By the end of 2025, IT services were exported to 111 countries—25 more than in 2024. Solutions developed by Astana Hub participants were particularly востребованы (in high demand) in markets such as the United States, the Russian Federation, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, the UAE, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland. The total number of export-oriented companies reached 537. Key areas of export activity include Software Development, Game Development, FinTech, AI & Big Data, Smart City solutions, e-commerce, Data Centers, and IT education—demonstrating both product diversification and the strengthening global position of Kazakhstan’s IT companies.
“Kazakhstan’s IT sector has entered a phase of mature growth: technology companies are expanding into international markets and generating sustainable export revenues. In 2025, exports of IT services by ecosystem participants totaled approximately $633 million. The ecosystem also saw the emergence of its first Kazakh unicorn startup—Higgsfield AI—marking a major milestone in the maturity of the domestic tech industry and its integration into the global technology landscape. This is a historic achievement that reflects both the strength of our startup ecosystem and the effectiveness of consistent government policies aimed at developing human capital and the IT sector,” said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.
The Astana Hub ecosystem continued to expand. In 2025, around 700 new companies joined the cluster, bringing the total number of participants to over 2,000, including more than 490 companies with foreign participation. This growth has been accompanied by stricter quality standards. Astana Hub has implemented a system of regular monitoring to track companies’ actual operations and their compliance with declared technological focus areas. Over the past two years, more than 150 startups and IT companies that failed to meet these requirements have been removed from the hub, automatically losing their tax incentives.
In 2025, Astana Hub strengthened its presence in the U.S. market through programs such as Hero Training, AlchemistX, and Silicon Valley Residency. The Hero Training program, implemented in partnership with Draper University, provided Kazakh founders with access to Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Export potential was further enhanced through participation in AlchemistX and Silicon Valley Residency acceleration programs. As a result, nine startups raised a total of $1.3 million in investment, while 12 companies signed 108 pilot projects with corporate and commercial partners in the United States. Based on pilot outcomes, the projected combined revenue of graduates from these programs for 2026 is estimated at $22 million.
Regional cooperation developed under the Central Asian Innovation Hubs brand. More than 100 startups from Central Asia participated in nine international tech exhibitions, including Web Summit Lisbon, TechCrunch Disrupt, GITEX Global, and WAIC Shanghai. As part of international expansion, the Tumar Innovation Hub was launched in Dubai, alongside the Digital Startups Scale Up program, which was completed by 10 regional startups. In China, the Khan-Tengri Innovation Hub was opened. Regional integration was further strengthened through bilateral market-entry programs: 10 startups from Uzbekistan showcased their solutions in Kazakhstan through the Kazakhstan Market Entry Program, while another 10 Kazakh startups completed the Digital Startup Awards acceleration program by IT Park Uzbekistan. One Kazakh startup won first place in the Best Startup Project category at the Digital Startup Awards finals in Tashkent. At the end of the year, IT Park Dushanbe joined the alliance between Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan.
Acceleration and incubation programs remained key drivers of startup growth and international expansion. The Silkway Accelerator, implemented in partnership with Google for Startups, demonstrated the strong potential of the regional ecosystem—its 2025 cohort raised $550,000 in investments and secured soft commitments totaling $1.4 million.
The Startup Garage incubation program continued supporting early-stage projects. In 2025, it contributed to the creation of 46 new jobs, generated total startup sales of KZT 129.9 million, and attracted $300,000 in investment.
The flagship AI-focused program AI’preneurs, launched in 2024, received 950 applications from Kazakhstan and CIS countries. Startups across three cohorts attracted over $400,000 in investment, while participants in 2025 recorded more than $403,000 in sales and pre-sales during the program.
Industrial AI Acceleration became a key instrument for deploying AI solutions in industry. Collaboration with enterprises resulted in 56 confirmed expressions of interest, 7 pilot projects launched, and more than 10 additional pilots planned for Q1 2026. Notably, the startup Shai.pro and KMG Kashagan B.V. signed a commercial agreement aimed at improving operational efficiency.
Developing the regional startup ecosystem was another key priority. Kazakhstan now hosts 20 regional IT hubs. In 2025, the Startup Orda regional incubation program was launched across 16 regions, receiving 695 applications and resulting in the implementation of 205 startup projects in edtech, agtech, AI, and social impact sectors.
Programs such as the Digital Nomad Visa and Digital Nomad Residency continued attracting international IT talent and companies. Around 500 applications were submitted from 21 countries, including the United States, Canada, Turkey, Algeria, and CIS countries. More than 60 applicants received permanent residency permits in Kazakhstan. Digital nomad visa recipients included IT specialists from Algeria, Egypt, and Botswana, with the strongest interest coming from professionals in software development, automation, and cybersecurity.
In 2025, over 371,000 citizens began training in programming, AI skills, and solution development as part of the AI Movement initiative led by Astana Hub. The Tech Orda program remains a key pipeline for digital talent development: between 2022 and 2025, 9,037 students completed training across 121 IT schools, with more than 34,000 applications submitted in 2025 alone.
A major highlight of the year was the Digital Bridge 2025 technology forum, which впервые (for the first time) took place in a three-day format and included AI Week. The event saw over 20,000 tickets activated and total attendance exceeding 60,000 visits. It brought together more than 400 speakers, over 100 investors and business angels, and 200 IT companies and startups from 30 countries.
During Digital Bridge 2025, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced the launch of alem.ai, an international AI center. This will be the first project of its kind in Central Asia—a flagship platform for AI development, talent training, and startup support, as well as a hub for attracting regional talent.
The results of 2025 confirm that Astana Hub has built a sustainable, export-oriented, and globally integrated technology ecosystem capable of making a long-term contribution to Kazakhstan’s digital economy.
