From October 12th to 13th, Astana hosted Central Asia's most significant tech event of the year, Digital Bridge 2023. With over 30,000 attendees, 250+ speakers from 15+ countries, 300+ startups, and 100+ investors, it was a truly impressive event. Leading the charge was the dynamic team at Astana Hub, and I'm grateful to have joined their ranks just two months ago.

One of the highlights of the forum was the presence of Kazakhstan's national robotics team, fresh from their back-to-back gold medal victories at the international robotics championship in Singapore, as part of the FIRST movement. When asked what set them apart, Nursultan Janzakov, a team member, shared a crucial insight: "We engaged with every team, helped everyone, even our rivals. The game's rules allowed for cooperative point-scoring with our opponents. We raised the entire field, and in the end, we claimed the top spot."

"Empowering others to lead the way" – that was the Kazakhstan team's winning strategy.

Today, on October 25th, Kazakhstan commemorates Republic Day, marking independence of the nation as a sovereign state, achieved on this very day in 1990.

It's been over a year since I began my journey in this captivating country, with the last two months spent as a member of the Astana Hub team, the premier tech startup hub in Central Asia. Each day, I'm continuously inspired by the passion with which the future is being shaped here – a future that harmoniously blends the best practices of the East and the West. Time and again, I'm reminded that the foundation of this fervent endeavor lies within extraordinary individuals. Visionaries driven by ideas, whose dreams and vitality are presently translating technological progress into tangible realities. These are individuals who possess a profound comprehension of global dynamics and the determination to make pivotal strategic decisions – figures like Bagdat Musin, Magzhan Madiev, Alina Abdrahmanova, Daulet Beimurzinov, and the other 146 members of the Hub with whom I've had the honor of crossing paths.

But what is the mission of Astana Hub itself? Astana Hub aim is creating a comprehensive ecosystem to bolster startups in Central Asia to make the first unicorn appear and to establish Kazakhstan as a tech vanguard. "Empowering others to lead the way" appears to have evolved into a national ethos. And, if the achievements of the robotics team are any indication, success is indeed within reach.

Happy Republic Day, Kazakhstan!