Kazakhstani startup Mirai Tech won the regional stage of the Startup World Cup

On August 29, 2026, the Kazakhstani stage of one of the world's largest technology project championships — Startup World Cup KAZAKHSTAN 2026 — took place at Nazarbayev University. Following the spectacular pitch sessions, the jury selected the strongest regional startup team that will travel to San Francisco to represent the country and compete for a grand prize of $1,000,000.

The winner of the SWC 2026 regional final was the Mirai Tech project, a SportTech development. Mirai Tech is a startup creating smart nano-insoles for rehabilitation and mobility recovery, which transmit biomechanical data to doctors in real time and help accelerate patient recovery.

Sayat Nyusupov, Chairman of the Board of NU Impact Foundation
Bringing Startup World Cup to Kazakhstan for the first time is a significant achievement for our ecosystem. This is one of the largest startup championships in the world, and today, Kazakhstani teams are presenting their technologies directly to the global venture community, demonstrating their ability to compete at this level. The partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures makes this access real — from direct dialogue with international investors here to the opportunity to take the stage at the global final in San Francisco.

Askar Aryngazin, Chief Executive Officer of SITF
The Sustainable Innovation and Technology Foundation within the Nazarbayev University ecosystem creates new opportunities for outstanding founders of Kazakhstani startups. The annual Startup World Cup by venture capital firm Pegasus Tech Ventures is not just a competition for a world cup among dozens of participating countries; it is a direct pathway to top venture funds, developed industries and markets, new knowledge, and partnerships. We are proud of the level demonstrated by the finalists in Kazakhstan and wish the winner good luck at the global final in San Francisco, USA, this November. Together, we will continue the success of our 17 startups in Silicon Valley, accepted into the StartX community at Stanford University, the #1 growth accelerator in Silicon Valley.

Event results and key figures:

— 10 top technology projects from across Kazakhstan, selected from over 140 applications, advanced to the regional final
— The event brought together more than 300 guests — investors, representatives of venture funds, business angels, the IT community, NU alumni, and students
— The winner earned a spot in the global Startup World Cup final in the USA with the opportunity to raise $1,000,000 in investments, as well as a special prize from event partner JAS Ventures venture fund in the amount of $20,000 to cover travel expenses to the global final.

All finalists of Startup World Cup Kazakhstan received tickets to the Startup World Cup event itself — they will not pitch, but will attend a networking event with top venture funds and major US corporations, where they can attract attention to their startups.