MOST and the Digitalization Department of the City of Almaty are launching a large-scale program to stimulate IT entrepreneurship.

The MOST Business Incubator, together with the Digitalization Department of the City of Almaty, officially announces the launch of a large-scale program aimed at stimulating and training startups, venture investors, and their direct participation in the digitalization and transformation of Almaty's business landscape.

The program will enable the city to contribute to improving the country's Information and Communication Technologies Development Index, as well as advance the city into the Top 100 startup ecosystems in the Global StartupBlink Index. In 2019, Almaty ranked 633rd.

Between 2022 and 2024, 105 events will be held. These include acceleration and incubation programs for startups, a course for beginner angel investors, IT programming courses, business meetings and weeks, hackathons, the organization of the Central Asian Venture Investors Forum, a forum for blockchain industry participants, and a series of demo days.

The Business Incubator and the Digitalization Department of the City of Almaty will collaborate with universities in Almaty to train specialists in the fields of Digital Urban Planner and Smart City Engineer. Additionally, an in-depth study of the state of the city's IT startup and venture ecosystems will be conducted.

Program outcomes:

— The total amount of investments attracted to startups will be $10 million USD

— At least $1,200,000 USD in investments and grants will be attracted to startups that have completed incubation/acceleration programs

— At least 2,000 jobs will be created, including 500 jobs for graduates of the programming course

— 4,500 young people will participate in events and training programs

— The revenue of startups, IT companies, and other participants who underwent training and were involved in other programs should amount to at least 2 billion tenge

— 20 Kazakhstani startups will have the opportunity to scale their business to the global market

— At least 50 specialists will be trained in the fields of Digital Urban Planner and Smart City Engineer

— At least 100 entrepreneurs will complete the course and become qualified business angels

— 1,000 participants will complete the IT Programming Course.