Contest calendar, acceleration programs, and opportunities for August 2025

If you are a startup founder, a technical specialist, or planning to start a career in IT, August is a great time for growth — many programs, conferences, and courses are open that will help you enter the global market, strengthen your team, or find investors.

CyberKumbez
The main cyber battle within KazHackStan, where 25 teams go through realistic attack and defense scenarios without flags or theory. Participants get a chance to test their skills, become part of the cyber community, and compete for prizes.

Application deadline: August 5

When: September 17-19
Where: Almaty

Central Asian Online Ideathon by Startup Beaker
An online ideathon for Central Asian startups, where teams solve real-world problems in education, healthcare, finance, and operations over 48 hours, develop a solution, and present it to investors with a chance to advance to the offline final in Tashkent.

Application deadline: August 5

When: August 8
Where: Online

Startup Battle by OyLab
The second startup battle for school students in grades 7–12 from any region of Kazakhstan — participants can present ideas in teams of up to five people, attend an educational lecture by a Stanford professor, compete for a prize fund of 150,000 tenge and partner prizes. Entry fee is 2,000 tenge per team.

Application deadline: August 9

SIGGRAPH 2025
The largest international conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive technologies. Participants will enjoy five packed days of sessions, workshops, and demonstrations in animation, design, education, gaming, AR/VR, and cutting-edge technologies. 

When: August 10-14
Where: Vancouver, California 

Hero Training by Draper University
A five-week acceleration program in Silicon Valley for startups from Central Asia, aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills, attracting investment, and scaling businesses globally. The program takes place in San Mateo and is available for startups from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan with an MVP and a valid US visa. Participation cost starts at $2,990.

Application deadline: August 13

Generative Nation Pitch Competition
A unique opportunity for school students, university students, startup founders, and researchers creating AI-based projects. You can present your solutions to current challenges in education, medicine, ecology, and social sectors on an international platform, pitch to investors and experts. The final will take place with a live broadcast on October 2 as part of the opening of the alem.ai center.

Application deadline: August 14

Summer Mini-Course for Teens by Yandex Coding School
A great opportunity to take your first steps in programming, learn the basics of Python, and create graphics using the turtle module. The course can be taken without selection and at your own pace, and the top 120 participants can enroll in the main school without tests or interviews.

Application deadline: August 15

When: July 14 – August 20

GO ABROAD 2025
An acceleration program for startups looking to enter the US market. Over four weeks, participants will complete online training and an offline module in Silicon Valley, including a visit to StartX at Stanford University and participation in TechCrunch. The program is suitable for founders with successful exits, mature startups with a proven business model, and DeepTech specialists ready for global scaling. To apply, you need a pitch deck in English, a link to your product or MVP, and a statement of intent to enter the US market.

Application deadline: August 15

Global Outsourcer
A three-month acceleration program by Astana Hub for outsourcing IT companies with revenue, aiming to systematically enter the international market: participants will refine their export strategy, build lead generation through Upwork and other channels, implement AI tools in sales, and get a chance to become Astana Hub residents.

Application deadline: August 15

E-CUP 2025 by Ozon
An ML competition with a prize fund of 7,200,000 rubles, where you can test yourself on real tasks of the e-commerce giant. Participants will face three tracks: recommendations, logistics, and quality control, with the final taking place in Moscow at the E-CODE conference on September 13-14. You can participate individually or in a team of up to five people.

Application deadline: August 18

First Ticket Night by Activat VC
An opportunity for early-stage startups to make themselves known. Participants will present their projects to investors, receive feedback from experts, find partners, and become part of the new angel club 1 Angel Club.

When: August 21
Where: Almaty

AWS Community Day Central Asia 2025
The event will bring together AWS experts, engineers, and enthusiasts from around the world. Participants will hear talks from AWS Heroes and Community Builders, attend practical sessions, get inspired by real-life cases, and engage in live networking. The community is open to everyone who wants to learn more about modern cloud technologies and become part of the active IT community in the region.

When: August 22-23
Where: Almaty 

Berkeley SkyDeck Accelerator
A startup accelerator from the University of California, Berkeley, which selects about 20 teams from around the world every six months and invests $200,000 in them. The program lasts six months and includes mentoring from over 600 experts, access to business partners, workspace, workshops, and the opportunity to pitch at Demo Day in front of hundreds of investors.

Application deadline: August 23 at 13:59

DevFest Bishkek 2025
The organizers are looking for speakers. If you work at the intersection of technology, design, product, career, or communications — and are ready to inspire the audience with your story, apply. The format is open to everyone: developers, managers, students, startup founders, and those just taking their first steps in the industry.

Application deadline: August 24

When: September 21
Where: Bishkek, AUCA University

DSA Acceleration Program by IT Park Uzbekistan
An offline program for startups at the Product-Market Fit stage and active growth. Participants receive support in scaling their business in the Uzbek market and entering international markets: tracking with top Central Asian experts, investments up to $50,000 based on a KPI model, free accommodation and coworking in Tashkent, sales assistance, and PR support. The program runs from September to December and ends with a demo day for investors.

Application deadline: August 30

Tamyr Platform Accelerator
Applications are now open for social startups from Kazakhstan and Central Asia to participate in an educational program with grants ranging from 5 to 10 million tenge. Startups with measurable social impact and scaling potential can apply for acceleration, an in-person residency in Almaty, mentoring support, and funding.

Application deadline: September 1

NVIDIA Inception Program
A global program for startups in AI and high-tech. Participants gain access to technical training, discounts on hardware and software, cloud resources, networking with venture funds, and event participation. The program is free, open to startups at all stages, and helps accelerate product development and market entry. Applications can be submitted at any time.

Red Team Accelerator
A 12-week program for founders who set ambitious goals and are ready to grow beyond their limits. The program runs both offline and online, simultaneously in Astana and Almaty, and includes tracking, lectures, team practice, and work on marketing, sales, team building, and product strategy. The program cost is listed on the website.

SaaS Flagship Accelerator by Startup Wise Guys
A 14-week program for B2B SaaS startups that helps them reach a new level through investment, mentoring, and access to an international community. Participants will receive up to €100,000 in investment, intensive work on sales, product, marketing, and growth strategies, as well as the opportunity to register their company in Bilbao and apply for additional grants.