ASTANA — As 2025 approaches, Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem reflects on the significant strides made this year. According to the Digital Business Rating published on Dec.17, these are the top startups that attracted the most significant investments, with a focus on those founded by Kazakh entrepreneurs who disclosed their funding rounds and amounts.
Startup stock picture. Photo credit: iStock.
A vibrant innovation ecosystem has produced startups making waves both locally and internationally, marked by groundbreaking ideas, relentless perseverance and a clear vision for the future, as highlighted by startup founders themselves.
10. GoDays ($490,000)
GoDays is an AI-based tool that analyzes keyboard usage patterns to prevent employee burnout. Founded in June 2022, the startup collaborates with global companies across Central Asia, South Korea and Japan, including Shell, Toyota, and Choco. In March, GoDays raised $490,000 from 500 Global, DOMiNO Ventures, AloqaVentures, venture investor Murat Abdrakhmanov, and business angels Anvar Bakiyev and Asima Abdrakhmanova. The funds are being used to scale in South Korea and Japan and enhance the product’s scientific features.
Elnur Kai, GoDays co-founder. Photo credit: Digital Business.
9-8. Leo Parts ($500,000)
Leo Parts, the developer of the White Label platform webshop.parts, raised $500,000 from Seven Rivers Capital in an A+ investment round in June. Founded by Yevgeny Achin and Dias Chukobayev, the startup’s SaaS solution supports the sale of auto parts and related services, with plans to expand into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Kyrgyz Republic, Zambia and the United Kingdom (UK) by the end of 2024.
Founded by Yevgeny Achin and Dias Chukobayev, Leo Parts, raised $500,000 in an A+ investment round in June. Photo credit: beststartupstory.com.
9-8. KuickTech ($500,000)
KuickTech, co-founded by developers from Pavlodar, Paul Kukitz and Maxim Pisegov, raised $500,000 in July to launch Avoloan, a mobile app for refinancing credit card debts in the United States. The app targets users with limited financial literacy, offering solutions to reduce their debt burdens and monthly payments.
KuickTech, co-founded by developers from Pavlodar, Paul Kukitz and Maxim Pisegov. Photo credit: Digital Business.
“An average American holds about four credit cards, often with interest rates nearing 30%. With 167 million credit card users in the U.S., average interest rates range from 22% to 26%,” said Pisegov. Avoloan helps borrowers manage financial difficulties by consolidating and refinancing debt to reduce their overall burden, monthly payments and loan obligations on more favorable terms.
7. DOQ.kz ($660,000)
DOQ.kz, a doctor search and appointment booking platform, has secured notable investments to expand internationally. In March 2023, the company raised $500,000 seed funding from the Dubai-based Almaz Capital fund to scale its services in Istanbul.
The founder of DOQ.kz Aidar Aryngazin and CTO DOQ.kz Madi Maskenov. Photo credit: Digital Business.
This year, in September, DOQ.kz raised $660,000 in a bridge round from MOST Ventures and other investors. The funding supports its expansion in Hungary and Romania and a launch in the UAE. DOQ.kz now facilitates approximately 4,000 monthly patient bookings in Budapest and aims to become a market leader in Hungary within the following year.
“All patient reviews on our platform are published without edits or interference. This has significantly increased trust among patients and doctors. Many medical professionals have acknowledged that DOQ.kz contributes to improving the quality of healthcare services,” said Aidar Aryngazin, the DOQ.kz founder.
6. JobEscape ($700,000)
JobEscape, a platform using AI to teach freelancing skills, raised $700,000 in June from Tumar Venture LP, Oraseya Capital and Caucasus Venture Fund. The funds will be used to expand the team and marketing efforts, with a focus on increasing revenue by five to six times annually.
JobEscape co-founder Miras Sovetov and CEO Tumar VF, Managing Partner of White Hill Capital Aslan Sultanov. Photo credit: Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry.
“We invested in JobEscape during its last round and have seen its monthly revenue grow from $10,000 to nearly $1 million annually. We are confident this startup has the potential to scale into a billion-dollar company,” said Aslan Sultanov, the CEO of Tumar VF.
Co-founder and CEO Miras Sovetov outlined the startup’s ambitious plans for the raised funds.
“This round of investments enables us to grow our user base and add more advanced AI tools to the platform. The involvement of investors from the UAE and Azerbaijan highlights our global competitiveness. Our next milestone is securing funding from American investors to support further growth and a potential exit,” said Sovetov.
5. HeRo Study ($725,000)
HeRo StudySpace is a cloud platform that automates routine processes, optimizes resource allocation, and provides actionable insights. The platform helps universities operate more efficiently and supports institutions of varying sizes. It offers deep data-driven analytics.
The HeRo Study team with Adil Nurgozhin, managing partner of Big Sky Capital. Photo credit: Digital Business.
In 2023, the startup secured $425,000 in funding from Big Sky Capital and a private investor. This year, HeRo StudySpace raised an additional $725,000 from UC Ventures and a business angel.
“This investment will allow us to enhance our platform’s capabilities, expand its reach, and deliver greater value to educational institutions of all sizes,” said Anton Silenko, the CEO of HeRo Study.
