Astana Hub is launching GamePreneurs 2026 for the first time — an acceleration program for GameDev professionals who want to create their own game projects but have not yet found a team to take their ideas from concept to market.
The program is designed for developers, game designers, 2D/3D artists, sound designers, QA specialists, producers, product and project managers, and other professionals in the gaming industry. Participants do not need to have a pre-formed team, as team formation is built into the program itself.
“Many talented professionals in GameDev and IT never launch their own projects simply because they cannot find the right team or do not know how to turn a game idea into a viable product. GamePreneurs 2026 was created to lower that barrier and help participants move from concept to MVP, test their products with real users, and prepare for working with publishers,” said Anarbek Utegulov, Director of the Technology Centers Office at Astana Hub.
One of the program’s key features is the Pre-Accelerator stage, which will run for 3–4 weeks. During this period, participants will meet each other, form teams of 2–5 members, refine their game concepts, and learn the fundamentals of game development and game entrepreneurship. Teams will then move on to the Accelerator stage, a 9–12 week program covering market and audience research, MVP development, hypothesis validation, product metrics analysis, soft launch preparation, and final pitch readiness.
GamePreneurs 2026 combines educational, entrepreneurial, and product development components. Participants will gain access to weekly mentoring sessions, workshops on game design, technical production, art pipelines, sound design, QA, marketing, monetization, analytics, and pitch preparation, as well as one-on-one consultations with industry professionals who have practical experience in video game development.
In addition, teams will receive support for user acquisition (UA) testing, access to analytics tools, and the use of Astana Hub’s infrastructure in Astana. The program will conclude with a Demo Day, where finalists will present their projects to investors and representatives of game publishing companies.
The program’s primary goal is not only to teach game development, but also to help participants build products that are ready to enter the international market.
Participation in GamePreneurs 2026 is free of charge. Applications are open to citizens of Kazakhstan and other countries aged 18 and above who have experience or competencies in IT and/or GameDev.
Applications are open until August 31, 2026 (inclusive).
Apply through the Astana Hub platform and take the first step toward launching your own game project with GamePreneurs 2026.
Astana Hub is launching GamePreneurs 2026 for the first time — an acceleration program for GameDev professionals who want to create their own game projects but have not yet found a team to take their ideas from concept to market.
The program is designed for developers, game designers, 2D/3D artists, sound designers, QA specialists, producers, product and project managers, and other professionals in the gaming industry. Participants do not need to have a pre-formed team, as team formation is built into the program itself.
“Many talented professionals in GameDev and IT never launch their own projects simply because they cannot find the right team or do not know how to turn a game idea into a viable product. GamePreneurs 2026 was created to lower that barrier and help participants move from concept to MVP, test their products with real users, and prepare for working with publishers,” said Anarbek Utegulov, Director of the Technology Centers Office at Astana Hub.
One of the program’s key features is the Pre-Accelerator stage, which will run for 3–4 weeks. During this period, participants will meet each other, form teams of 2–5 members, refine their game concepts, and learn the fundamentals of game development and game entrepreneurship. Teams will then move on to the Accelerator stage, a 9–12 week program covering market and audience research, MVP development, hypothesis validation, product metrics analysis, soft launch preparation, and final pitch readiness.
GamePreneurs 2026 combines educational, entrepreneurial, and product development components. Participants will gain access to weekly mentoring sessions, workshops on game design, technical production, art pipelines, sound design, QA, marketing, monetization, analytics, and pitch preparation, as well as one-on-one consultations with industry professionals who have practical experience in video game development.
In addition, teams will receive support for user acquisition (UA) testing, access to analytics tools, and the use of Astana Hub’s infrastructure in Astana. The program will conclude with a Demo Day, where finalists will present their projects to investors and representatives of game publishing companies.
The program’s primary goal is not only to teach game development, but also to help participants build products that are ready to enter the international market.
Participation in GamePreneurs 2026 is free of charge. Applications are open to citizens of Kazakhstan and other countries aged 18 and above who have experience or competencies in IT and/or GameDev.
Applications are open until August 31, 2026 (inclusive).
Apply through the Astana Hub platform and take the first step toward launching your own game project with GamePreneurs 2026.
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