ASTANA – Kazakhstan opened the Khan Tengri Innovation Hub on July 28 in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, known as Asia’s Silicon Valley, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry.
Photo credit: gov.kz
The hub is the first specialized platform for integrating the technological potential of Central Eurasian countries with China’s innovation ecosystem. It is being developed as a next-generation tech diplomacy platform that connects startups, innovative companies, and R&D centers in Central Eurasia with the Chinese market and its global opportunities.
The hub’s establishment was initiated by the Kazakh company Growth Vision Pro with the support of the ministry, Astana Hub, and IT Park Uzbekistan.
As stated by Minister of Digital Development, Innovations, and Aerospace Industry Zhaslan Madiyev, the hub will serve as a link for startups and entrepreneurs from Central Asia to connect with Chinese investors, as well as provide incubation and acceleration programs.
“We are confident that the hub will play an important role in promoting the products of our technology companies in the Chinese market,” he said.
Among key objectives of the Khan Tengri Innovation Hub is the development of cross-border technology transfer in digitization, high technology, and R&D. Its goals include facilitating the entry of Central Asian startups into the Chinese market, offering Chinese companies a “soft landing” in Eurasia, Europe, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) via the Middle Corridor, and encouraging joint R&D projects, technology transfer, and venture capital investments. It also aims to raise awareness of Central Eurasia in China.
The hub provides a comprehensive range of business infrastructure, including modern offices, coworking spaces, and serviced apartments. It includes support from legal and tax advice to help with establishing connections with Chinese investors, production partners, and accelerators.
The hub provides access to educational and acceleration programs that help companies adapt and scale faster. In partnership with Chinese accelerator XNode, the hub has developed programs tailored to different levels of business readiness, ranging from the short China Market Entry Bootcamp, which enables companies to explore the market and create an entry strategy, to China Launchpad, which supports scaling and expansion. Participants benefit from mentoring, workshops, and business networking, gaining valuable insights from China’s tech ecosystem.
The Khan Tengri Innovation Hub provides access to the world’s largest sales market, helps attract investment, find partners, and facilitate the start of exporting tech solutions. For many companies, this presents an opportunity to expand into a global player.
