ASTANA – The number of women-led IT companies at the Astana Hub International Technopark of IT startups has surged from 179 in early 2023 to 301 in 2025, the Astana Hub’s press service reported on March 4.
Photo credit: Astana Hub
Astana Hub Managing Director Daniya Akhmetova noted, however, that despite this growth, women still make up only 30% of IT specialists, highlighting the need to bridge the gender gap.
To support women in tech, the hub offers educational programs, accelerators, and investment opportunities through such projects as IT Aiel, Tech Girls, and TechnoWomen that paved the way for thousands of women.
“Through the Level Up Program, implemented with UNICEF and GameLab at the Kazakh-British Technical University, over 200 participants were trained in GameDev. The AI Skills Accelerator for Girls, launched with the International Telecommunication Union, the leading UN organization in IT, helped young women aged 18-25 master AI skills,” Akhmetova said.
Startups led by women in Astana Hub achieve impressive results. For example, Laura Yeraliyeva, founder of YAYA, a children’s entertainment booking platform, secured $210,000 in investments, expanded to Uzbekistan, and reached the Startup World Cup semi-finals.
Tota Smatova with CheckDoc is developing a digital laboratory for mobile medical diagnostics, attracting $300,000 in investments and partnering with over 300 clinics.
Assylzat Issatayeva, the founder of AIDENTIS, raised $200,000 for her AI-powered dental diagnostics project, increasing total investment to $500,000.
Yana Ten with her startup ZebraEye received a $40,000 grant and was invited to Qatar science and technology park to present it at the Qatar Foundation. She signed an option with the New Native, Inc. venture fund, became a partner of Web Summit Qatar 2025, and entered the Global Innovation Link program in Qatar.
Porte Tech CEO Aidana Aituarova won $100,000 at the Taqadam competition in Saudi Arabia for her SaaS hotel management solution.
Meruyert Alpiyeva with Algapay helps employees receive salaries ahead of payday, reducing staff turnover by 15-20%.
Inventivo founder Makpal Ikramova, a computer vision-based rehabilitation platform, was longlisted for the 2025 Aurora Tech Award, which honors female tech founders making a global impact.
