HERO TRAINING  

                                                 From Central Asia to the Sillicon Valley!
10 best startups will join Draper University’s intensive 5-week acceleration program 
 
 

     APPLY NOW

 

ABOUT PROGRAM

     The Draper University Hero Training
     is a five-week entrepreneurship program that provides
     intensive, immersive training for aspiring entrepreneurs
     in Silicon Valley, California.
     
     This program will equip you with the crucial startup
     skills needed to successfully launch and sustain
     a global venture. Entrepreneurs will also have the
     opportunity to connect with industry experts,
     network with other international entrepreneurs,
     and develop funding and revenue
     generation strategies.
 

       Learn more about the program

ABOUT PARTNER

      Draper University is a unique institution that promotes
      entrepreneurship and disruption of traditional education
      models. They work to inspire founders and accelerate ideas
      by igniting the entrepreneurial spirit globally.
 
      DraperU offers unique programs including Hero Training,
      Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, and the GO!
      Hero Training Program is aimed to take entrepreneurs
      out of their comfort zones and push them to deliver
      their best work. Through Draper University Ventures
      and the wider Draper Ecosystem, they provide
      venture capital investments. 
 
 

       Learn more about Draper University

WHY DRAPER UNIVERSITY?

38 Years in
Venture

11 Funds
Managed

$7 Billion
Deployed

34 Unicorn
Companies

6 Rhino
Companies

PROGRAM OUTLINE

ACCELERATION AT DRAPER UNIVERSITY
5 WEEKS

    • Week 1
    •  • Workshops and info sessions on experience design, business and entrepreneurship, team analytics, leadership, and safety presentations
    • • Fireside chat session with entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley
 
    • Week 2
    • • Week-long program teaching essential survival skills and strategies
    • • Session on category design
      Keynote session on computer vision
      Hackathon
      Demo Day with BuildAI
 
    • Week 3
    • • Ask Me Anything sessions with field experts and entrepreneurs
      • Fundraising sessions
    • • Workshops on pitching and pitch decks
    • • Customer interviewing sessions
 
    • Week 4
    • • Pitch practices and feedback
    • • Summit event on innovations
    • • Workshop on immigration-related matters
    • •  Pitch Day with Tim Draper
 
  • Week 5
  • • Session on building a professional network,  mergers and acquisitions, workshop on hiring practices, problem-solving strategies

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

01

Eligibility criteria

  • • Projets at MVP stage or higher (PMF and Scale)
  • • Participant must be a founder or a key decision maker person (CEO or co-founder)
  • • Participants are required to have a valid United States visa
  • • Good English skills are required
  • • Participant's legal entity must be registered in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan 
02

Duration

Program duration:  5 weeks

  • • 40+ speakers & advisors
  • ~100 startups
  • • Market access to 25-30 countries
  • • 5+ ecosystem events for entrepreneurs
  • • 1 survival week with the SEALs

 

03

Location

The Hero Training program will be held in San Mateo, California, US

The program participants will receive access to:
• Co-working facility located at the Draper University campus
• Co-living in a shared facility with up to four people per room

04

Eligible countries

Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia and Georgia

*Selected startups must be legally incorporated in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan

05

Format

The program will be held in-person

•  Program participants are required to attend all session
•  Program will be held in English
06

Program cost

•  $2,990 per participant for technoparks' residents

(A valid technopark participant certificate is mandatory)

 

• $10,000 per participant for non-residents 

Application Deadline:

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PARTICIPANTS' REVIEWS

Shynggys Yerbolat

CPO Aman

Hero Training became a real turning point for me - like someone hit the "reset" button and suddenly everything made sense.


The program helped me clear my mind, set my priorities straight, and understand where to go next. If you're at the beginning of your journey, this is an absolute must-have.

 

I leveled up my business strategy and managed to build an amazing network. I'm still in touch with other participants - we exchange ideas, give advice, and simply support each other. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of such a community.

Natalia Demchenko

CMO prwon.ai

Hero Training is truly a transformational program. Unlike traditional startup programs, this one focuses on the founder’s personal growth. And let’s be honest - what’s a successful startup without a strong leader?


Every task, lecture, and challenge is thoughtfully crafted. After each day, you discover something new about yourself - something that makes you more confident, resilient, and wise.

If you’re still hesitating - just dive in, fully, without fear or hesitation. Step onto the stage, jump into the unknown, take the lead. It’s the only real way to grow.

