12 WEEKS OFFLINE - ALMATY CITY, KAZAKHSTAN

CENTRAL EURASIA MARKET ENTRY

Acceleration program for international B2B tech startups ready to localize, launch pilots and scale in Kazakhstan.

Applications are available in English and Russian.

Application is open until August 16, 2026

weeks

startups

PMF + SCALE

stages

WHY KAZAKHSTAN?

Your entry point to Kazakhstan and Central Eurasia

Almaty city is Kazakhstan's largest business and technology center, bringing together corporations, financial institutions, investors, talent and a growing startup ecosystem.

Market access

Validate demand and build a route to local customers.

Local ecosystem

Connect with partners, experts and decision-makers.

Business setup

Prepare the legal and operational model for presence.

Regional scaling

Use Kazakhstan as a practical base for wider growth.

ELIGIBILITY

Is your startup a fit?

A fast qualification check before you invest time in the application.

THE PROGRAM IS NOT INTENDED FOR

✕ Idea-stage projects

✕ Teams without a working product

✕ Companies without Kazakhstan market-entry plans

✕ Teams without a participating decision-maker

✕ Teams that cannot participate offline

YOU ARE A FIT IF

✓ International technology startup

✓ Working B2B product

✓ PMF or Scale stage

✓ Commercial potential in Kazakhstan

✓ CEO or co-founder can participate

✓ Ready to work offline in Almaty for 12 weeks

✓ Interest in pilots, partnerships and localization

PRIORITY SECTORS

Built for B2B technology

We are looking for international technology startups with a working B2B product and commercial potential in Kazakhstan.

FINTECH

AI / ML + DEEPTECH

LOGITECH + SUPPLY CHAIN

EDTECH + HRTECH

HEALTHTECH

CLEANTECH + GREENTECH

E-COMMERCE + RETAILTECH

CYBERSECURITY

INDUSTRY 4.0 + ROBOTICS

MARKET

DATA

OPERATIONS

TRUST

INDUSTRY

Other B2B technology projects may also be considered if they demonstrate strong potential for the Kazakhstan market.

PARTICIPANT BENEFITS

Everything you need to enter the market

Each module is tied to a concrete market-entry output.

Market validation

Test demand, customer segments and priority use cases.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Validated hypotheses

Individual tracking

Work with a tracker on milestones, risks and decisions.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Action plan

Product localization

Adapt product, messaging and workflows to local reality.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Localization backlog

Corporate access

Meet relevant companies and explore pilot opportunities.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Partner pipeline

Legal + operational setup

Prepare the model for local presence and execution.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Setup roadmap

Investment readiness

Strengthen the financial model, data room and pitch for investors.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Investor package

Expert support

Access local legal, sales, industry and market expertise.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Decision support

Demo Day

Present progress and market-entry logic to invited stakeholders.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Market narrative

Co-living

Receive space in co-living for two members of startup team.

PRACTICAL OUTPUT Comfortable stay

12-WEEK ROADMAP

From market assessment to commercial launch

Five stages. One continuous market-entry trajectory.

Assessment and strategy

Market, segment, entry barriers

Market validation

Interviews, hypotheses, demand

Localization and pilots

Adaptation, partner, dialogue, pilots

Investment readiness

Financial model, data room, pitch

Demo Day

Progress, next steps, stakeholder access

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

A clearer route from interest to local presence

The program helps prepare teams for market entry; it does not guarantee investment, contracts or deals.

BEFORE

— Limited understanding of the Kazakhstan market

— No local contacts

— Unvalidated hypotheses

— Incomplete investment documentation

— No legal or operational infrastructure

— No local pilots

12 WEEKS

AFTER · SUPPORTED OUTCOMES

✓ Market-entry strategy prepared

✓ Key commercial hypotheses tested

✓ Local sales model developed

✓ Partner negotiations initiated

✓ Financial model and data room prepared

✓ Pilot opportunities identified

✓ Legal and operational presence model defined

✓ Team prepared for investment negotiations

PARTICIPATION AND SAFE TERMS

The commitment is visible before you apply

USD

20,000

per selected startup

Full terms and conditions are provided to the teams that have successfully passed the qualifying stage and are selected to participate in the program.

Each selected startup is expected to sign a SAFE agreement for USD 20,000. SAFE is an investment instrument that provides the investor with the right to receive equity in the company in the future when the conditions specified in the agreement are met.

SELECTION PROCESS

How startups are selected

A transparent sequence from application to final cohort.

Application

Screening

Online diagnostics

Selection committee

Final selection

FINAL COHORT

15 selected startups

Program start

The program starts September 01, 2026.

Notifications are sent to the email used in application

Submitted information in the application must be accurate

The committee's decision is final

GEOGRAPHY

Built for startups across Central Eurasia and neighboring regions

Central Asia

Core regional market context

Uzbekistan · Kyrgyzstan · Tajikistan · Turkmenistan

Caucasus

Commercial and technology links

Azerbaijan · Georgia · Armenia

East and South Asia

Expansion-oriented B2B teams

Mongolia · Russia · China · Türkiye

Map of Central Eurasia and neighboring regions

FAQ

Questions before you apply

One answer is expanded to demonstrate the accordion behavior.

Who can apply? +

International B2B startups at PMF or Scale stage with a working product and commercial interest in Kazakhstan.

What startup stages are eligible? +

PMF (Product-Market Fit) and Scale stage startups with a working B2B product.

Is the program online or offline? +

The program is offline in Almaty for 12 weeks. Online diagnostics are used during the selection stage.

Does the CEO have to participate? +

The CEO or co-founder must be able to participate offline in the program in Almaty.

Is participation free? +

Participation requires signing a SAFE agreement for USD 20,000. This is an investment instrument, not a fee.

What is a SAFE agreement? +

SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) is a standard investment instrument that confirms the investor's interest in the startup's potential and their willingness to support the team at an early stage of development.

Is accommodation provided? +

Program participating teams can receive the place in co-living for up to two team members during the program.

How many team members can join? +

Up to two team members can participate in the program and are eligible for a place in the co-living.

In which languages can I apply? +

Since the program is intended for international startups from the Central Eurasian region (except from Kazakhstan), applications are accepted in English and Russian.

Do I need to register a company in Kazakhstan? +

No, you do not need to be registered in Kazakhstan before applying to the program. Legal and operational setup is part of the program.

Are investments or commercial contracts guaranteed? +

The program is designed to support teams in preparing for market entry; however, the Program Participant has a sole responsibility on securing investments, concluding contracts, and closing deals.

What documents are required? +

Details about all required documents are provided after the diagnostics stage.

When will selected startups be notified? +

Notifications are sent by email after each stage of the selection process.

Can startups outside the listed countries apply? +

No, only startups from listed countries will be considered based on fit and potential for the Kazakhstan market.

READY FOR MARKET ENTRY?

Ready to enter the Kazakhstan market?

Apply to Central Eurasia Market Entry and build your market-entry strategy together with local experts, partners and investors.

Applications is open now

EN + RU accepted

Apply