Contest calendar, acceleration programs, and opportunities for October 2025

Gaming Cup: EA Sports FC 25 Tournament
An esports tournament as part of Mangystau IT Fest 2025. Only 24 participants will have the chance to compete in EA Sports FC 25 on PlayStation 5. Winners will receive prizes, awards, and plenty of emotions.

When: October 5 at 11:00
Where: Aktau, Mangystau Hub

RoboLeague — Robotics Tournament
A true test for engineers and programmers as part of Mangystau IT Fest 2025. 12-15 teams will assemble and program robots on-site to tackle unexpected challenges and compete for prizes.

When: October 5 at 11:00
Where: Aktau, Mangystau Hub

26th Pitch Session by Angel Investor Club of Armenia
AICA has opened applications for the 26th pitch session as part of DigiTec 2025. Participation in the session gives Armenian founders the opportunity to present their projects to a community of 50 angel investors, secure funding, receive expert mentorship, and gain access to international networks.

Application deadline: October 5
When: October 11
Where: Yerevan, Armenia

Industrial AI Acceleration 2025
An industrial acceleration program focused on implementing AI solutions in the real sector of the economy. The program offers educational support, experts, and mentors, access to real clients, and the opportunity to scale successful solutions. Industrial AI Acceleration 2025 covers the following industries: energy, non-ferrous metallurgy, industry, construction, transport, mechanical engineering, telecommunications, and FinTech.

Application deadline: October 8
When: October–December
Where: Astana, Astana Hub

HackNU/25
The annual student hackathon of Nazarbayev University, aimed at young developers, where participants solve real-world tasks from IT companies within 24 hours. The main focus is on practical programming skills and IT projects.

Application deadline: October 9
When: October 18-19
Where: Astana, Nazarbayev University

Pizza Pitch
An open platform for ideas and startups, where participants can present their projects in three minutes, receive expert feedback, find partners, and simply enjoy delicious pizza. Ideas will be evaluated based on profitability, depth of development, quality of presentation, and team composition.

When: October 10 at 15:00 / October 11 at 11:00
Where: Taldykorgan, IT Hub Jetisu Digital / Petropavl, SKO Hub

Expand North Star 2025
A global hub for technology and innovation: exhibitions, national pavilions, the ScaleX program for scalable startups, the largest pitch championship Supernova Challenge with a prize pool of $214,000, and access to leading global investors.

When: October 12-15
Where: Dubai

Case Championship by AIESEC x Higgsfield
A case championship organized by Higgsfield with the support of AIESEC, featuring tracks in Startup Marketing and Prompt Engineering. The main emphasis is on idea generation, marketing, and AI applications. Participation is possible individually or in teams of up to four people.

When: October 18-19
Where: Astana, Nazarbayev University

Venture Trip Silicon Valley by Yellow Rocks Venture Fund
This is a week in the heart of the world's technological ecosystem, where participants will have the opportunity to meet venture investors and founders, visit Google, Apple, Tesla, Stanford, Berkeley, and Draper University, as well as leading accelerators and funds. The program provides access to networking with industry leaders and immerses participants in the innovation culture of Silicon Valley.

When: October 18-25

Green Urban Tech Open Call to Boost Greener
BOOST invites companies, organizations, and universities from around the world to submit their urban tech solutions aimed at creating a more comfortable urban environment. Selected teams will present their solutions at BOOST Discovery Days, establish partnerships with cities, receive individual support, and be eligible for funding of up to $30,000 for piloting and scaling in 2026.

Application deadline: October 19

IBA Group SAP Conference Tashkent
An IBA Group conference dedicated to digital transformation and practical cases of SAP S/4HANA implementation. Participants will hear from experts from IBA Group and SAP, review real project examples in manufacturing companies, discuss risks, approaches, and opportunities for optimizing business processes, and engage in networking.

When: October 22, 09:00-14:00
Where: Tashkent, Ukchi Street, 1

Automation and Business Expo 2025
The largest platform in Central Asia dedicated to automation and business technologies. Participants will see advanced solutions from top companies, attend expert talks, review technology implementation cases, and watch presentations of innovative startups. At the exhibition, you can find partners, explore new tools for profit growth and business transformation, and strengthen your company's market position.

When: October 22-24
Where: Almaty, Atakent Exhibition Center

EntryPoint Europe
A program for founders from Eastern Europe and Central Asia who are ready to scale their startups globally. Participants will receive one month of online and three months of offline support in Luxembourg, financial support of up to $20,000 for their team, access to EU investors and markets, as well as legal and tax support.

Application deadline: October 24

ETH Bishkek Hackathon
The first Ethereum hackathon in Central Asia. Developers, designers, analysts, and Web3 enthusiasts will spend 48 hours creating projects on the Ethereum blockchain under the guidance of international mentors. The grand prize is a two-week educational and business program in Silicon Valley, including visits to IT companies, acceleration sessions, and introductions to the venture ecosystem, as well as a prize pool of over $10,000 and special bounties from partners.

When: October 24-26
Where: Bishkek, Technopark