"Our goal is to gain international recognition," — CEO of Sergek Group on the company's plans and global ambitions

Evgeny Kim, city — Astana, CEO Sergek Group, Instagram, Linkedin

On global changes and trends

Undoubtedly, global events unfolding in the world leave their mark.

Our company’s experience shows that we are flexible enough to respond timely and correctly to changes. For example, during the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020, when a strict quarantine was introduced in the country, we realized that, as a technology company with its own team of developers, we could not stand aside.

Many already know that we automated the system for monitoring the movement of vehicles between cities and within them. During that period, free movement was prohibited, but critically important cargo, such as food and medicines, had to be delivered. In order for the state to effectively manage these processes, we developed the mobile application “Sergek Blockpost.”

The project was implemented in the shortest possible time and rolled out nationwide. This challenge became a turning point for us — we became even more flexible and engaged in solving global problems by creating tools that help society in difficult situations.

On new challenges

From the perspective of the IT sector, COVID-19 became a powerful catalyst for technological development: mass transition to remote work, digitalization of banking services, active development of GovTech and other areas.

However, external factors can not only accelerate development but also create risks. One potential problem is the shortage of equipment and materials for computing power. In the context of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, the demand for data processing capabilities is growing almost geometrically. If measures to develop production are not taken in advance, this shortage could become a serious barrier.

Furthermore, restrictions may be related to geopolitical factors. International conflicts and sanctions can affect the supply of critically important technologies and equipment, which would also slow down the development of the IT industry.

On the role of new technologies

For Sergek Group, machine learning and artificial intelligence are not just current trends. We have been building our products around computer vision from the start, analyzing video streams and interpreting what is happening. We entered this field significantly earlier, starting in 2016. This is a strategic direction, and we continue to develop in AI, machine learning, and computer vision.

Our priorities are:

— scaling the team of engineers in this direction

— investing in the development of specialists

— investing in improving our products.

Today, technologies are developing so dynamically that it is difficult to make long-term forecasts. However, from Sergek’s perspective, our path is clear — we are moving toward an AI platform and the Smart City concept. This is the key vector that we are actively developing and scaling.

Thanks to our technologies, we make cities safer and more comfortable. And it is obvious that the rapid development of AI will open up even more opportunities for realizing our ideas and mission.

On the employees of the future

Currently, thanks to existing AI-based tools, many tasks have become irrelevant for humans to perform. Now they can be delegated to tools that handle them faster and more efficiently.

Therefore, perhaps one of the most important skills needed, including for our employees, is the ability to quickly respond to dynamic changes and be as flexible as possible. Some are already worried that, for example, copywriters will no longer find work. But I think that if a person does not adapt and simply gets upset about the appearance of tools that can replace their skills, it will not lead them to success.

It is much better to use one’s skills and learn to work with new tools. For example, if a copywriter masters writing high-quality prompts, their texts will be better than those of an ordinary user without experience.

By mastering new technologies and changing their approach to work, people can not only maintain their relevance but also reach a new level of income. This is just one example of how important it is to be flexible and adaptive in a rapidly changing world.

On the impact of global trends on company strategy

We have come to the point that we do not innovate for the sake of innovation. To make higher-quality decisions about new initiatives, we have a Discovery phase in our product office, which helps test the validity of a hypothesis. We conduct research, R&D, and have learned to make balanced decisions about whether to proceed or not.

This process helps us make higher-quality decisions from the perspective of implementing something new. In addition, an important aspect is that when we decide to pursue innovation after testing a hypothesis, it is important to explain the context: what, why, for what purpose this innovation is needed, how it will help us, how it will affect the company, employees, and so on.

Sergek Group engages in international sales and operates in the international market. We have a small project in Uzbekistan, and at the moment we are focused on a strategic approach that includes the importance of international sales, exporting our developments, and products abroad. In particular, we are actively considering Southeast Asia, as well as neighboring CIS countries.

In a relatively short period, we have created a number of products, which we are now combining into a single AI platform with Smart on Safety integration. This platform will fully address the Smart City concept, ensuring safety and the development of urban infrastructure as a whole.

On the company’s role in the future

Our mission is to make people’s lives safer and more comfortable through big data technologies and infrastructure. Thanks to this, we can consider ourselves a technological partner for cities, contributing to their development.

In our industry, there is a “Sergek effect” that we strive to spread to all cities. Thanks to the implementation of Sergek Group products in specific projects, cities, and regions, significant results have been achieved, which are expressed in numbers.

After launching the Sergek project, traffic fatality rates in the region decrease by 30-50% compared to the previous period. Also, the crime clearance rate increases significantly, and overall crime decreases.

In order to maintain these indicators over a long period, additional comprehensive measures are necessary. Measures need to be taken in different areas: from raising awareness of the problem and ways to solve it, to changes in road infrastructure. Many factors affect the number of deaths and injuries in traffic accidents. However, Sergek is a product that can deliver immediate results. It is clear that further work with this result is necessary.

What will the company be like in 10 years

In the last 20-30 years, artificial intelligence has developed rapidly, and this leap is becoming faster from a technological perspective. I cannot imagine that in 10 years we will still be a technology company doing the same thing.

At the moment, we are developing a three-year strategy. Even within this three-year period, the strategy may change because something is always being adjusted. We set ourselves the goal of successfully implementing several international contracts, continuing to engage in research, development, and improvement of our products.

In Kazakhstan, the Sergek product has become a household name. Any camera of ours is commonly referred to as “Sergek.” People often write: “Your Sergeks are not working.” At the same time, we are not present in the cities where these cameras are used.

Our goal is to gain international recognition so that on many markets, people understand that Sergek Group products are associated with safety, technology, and innovation.

What should the leader of the future be like

From the perspective of management and business administration in IT, a non-directive management style is considered strategically effective in the long term. When there is a directive in management, it may yield quick short-term results, but in the long run, this approach works poorly. Therefore, I strive to practice and develop a partnership approach — where everyone is on equal footing, where it is not a directive matter but rather motivating.

We have long applied this approach and see that in the long term, it brings excellent results. After all, in IT, the main things are technology and people. People are the most valuable resource. If you do not build long-term partnerships with employees, you can lose the most important thing. Building such relationships is the key to sustainable development.

Our product is not just a business, but uniting people around a common goal. When employees are united not by orders but by a shared mission, truly great products are born. We want the value we create to spread throughout Kazakhstan.

Our principles are so strong that they consolidate the entire team. Working in our company, whether you are an installer or a top manager, you understand that your work makes society better. Everyone knows that their children, relatives, and friends walk the streets, and their lives become safer. This is highly motivating.

In addition, we never stand aside when tragedies occur in the country. During COVID-19, we did not just switch to remote work but helped Kazakhstan digitize processes and monitor vehicle movement.

During the January events, we became a technological partner of the state in resolving the crisis.

In the spring of 2024, when floods inundated several regions of Kazakhstan, we sent equipment there, installed cameras for monitoring, and helped with infrastructure. Afterward, we launched a transparent process for monitoring house construction through the gov.kz portal.

When disaster strikes the country, we do not stand aside. Our team works for free, with full engagement, and does everything possible. Our company is domestic. We create all our software ourselves. We do not manufacture cameras, but all our hardware-software complexes are the result of Kazakhstani engineering thought.