Startup Opportunities Calendar for August 2026

Hackathons, accelerators, pitch competitions, and international forums — we have gathered the key deadlines for startups, developers, and entrepreneurs in August.

Halyk AI Challenge

Registration has opened for the online Halyk AI Challenge hackathon, with a prize pool of 2,200,000 tenge. Participants will need to develop their own AI solution using LLMs, data, and modern artificial intelligence technologies for one of Halyk’s use cases. Developers, ML and AI engineers, data analysts, students, and anyone interested in artificial intelligence are invited to participate. You can participate individually or as a team of up to four people. First place will win 1,000,000 tenge, second place — 700,000 tenge, and third place — 500,000 tenge.

Application deadline: August 5

InsightX Business Battle by Academix Hub

Academix Hub has announced the InsightX business battle with a prize pool of $2,500. Participants will need to solve a real business case, present their solution to a professional jury, and compete for prize positions. The final, featuring a professional jury and experts in the startup and business sectors, will take place on August 21 and 22.

Registration deadline: August 8

LEAP 2026 Tech Conference

LEAP 2026 will take place from August 31 to September 3 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The conference is considered one of the largest technology platforms in the world, bringing together startups, international technology companies, investors, and innovation leaders from the MENA region and beyond. Startups with products ready for live demonstration and an English-language interface are selected to participate, provided that the founder or a C-level representative attends in person. Selected participants will receive a dedicated exhibition booth and free participation in the event.

Application deadline: August 7

Female Founders Pitch Competition

Women in Tech Kazakhstan, in collaboration with BE WOMAN and Silkroad Innovation Hub, is launching the Female Founders Pitch Competition — a pitch competition for female founders of technology startups in Central Asia. Participants will have the opportunity to present their projects to investors and experts, receive feedback, and find partners for growth. Projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, deep tech, SaaS, FinTech, HealthTech, and FemTech are invited to participate.

Application deadline: August 11

GoAbroad 2026

The GoAbroad 2026 program selects startups from Central Asia for pitch sessions with Silicon Valley investors. Participants will undergo online preparation with mentors, covering pitching, working with US investors, and legal aspects of market entry, followed by a 10-day stay in Silicon Valley from October 5 to 15. They will also attend TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — one of the world’s largest technology conferences. Startups at the MVP stage from Central Asia are invited to participate, and founders must be at least 18 years old.

Application deadline: August 14

Startup Growth Program 3.0

UzVC has announced the acceptance of applications for Startup Growth Program 3.0 — the flagship program for startup founder development, now in its third edition, and set to be the largest cohort in the program’s history. Participants will receive direct mentorship from Silicon Valley investors who have supported hundreds of companies worldwide, as well as the opportunity to present their projects at Demo Day to approximately 30 regional and international investors from the US, MENA countries, Europe, and Central Asia.

Application deadline: August 15

Central Eurasia Market Entry

AstanaHub and the Almaty City Akimat are launching a 12-week offline acceleration program, Central Eurasia Market Entry, for international technology startups. Projects from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, China, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, and Uzbekistan are invited to participate, provided they are at the product-market fit or scaling stage, with initial sales and confirmed demand. Participants will receive support from track managers and international experts, preparation for entering the Kazakh market, access to the regional ecosystem, and investment opportunities through Astana Hub Ventures.

Application deadline: August 16

Xsolla–IRIA Game Accelerator

Applications are now open in Azerbaijan for the country’s first game accelerator, Xsolla–IRIA Game Accelerator. The program is designed for game studios and development teams with a working prototype, ready to enter the global gaming industry. Participants will receive a $5,000 development grant, mentorship and workshops with international experts, individual preparation for pitching, and the opportunity to present their project to publishers and investors at the GDC exhibition in San Francisco. Intellectual property rights for the project remain with the team.

Application deadline: August 17

AWS Agentic Football Cup

A one-day competition, the AWS Agentic Football Cup, will take place in Tashkent, where participants will create autonomous AI agents to play football on a virtual field. The event format includes a workshop, bot development, and tournament matches. Participation is open to individuals or teams of up to three people, and the event is suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. Winners will receive AirPods Pro 3 and $100 in AWS Credits for each team member; tournament finalists will also receive AWS credits. Winning teams will advance to the Global League and gain the opportunity to reach the final at AWS re:2026 in Las Vegas.

Date: August 22

Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum

From August 24 to 26, the Silk Road Finance & Technology Forum will take place in Tashkent. The organizers are the Central Bank of Uzbekistan and the Global Finance & Technology Network, with Ant International as co-organizer, and participation from the Ministry of Digital Technologies and the National Agency for Innovative Developments of Uzbekistan.

Date: August 24–26

Tamyr Platform

Tamyr Platform has opened applications for grants of up to 10 million tenge for educational projects in Kazakhstan. Educational startups, teachers, and students over the age of 21 with an active product or pilot are invited to participate. Five to seven projects are expected to receive support, with results announced on September 10.

Application deadline: August 31 by 23:59.