Axellero.io — a startup that creates full-fledged web and mobile applications in just a few hours.

Ruslan Kurkebayev, City — Almaty, CEO and Founder of Axellero.io, tech entrepreneur, Linkedin

How It All Started

I am the founder and CEO of Axellero.io, a developer of an innovative AI-powered low-code platform. I bring 18 years of IT experience to the table, including six years of entrepreneurial activity.

In 2018, I co-founded an IT company with partners, which quickly grew to become one of the leaders in IT outsourcing in Kazakhstan. Over four years as CTO, I built a strong team and delivered more than 60 projects for the country’s largest companies, such as Halyk Bank, BCC, Kcell, Kazakhtelecom, and others. My team was instrumental in creating the new version of the eGov Mobile app, which is used by over 12 million people to access government services. Our team also created a platform to unify all government websites under Gov.kz. This platform is currently being exported by the Center for Information Technologies and Public Services (MCRIAPS) to countries in the MENA region.

While working on various projects, as an architect and technical leader, I constantly encountered recurring components in projects and the limitations of traditional development. It was then that the idea to create the Axellero.io low-code platform was born.

The goal of the Axellero.io team is to revolutionize the process of developing information systems, making it faster, more flexible, and more accessible.

Axellero.io is the future of development. It is not just a platform, but a powerful tool that allows you to create complex web and mobile applications without deep programming knowledge. Thanks to our platform:

— development time is accelerated: ready-made components and a visual interface allow creating applications many times faster

— costs are reduced: there is no need to hire a large team of developers

— flexibility is increased: it is easy to make changes and adapt applications to new business requirements

— new opportunities with AI are opened: the shortage of programmers is the biggest problem and bottleneck in the digitalization of large companies. We justify all phases of development with an AI assistant. In many cases, business-oriented users can develop or refine digital solutions independently, without involving programmers.

The Team

Over the years of working in IT outsourcing, successfully implementing large-scale projects for major companies, I formed a team of high-class specialists around me. Their deep knowledge and experience allowed us to create innovative solutions.

Understanding that I had everything necessary to create something truly unique, at the end of 2021, I decided to focus on developing our own low-code platform, Axellero.io. Together with a talented team of engineers, we immersed ourselves in intensive work, studying the latest trends, developing unique algorithms, and architectural solutions. To fully dedicate myself to this ambitious project, I made a strategic decision to exit the outsourcing business.

Successful Case Study: Development of an Integrated Medical System with Axellero.io

Already a year after the start of platform development, we attracted our first major client — the company 3MIS. They faced an ambitious task: to develop a full-fledged alternative to the popular DamuMed system. We proposed using Axellero.io as the basis for creating a new medical information system.

Exceeding Expectations

Thanks to the flexibility and scalability of our platform, the 3MIS team was able to develop the product three times faster and cheaper than planned. They managed to assemble a team of just five developers, whereas traditional estimates would have required no fewer than 15 specialists. At the same time, the functionality, flexibility, and customization capabilities of the new solution significantly surpass existing market analogs.

Exiting Stealth Mode

In early 2024, we officially presented Axellero.io at the Digital Almaty forum. Interest in our platform exceeded all expectations. Technical directors of large companies reached out to us, interested in improving the efficiency of their digitalization processes.

Target Audience

We offer an innovative solution for companies striving for digital transformation. Even with experienced teams, the development of new digital products is delayed due to traditional approaches. Our platform allows such companies to accelerate the development of digital solutions and reduce costs. Being flexible and scalable, our solution successfully competes with global leaders such as Outsystems and Creatio.

We are already conducting successful negotiations with major companies in the Kazakh market and actively expanding into international markets. The Axellero.io platform has attracted the interest of the Ministry of Digitalization of Oman, as well as representatives of the UN. In addition, we are in the final stages of negotiations for a partnership in Indonesia.

At the moment, we are raising investments to scale the business and actively grow our client base.

Incubation Programs

In May, we successfully completed the MOST Investment Readiness Accelerator, attracted the attention of leading investors in Kazakhstan, and received soft commitments for investments. This became an important step on the path to scaling our business.

Simultaneously, we received invitations to Astana Hub SilkWay Accelerator and AlchemistX, but, weighing all pros and cons, we made a strategic decision in favor of the American AlchemistX. This choice is due to the unique opportunities that Silicon Valley opens up for us, namely: access to the largest B2B services market, the ability to attract leading American investors, and collaboration with experienced mentors.

In August, we will head to the heart of innovation to radically improve our product, attract our first American clients, and begin our journey of scaling into the global market over two and a half months.

Besides the US, we are considering expansion opportunities in the MENA region, where there is rapid growth in digitalization and significant potential for investment.

Challenges

The first difficulty we faced was the complexity of developing the platform itself. Developing a low-code platform for developers is a task of a completely different scale than creating a B2C product. It requires deep expert knowledge, extensive experience, and a talented team. We assembled a team of 10 experienced engineers, including my co-founders, who have successful experience in creating complex technological solutions for various sectors.

The second significant challenge for us is the long sales cycle of B2B products. Currently, we are actively working on optimizing our sales strategy, exploring various channels and methods of interacting with potential clients. Our goal is to reduce the average deal time and increase sales efficiency.

Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs:

1. A business model is the heart of your startup. It determines its viability. A poor product can be improved, but an ineffective business model is extremely difficult to fix. Regularly review and refine it to ensure long-term success.

2. As a founder, you are the heart and brain of your startup. Your energy and dedication inspire the team and attract investment. Be ready to work 24/7 to overcome all obstacles and lead your startup to success.

Achievements

We launched the Axellero.io platform at the end of 2023 and have already attracted our first clients, forming an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of $700,000.

In May this year, we successfully completed the MOST IRA accelerator program, and in mid-August, we will join the prestigious B2B accelerator AlchemistX, aimed at accelerating the growth of foreign startups in the US.

Plans

By the end of the year, we want to focus on three key tasks:

1. Strengthening our position in the local market. Partners play a key role in our business model, implementing Axellero.io platform licenses and deploying it for clients. By the end of the year, we plan to complete the recruitment and training of partners, as well as fulfill the sales plan.
2. Formulate a strategy for entering the MENA and US markets. Since the beginning of the year, we have been actively working on attracting partners in the MENA region. In mid-August, as part of the AlchemistX accelerator, we will head to Silicon Valley to formulate a strategy for entering the US market.
3. Raise the first round of investment. The raised funds will be directed towards the successful completion of tasks scheduled for the near future.
   

Next year, we want to direct our efforts toward scaling in target markets.