Kazakhstani startup DOQ.kz has launched in the UAE market

The Kazakh startup DOQ.kz, an online platform for booking doctor appointments and managing medical services, is expanding its presence and launching in Dubai under the international brand oDoctor.

The company already operates in five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Hungary, Romania, and the United Arab Emirates. To date, DOQ.kz collaborates with more than 1,100 clinics and 12,000 doctors, recording thousands of patient appointments daily.

Aidar Aryngazin, CEO of DOQ.kz
With each new country, the process becomes easier. When clinics see our experience in other countries and review our websites, they make decisions quickly, and almost all sign contracts immediately.

The GCC region is attractive for the startup due to its large potential and relatively low competition. Even in this market, it is possible to build a unicorn. We started in Dubai and achieved profitability within the second month—results are promising. In the near future, we plan to launch the service in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, and then in Saudi Arabia.

According to the founder, entering the UAE market revealed specific local demand characteristics. Users often search for doctors by nationality—for example, Russian-speaking or Indian specialists—due to the country's multinational population. The service launched in English, but support for Arabic will be added shortly to make the platform accessible to a broader audience.

The team also notes the high level of support from local businesses.

Aidar Aryngazin, CEO of DOQ.kz
In Dubai, people truly care about others and often help even when you don't ask. For example, when we were discussing commissions with clinics, they advised us to set them higher to ensure long-term cooperation. The lawyers we hired to register the company paid out of their own pockets for expedited processing queues—I only found out about this later.

According to him, the key tasks when entering new markets remain language adaptation, understanding the local mindset, refining the product, and complying with legislation.

In the long term, the startup plans to launch its product in 30 countries. By the end of the year, the team continues preparing for the next round of investment. Previously, the company raised nearly $2,000,000 from investors, including Almak Capital and MOST Ventures.