Nursultan Dyussebayev

CEO BeyimTech

Participating in the program was probably one of the most thrilling chapters of my life. It isn’t just about lectures. It’s an environment that pulls you out of your comfort zone and challenges you to think broader and sharper.


There are countless modern learning spaces at the university where we’d brainstorm strategies or test new hypotheses. In the evenings, we’d gather in the lounge to discuss new ideas. Everyone's eyes were sparkling with energy and ambition. That’s when I truly felt I was among like-minded people who believe in their startups and are ready to fight for them.

Nurali Sarbakysh

CEO TrustExam.ai

This program is not just about learning — it’s a great soft-landing into one of the world’s most competitive markets.


We now better understand how to tailor our product to market needs, negotiate with investors and clients, and pitch our idea to stand out among hundreds.

What makes Silicon Valley unique is its openness — successful founders generously share insights and use cases that sparked new ideas for our product.


We’ve already received valuable suggestions and identified several promising directions for our project.

Alibi Sansyzbay

CEO Outpeer

My life was never the same after this experience!


At first, I felt out of place and wanted to return to my comfort zone, but everything changed within the first weeks.

 

The program was intense, with high-level speakers from Silicon Valley and beyond. Meeting Tim Draper, attending TechCrunch, and going through Survival Week completely changed my perspective.

 

I could talk endlessly about Survival Week - but it’s something you have to experience yourself to grasp its true value.

Bauyrzhan Sarsembayev

COO Beksar

Hero Training is one of the most incredible experiences of my life.

 

The people were the most valuable part. I met founders from all over the world - from Nigeria to Argentina. And we’re still in touch! That kind of networking is rare.

 

Lectures came from real unicorn founders, like one from Lyft. These weren’t just pitch decks - they were raw, authentic stories. I highly recommend Hero Training to anyone who wants to grow and broaden their perspective since it gives you not just knowledge, but also community, experience, and a lasting sense of drive. 

IMPORTANT DATES

  • August 13

    Application deadline

  • July 28 - September 19

    Application review, diagnostics and startup selection

  • September 22

    Startup selection results

  • October 18

    Check-in at Draper University

 SPEAKERS AT DRAPER UNIVERSITY

Steve Jurvetson

Venture Capitalist

Elon Musk

Tesla

Aaron Levie

Box

Andrew Chen

a16z

Amanda Bradford

The League

Borja Martel

Lemon Cash

Michelle Phan

EM Cosmetics

John Zimmer

Lyft

Q & A

  • What is Hero Training Program?

    Hero Training is an accelerator program from Draper University in collaboration with Astana Hub and IT Park Uzbekistan for startups from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Georgia, Tajikistan and Turkey. It is conducted by Silicon Valley experts and aims to provide participants with the knowledge and skills they need to turn their ideas into successful startups. The training is divided into 12 modules, each focusing on different aspects of startup and entrepreneurship development.

  • What are the costs associated with the program?

    The cost of the program is $2,990 per participant for technoparks' residents, and $10,000 for non-residents. This doesn't cover the travel expenses of startups. 

  • What are the key dates for the program?

    August 13: Application deadline
    July 28 - September 19: Applications review and selection 
    September 22-29: Selection results
    October 18: Check-in at Draper University
    October 20 - November 21: Hero Training Program

  • What kind of support will participants receive?

    Participants will receive assistance in attracting external investments, deep customer discovery learning, engagement with experienced speakers and mentors, co-living (housing) in the US, and access to a vibrant community of the Silicon Valley.

  • How many startups will be selected?

    We will select 5 startups with legal entity in Kazakhstan, and 5 startups with legal entity in Uzbekistan for the program.

  • How can I get more information?

    For more information, you can contact the program organizers at investrelations@astanahub.com. 

  • How many people from the team can participate? 

    Only one person from the team can participate in the program, and that person must be the founder or a key decision-maker (CEO or co-founder).

  • Is there any difference for startups between registering a legal entity in Uzbekistan or in Kazakhstan?

    No, there is no difference in the selection process. Both technoparks will select the same number of startups.

Real Stories of Transformation
check out the Hub Talks podcast with Hero Training 2024 participants 

Видео подкаста Hub Talks

Have questions? Contact us!

1818, +7 7172 73 50 89
+7 (777) 522-02-47 (WhatsApp)
investrelations@astanahub.com

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