On September 22, 2024, a Pizza Pitch was held at the Qostanai Hub, where nine teams presented their startups.However, only one team was able to receive feedback and valuable prizes — this is the AGROWTH project, an intelligent system for automating vegetable sorting, developed by students of the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum Prolygina Sabrina, Izgekova Alina and Suvorov Alexander.    

Pizza Pitch is a quarterly event organized by Qostanai Hub aimed at supporting startups and developing the entrepreneurial spirit in the region. The format of the event includes a presentation of startups in an informal atmosphere, where participants not only get the opportunity to present their projects to experts, but also enjoy pizza during the discussion. Pizza Pitch aims to become a starting point for young entrepreneurs and innovators, helping them not only to test their ideas, but also to find support, investors, and potential partners. An important aspect of the event is the focus on practical assistance and the development of links between startup participants, experts and investors. This allows participants to receive feedback from experts, improve their projects and understand how to promote their ideas in the market.

The Pizza Pitch format is quite simple, but effective. Participants present their startups, after which the jury and experts give feedback, evaluating ideas according to criteria such as innovation, viability and business potential. A key element of the event is its open and friendly atmosphere, where young entrepreneurs can feel comfortable chatting with experts over a slice of pizza.

The Qostanai Hub provides Pizza Pitch participants not only with a platform for presentations, but also with the opportunity to receive further support in the form of mentoring, incubation programs and even access to investments. For some startups, participating in Pizza Pitch becomes the starting point for further development and market entry. For example, the winners may have the opportunity to complete the Qostanai Hub incubation programs or become residents of Astana Hub.

Since its launch, 3 Pizza Pitches have already been held, more than 45 promising startups have been identified in the Kostanay region. The event contributed to the formation of a community of young entrepreneurs who continue to develop their ideas and projects. Qostanai Hub plans to develop this area by attracting more and more participants and experts from various fields in order to create an even more powerful ecosystem of startup support.

Thus, Pizza Pitch by Qostanai Hub becomes an important platform for young innovators seeking to bring their ideas to life, finding support and inspiration in the friendly atmosphere of the event.