Digital Fest and Angels meetup: 13 key IT events this week

This week brings events for IT experts, startup founders, and investors. Learn how to choose between Big Tech and a startup, establish financial management, or leverage AI in forecasting, and participate in valuable networking opportunities for career and business growth.

Meetup on the topic of AP Mixer: Big Tech or Startup
A large meetup for developers, product managers, and IT startup founders, focused on choosing between a career in Big Tech and building your own startup. Event participants will gain insights from experienced professionals who have walked both paths, discuss the pros and cons of each direction, and get answers to pressing questions. The meeting includes networking in a mixer format and the opportunity to learn about the Accelerate Prosperity programs and the Central Asia Startup Cup.

When: February 17 at 18:00
Where: Bishkek, Flutter Technopark hall

Venture Growth Masterclass Series by 500 Eurasia
The fifth session of the virtual masterclass on the topic "From Chaos to Clarity: Scaling Operations for Success." Participants will learn how to build efficient and scalable operations that ensure sustainable business growth. Expert Ho Jiean Sin will share his experience in building high-performance teams, optimizing workflows, and implementing KPIs to achieve long-term success.

When: February 18
Where: Online

Angels Meetup on the topic: How to Be a Successful Angel Investor?
Speaker Bakhrom Abdudokhidrov, an angel investor with over 10 years of experience in finance and investments, will share his experience in evaluating and investing in IT startups using a real-life case study. Participants will also enjoy an interactive Q&A session, live startup presentations to investors, and the opportunity to expand their professional network.

When: February 18 at 18:00
Where: Tashkent, C-Space Yunusabad

Webinar "Multilingual Search in OpenSearch with the yandex-lemmer plugin"
Dedicated to the capabilities of Managed Service for OpenSearch and the new yandex-lemmer plugin for searching in Russian and Kazakh. During the webinar, participants will learn about the principles of working with multilingual search, morphological features, and the problems faced by standard OpenSearch plugins.

When: February 19 at 14:00
Where: Online

Meetup by IT Park Ventures x DOMiNO Ventures
An exclusive meeting for startups and investors in Uzbekistan. Event participants will learn about DOMiNO Ventures' investment strategy, successful cases such as Point AI, which received funding from the fund, and will be able to ask questions to experts and build valuable contacts with investors, founders, and industry leaders.

When: February 19 at 16:30
Where: Tashkent, IT Park Tashkent

Lectures on the topic "Financial Management and Its Impact on Company Performance"
Speaker Ilya Levagin, CFO of Uzum Market, will talk about financial management and its impact on company performance. The event is organized as part of the Uzum Team educational project, which conducts lectures and masterclasses on current topics in careers, IT, project management, and business. 

When: February 19
Where: Tashkent, Uzum office 

Webinar "AI in Location Selection: Forecast Accuracy Over 85%"
A webinar dedicated to modern approaches to location evaluation using artificial intelligence. Participants will learn why traditional methods are losing effectiveness and how AI is changing the location selection process, as well as receive practical guidance on using geodata via the Open Street Map API.

When: February 19
Where: Online

Live Stream on The Tech Telegram Channel
A live stream on the topic "How to Start a Journey in Competitive Programming in Kazakhstan." Speaker Adina Magavina, General Secretary of the Federation, will discuss what skills are necessary to start, what competitions and resources are available in Kazakhstan, and provide advice from an expert. The event will be useful for students, schoolchildren, and beginner programmers.

When: February 20 at 18:00 Astana time
Where: The Tech Telegram Channel

Meetup on the topic "How to Pitch an Idea?" 
Azizbek Kurbonov, General Director of the United Ventures venture fund, will share effective pitching strategies to help you capture the attention and trust of investors. Participants will learn how to interest investors from the first seconds, what is more important—charisma or numbers—and how to adapt the pitch for different audiences.

When: February 20 at 19:00
Where: Tashkent, C-Space Yunusabad

Lecture on the topic "How to Manufacture a Smart IoT Device in Kazakhstan"
Ignat Shestakov, CTO at CUBA IoT Platform, will discuss the specifics of software development for embedded systems, customs legislation regarding the import of electronic modules, as well as product certification and licensing of special types of activities.

When: February 21 at 19:00
Where: Online / Karaganda, IT Hub Terricon Valley

Lecture on the topic Specifics of working internationally
Azat Yessenov, founder and director of Yessen & Company, will explain why now is the best time to export IT services from Kazakhstan, how to properly draft agreements, and which tools to use for working with international clients. The training will be useful for students, freelancers, and digital specialists wishing to enter the international market.

When: February 22 at 11:00
Where: Online / Karaganda, IT Hub Terricon Valley

Data Community Birthday
A grand event for everyone interested in data and technologies — Data Community Birthday. A unique opportunity to meet leading market players, learn about the best job openings, and build a career in data science and IT. Representatives from Kolesa, Beeline, Centras, DataArt, inDrive, Bereke Bank, Bank Center Credit, Philip Morris, Arbuz, Halyk Bank, LG Electronics, Technodom, KASE, and JTI will be present at the event. You will have promising opportunities and networking with the best in the industry.

When: February 22
Where: Almaty, 227 Rozhybaqieva Street, AlmaU University

Digital Fest
An educational and youth forum dedicated to modern digital solutions, artificial intelligence, internet security, and advertising. The festival supports the implementation of the Decree of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan declaring 2025–2030 as the "Years of Development of the Digital Economy and Innovations."

When: February 23 from 10:00 to 18:00
Where: Dushanbe, Hyatt Regency Dushanbe