- Was it difficult to judge? Did the jury argue among themselves when making decisions, or was it all unanimous?

Alina Khamatdinova: it is always difficult to judge, because the guys - startups are really great. You want to support everyone, you worry about everyone. But the decision of the jury was unanimous, which also surprised us.

- What advice would you give to startups that pitch at competitions or in front of investors?

Alina Khamatdinova: First, you need to clearly understand what you are selling. A lot of guys were selling the thesis "I'm good, I'm good." This does not work. I also recommend that the guys be bolder, brighter, more interesting. At the same time, it is good to be able to convey the essence of the project. It is important. Make me your client, that is, sell me your project and I will vote for it.

Andrey Kryukov: I would like to add that the presentation of the project should contain as many numbers as possible. Due to their absence, we could not appreciate all the projects. Perhaps some projects were really good, but we did not understand this due to the lack of important information about them. When you go to the competition, you must clearly understand the purpose of your arrival. Showing off on stage is one goal, winning is another. It is necessary to clearly understand what exactly the jury will evaluate, what information and how they need to be presented.

- You have already noted when announcing the results of the semi-finals that this year there are more girls among startups. What else makes Astana Hub Battle 2021 different from the previous ones?

Andrey Kryukov: Yes. This is a nice moment. Young girls show themselves and actively develop in the IT field. This is great! And from the experience of working with acceleration and incubation programs, I noticed that the range of areas of activity where startups enter is actively expanding compared to previous years. This is an excellent indicator.

- In your opinion, is it a good startup?

Alina Khamatdinova: One that is focused on the needs of people, whose development horizons are high, which has a well-coordinated team that breathes in unison. We all think together and are ready to overcome any difficulties on the way of startup development.

Andrey Kryukov: The best startup is the one that closed down and became a business.

- Thank you for the interview.