By the end of 2025, IT services were exported to 111 countries—25 more than in 2024. Solutions developed by Astana Hub participants were particularly востребованы (in high demand) in markets such as the United States, the Russian Federation, Cyprus, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Mexico, the UAE, Singapore, Uzbekistan, and Switzerland. The total number of export-oriented companies reached 537. Key areas of export activity include Software Development, Game Development, FinTech, AI & Big Data, Smart City solutions, e-commerce, Data Centers, and IT education—demonstrating both product diversification and the strengthening global position of Kazakhstan’s IT companies.
“Kazakhstan’s IT sector has entered a phase of mature growth: technology companies are expanding into international markets and generating sustainable export revenues. In 2025, exports of IT services by ecosystem participants totaled approximately $633 million. The ecosystem also saw the emergence of its first Kazakh unicorn startup—Higgsfield AI—marking a major milestone in the maturity of the domestic tech industry and its integration into the global technology landscape. This is a historic achievement that reflects both the strength of our startup ecosystem and the effectiveness of consistent government policies aimed at developing human capital and the IT sector,” said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.
The Astana Hub ecosystem continued to expand. In 2025, around 700 new companies joined the cluster, bringing the total number of participants to over 2,000, including more than 490 companies with foreign participation. This growth has been accompanied by stricter quality standards. Astana Hub has implemented a system of regular monitoring to track companies’ actual operations and their compliance with declared technological focus areas. Over the past two years, more than 150 startups and IT companies that failed to meet these requirements have been removed from the hub, automatically losing their tax incentives.
In 2025, Astana Hub strengthened its presence in the U.S. market through programs such as Hero Training, AlchemistX, and Silicon Valley Residency. The Hero Training program, implemented in partnership with Draper University, provided Kazakh founders with access to Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Export potential was further enhanced through participation in AlchemistX and Silicon Valley Residency acceleration programs. As a result, nine startups raised a total of $1.3 million in investment, while 12 companies signed 108 pilot projects with corporate and commercial partners in the United States. Based on pilot outcomes, the projected combined revenue of graduates from these programs for 2026 is estimated at $22 million.
Regional cooperation developed under the Central Asian Innovation Hubs brand. More than 100 startups from Central Asia participated in nine international tech exhibitions, including Web Summit Lisbon, TechCrunch Disrupt, GITEX Global, and WAIC Shanghai. As part of international expansion, the Tumar Innovation Hub was launched in Dubai, alongside the Digital Startups Scale Up program, which was completed by 10 regional startups. In China, the Khan-Tengri Innovation Hub was opened. Regional integration was further strengthened through bilateral market-entry programs: 10 startups from Uzbekistan showcased their solutions in Kazakhstan through the Kazakhstan Market Entry Program, while another 10 Kazakh startups completed the Digital Startup Awards acceleration program by IT Park Uzbekistan. One Kazakh startup won first place in the Best Startup Project category at the Digital Startup Awards finals in Tashkent. At the end of the year, IT Park Dushanbe joined the alliance between Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan.
Acceleration and incubation programs remained key drivers of startup growth and international expansion. The Silkway Accelerator, implemented in partnership with Google for Startups, demonstrated the strong potential of the regional ecosystem—its 2025 cohort raised $550,000 in investments and secured soft commitments totaling $1.4 million.
The Startup Garage incubation program continued supporting early-stage projects. In 2025, it contributed to the creation of 46 new jobs, generated total startup sales of KZT 129.9 million, and attracted $300,000 in investment.
The flagship AI-focused program AI’preneurs, launched in 2024, received 950 applications from Kazakhstan and CIS countries. Startups across three cohorts attracted over $400,000 in investment, while participants in 2025 recorded more than $403,000 in sales and pre-sales during the program.
Industrial AI Acceleration became a key instrument for deploying AI solutions in industry. Collaboration with enterprises resulted in 56 confirmed expressions of interest, 7 pilot projects launched, and more than 10 additional pilots planned for Q1 2026. Notably, the startup Shai.pro and KMG Kashagan B.V. signed a commercial agreement aimed at improving operational efficiency.
Developing the regional startup ecosystem was another key priority. Kazakhstan now hosts 20 regional IT hubs. In 2025, the Startup Orda regional incubation program was launched across 16 regions, receiving 695 applications and resulting in the implementation of 205 startup projects in edtech, agtech, AI, and social impact sectors.
Programs such as the Digital Nomad Visa and Digital Nomad Residency continued attracting international IT talent and companies. Around 500 applications were submitted from 21 countries, including the United States, Canada, Turkey, Algeria, and CIS countries. More than 60 applicants received permanent residency permits in Kazakhstan. Digital nomad visa recipients included IT specialists from Algeria, Egypt, and Botswana, with the strongest interest coming from professionals in software development, automation, and cybersecurity.
In 2025, over 371,000 citizens began training in programming, AI skills, and solution development as part of the AI Movement initiative led by Astana Hub. The Tech Orda program remains a key pipeline for digital talent development: between 2022 and 2025, 9,037 students completed training across 121 IT schools, with more than 34,000 applications submitted in 2025 alone.
A major highlight of the year was the Digital Bridge 2025 technology forum, which впервые (for the first time) took place in a three-day format and included AI Week. The event saw over 20,000 tickets activated and total attendance exceeding 60,000 visits. It brought together more than 400 speakers, over 100 investors and business angels, and 200 IT companies and startups from 30 countries.
During Digital Bridge 2025, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, announced the launch of alem.ai, an international AI center. This will be the first project of its kind in Central Asia—a flagship platform for AI development, talent training, and startup support, as well as a hub for attracting regional talent.
The results of 2025 confirm that Astana Hub has built a sustainable, export-oriented, and globally integrated technology ecosystem capable of making a long-term contribution to Kazakhstan’s digital economy.
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