How to get into the international accelerator from Google for Startups: experiences of Silkway Accelerator participants

Yana Ten, CEO and founder of ZebraEye, @yanaten.kr

Mukhamedjan Duzenov, Business Development Director at Python RPA, linkedin

About Us

Yana. We are engaged in medical technology, developing artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of eye diseases. Since 2019, I have been involved in the development of various startups in Indonesia, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. With the acquired skill set, I then proceeded to develop my own startup. While working at a local venture fund, I met my future co-founders, Dos Zhusupov and Arman Ospanov. Eight months ago, we started developing our joint project.

Mukhamedjan. Our company specializes in automating business processes using RPA robots. Four years ago, I joined this project, and I have known my co-founder, Berik Tursunbek, since 2012. Before that, I worked in large consulting firms, engaging in IT consulting and auditing. In the course of working with clients, we often encountered situations where company employees spent time on routine work that did not require intellectual effort. We wondered how robots could solve this problem, and today we see that it works.

Project Idea

Yana. Our company is called Zebra Eye, which symbolizes the "zebra" effect in medicine. Just as, being in a closed room, hearing the sound of hooves, we automatically associate it with horses, but it sometimes turns out to be zebras. This phenomenon demonstrates a logical trap: there are so-called "horses" — typical and common diseases that most doctors pay attention to, as well as "zebras" — rare pathologies masquerading as symptoms of common diseases. Incorrect diagnosis of "zebras" occurs in approximately 40% of cases, which can seriously threaten the patient's health. In the best case, this leads to minor complications, and in the worst case, to disability and loss of vision. The mission of Zebra Eye is to detect such rare pathologies where the human eye may make a mistake.

Mukhamedjan. We started by using Python scripts to automate tasks such as transferring data from one system to another, comparing Excel spreadsheets, or filling out employment contracts on government websites. These tasks seem simple, but as the complexity of business processes grows, they become a challenge. Their number is constantly increasing, and employees spend a lot of time performing them. We bring economic benefit to the company by automating these processes in each department.

As a result of implementing software robots, we achieve excellent results. They visually and functionally repeat human actions at the computer, facilitating implementation without the need to make significant changes to processes. This allows the company to save time and resources, and employees to free up time from routine tasks.

We implement automation mainly in the fields of accounting, HR, treasury, and procurement. In accounting, robots help with a variety of tasks, from reconciling invoices to interacting with bank statements. Robot setup happens quickly thanks to the low-code approach. We also offer a solution in the form of a robot management orchestrator, which is relevant for companies managing multiple scripts. This tool ensures the scheduled launch of robots, stores accounts, and applies triggers for their management. We are actively developing this direction, taking into account the global demand for such technologies.

How we learned about the Silkway Accelerator program

Yana. I am a big fan of Astana Hub and participated in literally all the programs they offer. When our project was one and a half months old, I participated in an acceleration program in collaboration with Draper University. The chances were slim, but out of 150 projects, I made it to the Silicon Valley acceleration. Then I was denied a visa, and I stayed in Kazakhstan. Then I learned about the next acceleration program — Silkway Accelerator from Google for Startups, through Astana Hub.

Mukhamedjan. I had previously heard about the program. At first, I thought it would not be very useful for us, given that we are already successfully operating in the local market and have a stable income. I was skeptical, thinking that it was for young startups. But we decided to try anyway and submitted an application through Astana Hub. In parallel, we participated in another program — Scalerator. We had to choose between them due to the heavy workload, and we decided to join Silkway Accelerator.

How the selection process for the accelerator works

Yana. The process is standard: first, projects go through screening, then they are selected for diagnostics, where an expert evaluates the market and technology. Next, a shortlist is formed based on criteria such as traction, market, and technology. Google for Startups and Astana Hub jointly select projects to participate in the acceleration.

Despite the fact that we go through the top accelerations and competitions, the most impressive investors consider us. It is difficult for me to say why they chose our project specifically. Perhaps the relevance of Zebra Eye or the previous experience of the co-founders played a role — we all have great stories even before Zebra Eye.

Mukhamedjan. We got into the program without understanding how the selection process worked. We just got a call and were told that we had passed. It is difficult to say why us specifically. A possible reason is that our product is oriented towards the global market and is easily scalable.

How the Silkway Accelerator went

Yana. During the program, you work 5 times more effectively and do more than usual. This is largely due to the influence of trackers. In Silkway Accelerator, there is a lead tracker who dedicates an hour of his time on Saturdays and half an hour on weekdays. There are also linear trackers who are on call 24/7 and help solve more narrow issues.

Twelve hours were allocated for Saturday traction sessions: all 10 startups sit in one room with the lead tracker, and he scolds everyone. At first, I did not understand the format. We just came on Saturdays and listened as Oleg Zhumakhanov shouted and tore into everyone. But there is a methodology to this. First, Saturday sessions are conducted such that no project should leave the session within 12 hours and must observe the breakdown of each individual project. Even if you are not participating in this, you see the problems and solutions that arise during these sessions for other startups.

According to statistics, 90% of problems among startups are the same. Each startup, regardless of industry, direction, founder, team, or market, faces the same problems. The solutions are usually the same.

Mukhamedjan. During the traction session, you define tasks for the week and conduct reviews during the session, determining which tasks are feasible in a short period — a week or two. They are measurable and aimed at achieving specific results in a short period of time. On Wednesdays, you discuss your progress with a linear tracker, conduct a mini-review, discuss problems, and look for alternative ways to complete tasks. And at the end of the week, you report to the tracker on completed tasks and achieved results. This is a useful exercise for maintaining discipline, as you evaluate your progress and responsibility to yourself, which helps avoid procrastination or dragging out work.

Silkway Accelerator Results

Yana. The biggest effect from working with the lead tracker and the founder is that he helps identify and fix problems related to the founders. This is important for long-term success, as fixing founder problems helps make more thoughtful decisions in the future.

From personal results: we signed an order to launch pilot projects in state clinics, attracted investors, and are working on expanding our treatment offerings.

Mukhamedjan. During the acceleration, we faced a challenge related to a potential cash flow gap and the need to renew subscriptions for existing clients, as well as attract new ones. This was a period of heightened tension, but thanks to the acceleration, we improved discipline and efficiency. By the end of the program, we achieved significant revenue growth by signing contracts with large companies from Brazil and the Philippines. We are actively preparing for global expansion and increasing our presence in world markets. This success is due to participation in the acceleration program, although it is difficult to measure its contribution exactly.

Recommendations

Yana. I advise participating in all Astana Hub programs. Astana Hub is a lifetime assistant.

Mukhamedjan. You need to participate in programs to gain new knowledge, skills, and contacts. At the beginning of the program, we felt insecure because we did not know what an acceleration program was and did not have a clear idea of its benefits. However, we realized the importance of this topic and understood that we needed to act and try. We recognized the need for prioritization, as participation in an acceleration program could take a significant amount of time, competing with current business needs. Sometimes we had to focus on the current business due to obligations to clients, which could limit our participation in the program. Considering all factors, we believe that participation in the program was the right decision.