This year, the program received 85 applications from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Russia. Following the initial screening and online diagnostics, an expert selection committee shortlisted four top projects. The batch included Health Balance, Sale Scout, ZEEP, and Hemo.Labs.
“Each new batch of Hero Training continues to accelerate startup growth: teams rethink their strategy, strengthen their product, and gain confidence in entering international markets. Across all four batches to date, 41 startups have participated, collectively raising approximately $3.3 million in investment. These results confirm that startups from the region can compete on a global stage,” said Tanat Uskembayev, Managing Director of Astana Hub.
Among the participants was Health Balance, a startup developing a product in the health and well-being space, focused on solutions that help users improve quality of life and manage their health through data and technology.
“Hero Training became a pivotal milestone for our growth. We revisited our product strategy and updated our approach based on feedback from international mentors and the market. This helped us sharpen our value proposition and define a clearer development roadmap. The program also expanded our network and enabled us to take part in international conferences, including TechCrunch Disrupt, which increased the project’s visibility and opened new opportunities for partnerships and scaling. Today, we are focused on further product development and entering overseas markets,” said Zhaksybek Nurtlesov, CEO of Health Balance.
Also among the participants was ZEEP, a FoodTech startup building a network of digital beverage stations powered by its proprietary SaaS platform and a scalable, franchise-ready business model.
“Hero Training helped us refine ZEEP’s business model and operational strategy, and better understand scalable formats for digital coffee shops and the key elements of entering new markets. During the program, we validated our hypotheses, strengthened our investment pitch, and built valuable connections with mentors and potential partners, including in technology and payment solutions. We are currently defining priority markets and preparing pilot projects for further expansion,” said Dauren Kozybayev, Founder of ZEEP.
Founded by venture capitalist Tim Draper, the Hero Training program is designed for technology startups with a working product at the MVP stage or beyond. It offers participants the opportunity to accelerate growth and prepare for entry into the U.S. market under the guidance of entrepreneurs and experts from the Draper Ecosystem, while also attracting attention from international investors and partners.
More information about the exclusive Hero Training acceleration program and the participants of the first, second, and third batches is available on the Astana Hub platform.
About Draper Ecosystem
Draper Ecosystem is a unique approach to bringing together talent, experts, and investors by providing leading facilitators and an unparalleled network of mentors, industry experts, corporate partners, and investors to support an innovation-driven ecosystem. Draper University was founded by Tim Draper, one of the largest venture investors in the United States.
This year, the program received 85 applications from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, and Russia. Following the initial screening and online diagnostics, an expert selection committee shortlisted four top projects. The batch included Health Balance, Sale Scout, ZEEP, and Hemo.Labs.
“Each new batch of Hero Training continues to accelerate startup growth: teams rethink their strategy, strengthen their product, and gain confidence in entering international markets. Across all four batches to date, 41 startups have participated, collectively raising approximately $3.3 million in investment. These results confirm that startups from the region can compete on a global stage,” said Tanat Uskembayev, Managing Director of Astana Hub.
Among the participants was Health Balance, a startup developing a product in the health and well-being space, focused on solutions that help users improve quality of life and manage their health through data and technology.
“Hero Training became a pivotal milestone for our growth. We revisited our product strategy and updated our approach based on feedback from international mentors and the market. This helped us sharpen our value proposition and define a clearer development roadmap. The program also expanded our network and enabled us to take part in international conferences, including TechCrunch Disrupt, which increased the project’s visibility and opened new opportunities for partnerships and scaling. Today, we are focused on further product development and entering overseas markets,” said Zhaksybek Nurtlesov, CEO of Health Balance.
Also among the participants was ZEEP, a FoodTech startup building a network of digital beverage stations powered by its proprietary SaaS platform and a scalable, franchise-ready business model.
“Hero Training helped us refine ZEEP’s business model and operational strategy, and better understand scalable formats for digital coffee shops and the key elements of entering new markets. During the program, we validated our hypotheses, strengthened our investment pitch, and built valuable connections with mentors and potential partners, including in technology and payment solutions. We are currently defining priority markets and preparing pilot projects for further expansion,” said Dauren Kozybayev, Founder of ZEEP.
Founded by venture capitalist Tim Draper, the Hero Training program is designed for technology startups with a working product at the MVP stage or beyond. It offers participants the opportunity to accelerate growth and prepare for entry into the U.S. market under the guidance of entrepreneurs and experts from the Draper Ecosystem, while also attracting attention from international investors and partners.
More information about the exclusive Hero Training acceleration program and the participants of the first, second, and third batches is available on the Astana Hub platform.
About Draper Ecosystem
Draper Ecosystem is a unique approach to bringing together talent, experts, and investors by providing leading facilitators and an unparalleled network of mentors, industry experts, corporate partners, and investors to support an innovation-driven ecosystem. Draper University was founded by Tim Draper, one of the largest venture investors in the United States.
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