projects aimed at strengthening the economy. (…) Diversity is among the key principles of our work. We believe that the diversity of our community boosts its global competitiveness and increases chances for success,” said Madiyev.
The digital platform offers a holistic approach for the IT industry players, said Bagdat Mussin, Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, who also attended the presentation. He said that the digital format helped to get rid of unnecessary bureaucracy and identify the main areas for more work.
Mussin noted the need for the Astana Hub to expand to regions and focus on exports.
“You know that we have a task to get US$500 million of export revenues from the IT industry by 2025. Therefore, the Astana Hub will be fully focused on this export potential. This year we will move towards cooperation with international acceleration platforms and venture capitalists,” said Mussin.
