The best AI projects in the country were selected at the Digital Qazaqstan Awards 2026 in Shymkent

In Shymkent, as part of the international forum Digital Qazaqstan 2026, the award ceremony for the winners of the Digital Qazaqstan Awards took place — a key event aimed at developing and promoting innovative solutions in the field of artificial intelligence and digital technologies in Kazakhstan.

The award brought together leading technology companies, startups, government initiatives, and regional projects that have made a significant contribution to the country's digital transformation.

This year, 345 applications were submitted for participation, of which 162 projects from across Kazakhstan made it to the final pool. The winners were determined based on a multi-stage evaluation process, including analytical assessment using artificial intelligence and the decision of the expert jury.

The winners were determined in five categories:

— In the Best AI Government Services category, the Alaqan project won — a digital platform for automating and controlling the provision of government services. The award was presented by the Deputy Prime Minister — Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Zhaslan Madiev.

— In the Best Industrial AI Project nomination, the winner was Aspans with the Fractal project — an AI-based digital platform for managing industrial safety and operational processes. The award was presented by the Chairman of the Board of JSC "Kazakhtelecom", Bagdat Musin.

— In the Regional AI Transformation category, the Ikigai Promotion project won, aimed at developing the ecosystem for implementing artificial intelligence in the business and educational environments of Kazakhstan's regions. The award was presented by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Alageum Electric Group, Yerkеbulan Ilyasov.

— In the AI for Social Impact nomination, the winner was the Codo "HR+" project — a system for monitoring the psycho-emotional state of children. The award was presented by the Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Dinara Shcheglova.

— In the Best AI Startup category, the Protector AI project won — a video analytics system based on artificial intelligence and computer vision that identifies signs of aggressive behavior. The award was presented by the CEO of Freedom Holding Corp., Timur Turlov.

Participation in the award provides an opportunity to gain professional recognition, present the project to a broad expert audience, and become part of the national agenda for Kazakhstan's digital transformation.

The Digital Qazaqstan 2026 forum took place on March 27 in Shymkent and was dedicated to the theme "Industry 5.0: The Power of Interaction." The organizers were the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the city akimat, and the international technology park Astana Hub.

The holding of the forum was made possible with the support of partners and sponsors. The General Partner was Freedom Bank, the Platinum Partner was Alageum Electric, and the Gold Partner was Kazakhtelecom. Among the innovative partners were WSE and Damumed, and Visa also participated as a partner.

Source: gov.kz