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Astana Hub

Oct. 31, 2025 00:00

Guys from Tashkent Built AI Cameras for Retail Stores and Raised $1.8 Million

Shakhzod Umirzakov and Jamshid Khakimjonov from Tashkent launched the startup TASS Vision in 2021. The team developed AI-powered cameras for retail stores that use computer vision to analyze foot traffic, determine customers’ age and gender, and help store owners increase revenue. Today, TASS Vision’s solutions are installed in more than 2,000 stores across 10 countries, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Peru, and Turkey. To date, the startup has raised $1.8 million in investment.

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Astana Hub

Oct. 30, 2025 18:10

Kazakh Startup Aman Wins at STEPPE Awards 2025

The ceremony for the second national award in the creative industries, STEPPE Awards 2025, took place in Almaty. One of the evening’s highlights was the announcement of the winner in the category “Creative IT – Best New IT Project.” The award went to Aman, a startup participating in Hero Training, an international acceleration program implemented in partnership with Draper University.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 30, 2025 16:42

Delegation of the German Bundestag Visits Astana Hub

A delegation of members of the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany, led by Carsten Müller, Acting Chairman of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection, paid a working visit to the international innovation cluster Astana Hub.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 29, 2025 18:13

US Delegation Visits alem.ai and Explores Kazakhstan’s AI Ecosystem

As part of an official visit to Kazakhstan, a United States delegation led by Special Envoy of the President of the United States Sergio Gor visited the alem.ai Artificial Intelligence Center, where they learned about the country’s startup ecosystem and technological projects.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 28, 2025 18:10

“We invested $200,000 of our own money.” How a startup from Uzbekistan secured $12 million from a major bank

Rustam Khamdamov, Vadim Zakharyan and Dzhahongir Narzullaev from Tashkent were building careers in a telecom company when they saw the potential in developing an IT platform for retail stores. That’s when the colleagues launched the startup BILLZ. Today it has 5,000 clients across Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. And this year, BILLZ closed a deal with the Georgian bank TBC: for $12 million, the startup sold a controlling stake and transitioned from a local player into part of a major banking ecosystem. As part of the joint Digital Business and Astana Hub project “100 Startup Stories of Central Asia,” Digital Business spoke with Rustam Khamdamov about launching the product and the early mistakes that cost the company time and money. He also shared why the team spent nights in retail stores, what features customers appreciate most, how a chance breakfast meeting led to a multimillion-dollar deal, and why the founders had no doubts about becoming part of a bank.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 28, 2025 00:00

He Launched a Startup in the U.S. and Has Already Raised $2.7 Million: The Story of an IT Entrepreneur from Tashkent

Akmal Payziev from Tashkent has been in business for more than 20 years. Over that time, he has founded five companies, two of which resulted in successful exits—the startups were acquired by major market players. Today, Akmal is developing a new venture called Numeo AI, which builds specialized AI agents for logistics and freight transportation.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 24, 2025 10:15

How Tomorrow School Is Shaping a New Generation of IT Specialists

Last year, the international innovation cluster Astana Hub launched Tomorrow School, a unique educational initiative and the first AI-focused peer-to-peer school in Kazakhstan. Exactly one year later, it has grown beyond an educational platform into a strong international community of 303 students from Kazakhstan, the United States, Russia, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 24, 2025 00:00

She Worked in Afghanistan — Then Built a Startup Valued at $6 Million: The Story of a Young Woman from Bishkek

Dina Ruslan never planned to build a career in technology, yet IT ultimately became her calling. She graduated from the International University of Kyrgyzstan with a degree in Programming and Analytics, then spent a year working in Afghanistan to save money for studies abroad. She later enrolled in a master’s program at Lincoln University in California and began building a career in the United States. However, after several years, she decided to leave everything behind and return to her hometown.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 21, 2025 17:23

Presidents of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Visit the alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Ilham Aliyev visited the alem.ai International Center for Artificial Intelligence, where they reviewed the development of digital technologies and the application of artificial intelligence.
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Astana Hub

Oct. 20, 2025 16:45

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport Visits Astana Hub

As part of the state visit of the President of Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan, an Azerbaijani delegation led by the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabi oglu Nabiyev, visited the international innovation cluster Astana Hub and met with members of the startup ecosystem.
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