4. TaiSan ($1.6 million)
TaiSan is pioneering sodium-ion battery technology, which promises to be safer and cheaper than traditional lithium-ion batteries, offering potential cost savings of up to 20% in manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.
Founder and CEO of TaiSan Sanzhar Taizhan and Chief Business & Operations Officer of TaiSan Ainur Zhumasheva. Photo credit: Digital Business.
In July, TaiSan raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed round led by EIT InnoEnergy and other European funds. The funds will accelerate the development of cost-effective batteries for electric vehicles.
Founded by Kazakh entrepreneur Sanjar Taizhan, TaiSan aims to address a major global energy challenge. With this funding, TaiSan is poised to accelerate the development of its innovative battery technology, which could play a pivotal role in the future of electric transportation.
“Engineering and technology startups are approached differently than software-based ventures. We are tackling a major global energy issue – sodium-ion batteries will make electric vehicle production more affordable,” said Taizhan.
3. Alma ($5.1 million)
Alma’s AI-driven platform modernizes U.S. immigration legal services for skilled professionals. Founded by Asel Tuleubayeva from Kazakhstan and Aizada Marat from the Kyrgyz Republic, the startup raised $5.1 million in July from leading Silicon Valley venture funds, including Village Global, Bain Capital and New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Alma aims to streamline immigration processes with AI support while keeping lawyers at the forefront of strategic decision-making.
Founded by Asel Tuleubayeva from Kazakhstan and Aizada Marat from the Kyrgyz Republic, Alma startup raises $5.1 million. Photo credit: Digital Business.
“Immigration to the U.S. is a complex and lengthy process, so planning everything carefully and having accurate information is crucial. We couldn’t find a reliable immigration lawyer for ourselves, so we decided to become that trusted partner for others,” said Tuleubayeva.
2. Hero’s Journey ($6 million)
Hero’s Journey, a chain of gamified fitness studios, raised $6 million this year from investors, including venture investor Abdrakhmanov and MOST Ventures. The company’s valuation now stands at an estimated $30 million. The funds will support the launch of an innovative studio in New York.
Illyas Isatayev, the founder of Hero’s Journey. Photo: Digital Business.
Founded in 2022 by Iliyas Isatayev, Hero’s Journey focuses on analyzing the unique fitness goals and experiences of each visitor. This personalized approach enhances the gym experience, making it more engaging for clients and increasing their commitment to fitness throughout their subscriptions.
Venture investor Abdrakhmanov discussed the funding in the Digital Business podcast, noting that the $6 million round is one of the largest funding checks for a startup in Kazakhstan at this stage of financing. He also revealed an oversubscription, with potential investments exceeding the target by $1 million.
1. Higgsfield AI ($8 million)
Higgsfield AI’s Diffuse app uses custom text-to-video models to create high-quality social media videos. The startup raised $8 million in a pre-seed round led by Menlo Ventures, AI Capital, and other investors. Higgsfield AI’s tools allow users to generate realistic videos with unparalleled control, positioning it as a pioneer in consumer AI technology.
Highfield AI team: Aibek Bekbayev, Erzat Dulat, Sultan Nurmukhametov, Anvar Umarov, Adilkhan Sarsenov. Photo credit: Yeligai Zhumagalieva / Forbes.kz.
Higgsfield AI has launched the Diffuse mobile app, a platform that allows users to create full-fledged videos for social media from scratch based on text prompts. The app also enables users to create clips using their photos. Diffuse utilizes a custom text-to-video conversion model, which allows users to generate videos using a set of pre-generated clips and an intuitive editor.
Founded by Kazakh AI researcher Erzat Dulat and Alex Mashrabov, the former head of the GenAI department at Snap Inc., Higgsfield AI initially secured $250,000 in seed funding from venture investor Abdrakhmanov in the spring of 2023.
In April, Higgsfield AI raised $8 million in a pre-seed round led by Menlo Ventures, one of the oldest venture capital funds in the U.S., along with AI Capital, Bitcraft Ventures, the Midjourney Fund and various business angels.
With this funding, Higgsfield AI aims to enhance Diffuse and expand its reach. Its goal is to revolutionize how users create and edit videos and make high-quality video generation accessible to all.
Honorable Mentions
Several startups came close to making the top 10, including Introdex, which raised $460,000 in a pre-seed round in April; Beksar, which secured $305,000 in February; Partners Pay, which raised $200,000 in October; KenesAI, which also raised $200,000 in August; and YAYA, which raised $100,000 twice. These projects collectively raised significant investments, showcasing the vibrancy of Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem.
Potential $1 million from Tim Draper
The TrustMe startup is also poised to join the list of promising ventures. It is on track to secure $1 million from Tim Draper, the renowned investor behind companies such as Tesla, SpaceX, Skype and Twitch. For this to happen, the project team, led by Chingiz Dauletbayev, must increase sales to $300,000 by the end of the year. TrustMe has developed TrustContract, a service that enables signing legally significant documents via SMS in under a minute.
Since its inception, TrustMe has proven its potential globally. In 2023, the company was ranked among the top 10 best startups worldwide at a Silicon Valley acceleration program, cementing its reputation as a promising project in Central Asia.
According to Dauletbayev, the deal represents not only a major investment but also a validation of the ability of Kazakh startups to compete on a global scale.
The article was originally published on Digital Business.
