Mirai Tech — a startup that is changing the approach to rehabilitation in medicine and sports

Gulnur Kalimuldina, City — Astana, Assistant Professor at Nazarbayev University Instagram , Linkedin

How It All Began

I am a scientist specializing in the development of innovative technologies in the field of rehabilitation and diagnostics, as well as an Assistant Professor at the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences at Nazarbayev University. I am also a co-founder of the startup Mirai Tech, which focuses on creating high-tech solutions for healthcare.

For many years, I have been involved in the development of innovative materials/nanomaterials, including self-charging sensors. Two years ago, our team realized the huge potential of these technologies for medical applications, which became the starting point for creating Mirai Tech. We strive to address one of Kazakhstan's key problems—the lack of accessible and effective solutions for diagnostics and rehabilitation.

Our mission is to combine cutting-edge scientific achievements and technologies to create products that not only improve the quality of medical care but also make it accessible to a wide audience. We believe that the combination of science, technology, and medicine can change people's lives for the better, and this is what inspires me and my team to keep moving forward.

The Team

I founded the Mirai Tech project together with Dr. Azamat Eshmukhametov. We both completed our doctoral studies in Japan, which allowed us to combine deep scientific expertise and attract like-minded individuals from our laboratories to create an innovative product. Hence the name of our startup—Mirai, which means "future" in Japanese.

Our team brings together highly qualified researchers in the field of nano- and micromaterials, as well as specialists in robotics, artificial intelligence, and rehabilitation. From the very beginning, we worked with minimal resources, focusing on the development of an MVP—biomechanical sensor insoles—Mirai Gait.

Over time, we expanded our team and established strong partnerships, which helped strengthen our scientific and technical base. Today, Mirai Tech is a startup that successfully combines science and technology to create solutions capable of changing the approach to rehabilitation and medicine.

Target Audience

Our startup aims to transform the approach to rehabilitation in medical and sports clinics. We offer innovative solutions that help patients restore natural gait, correct movement patterns, and accurately track treatment progress, while simultaneously reducing costs for access to advanced technologies.
We are already collaborating with leading rehabilitation clinics to develop products that not only embody the latest achievements of science and technology but also deliver real results for patients. Our solutions contribute to the restoration of movement coordination, improved balance, and the return of people to an active and fulfilling life.

Incubation Programs

Mirai Tech actively participates in the NURIS incubation program at Nazarbayev University, which helps us accelerate development and refine our business model. We are proud to have taken first place at Founders Weekend, which earned us an invitation to TechCrunch Disrupt—one of the largest global events in the tech and startup industry. Additionally, we presented our startup at the first conference organized by Silkroad Innovation Hub Central Eurasia @ Silicon Valley, which became an important milestone for the development of our startup.

Challenges

Like any DeepTech startup, in the early stages of development, Mirai Tech faced some challenges that became important lessons for our team. One of the key tasks was to create a product that not only demonstrated advanced technologies but was also in demand in the market. This required a deep understanding of user needs and significant efforts in testing and data collection to optimize the solution.
Another stage involved finding and attracting specialists with expertise in niche areas such as medical sensors, machine learning, and rehabilitation technologies. We successfully formed our team through a combination of internal talents and external collaboration.

Regarding work with clinics, we have already begun collaborating with partners open to implementing innovations. Testing our product in these clinics allows us not only to confirm its potential but also to receive valuable feedback for further improvement under real-world conditions.

Achievements

We are proud of the significant progress we have already made in the early stages of development:
— created prototypes of smart biomechanical insoles using sensors that have begun undergoing initial testing stages. This allows us to receive valuable feedback and refine our product
— initiated collaboration with leading rehabilitation clinics, providing the opportunity to test the product in real-world conditions and take into account the needs of end users
— focused on product improvement, scaling development, and preparing for the next stage—market launch.

Plans

By the end of the year and in the near future, we aim to implement ambitious tasks that will accelerate the growth of our startup and strengthen its market position:

1. Completion of incubation in NURIS ABC Incubation: the program will provide us with a solid foundation for launching pilot projects and optimizing our market entry strategy. The strategic insights and tools gained through the incubation will help us create a sustainable and scalable business model.
2. Pilot implementation of the product: after finalizing the testing of our smart biomechanical insoles, we aim to launch their use in 10 rehabilitation centers in Kazakhstan. This will be the first step toward building a broad partnership network and establishing a reputation as a reliable technological solution.
3. Scaling and entering the international market: in 2025, we plan to expand our presence beyond Kazakhstan, starting negotiations with clinics in Central Asia and the US. At the same time, we will participate in international acceleration programs to prepare for entering the global market.
4. Creation of a product ecosystem: we see Mirai Tech as a platform offering not only sensor insoles but also other rehabilitation solutions, including wearable devices, AI algorithms for diagnostics, and comprehensive patient monitoring systems.
   Our goal is to become a leader in rehabilitation technology, providing accessible and effective solutions to improve the quality of life for patients worldwide.