"The President has set a significant goal for us—to reach one billion dollars in IT service exports by 2026. Just a few years ago, this seemed like a fantasy, something we couldn't even dream of achieving. But today, thanks to your daily efforts, we understand that it can happen. One of the tools for achieving this goal is the Scalerator acceleration program," said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.

On Demo Day, 15 startups presented their projects to investors and business angels. Projects included RiskControl, Upkeep, TEST IT, CUBA IoT Platform, X2 Retail, KAC ERP, ESG Practice Lab, SmartPIM, Maximum Consulting, Tez Customs, Alem Metaverse, Networks Energy, Sekura, Courstore, and Ekgov.

"The acceleration program was meaningful for us. It's important to understand that acceleration programs are not a magic pill; they are more of a framework that helps take things to a new level. It all depends on the participants' motivation, as the journey is made by walking. So, I believe this is an excellent opportunity for many Kazakhstanis to make a mark on the international stage and enter the global market. We have signed contracts to promote our product in the markets of Canada and the USA. Negotiations are also underway with the UAE; we are preparing an agreement and discussing details," shared Ernur Zholdybaev, CEO of X2 Retail.

"The main focus was on entering new markets. Already, we have 13 new contracts, plus dozens in the pre-sale pipeline. There were pivots, changes in location goals, new business models, and strategies, as well as honing communication skills with clients. I believe the participants have shown excellent results," noted accelerator tracker Irina Andreeva.

To recap, Scalerator is the first international technopark acceleration program, where experts assist Kazakh technology companies and startups in expanding into exports and finding partners. Over two years, participants have secured 31 export contracts totaling 304 million tenge.