Employee exchange program, attracting international investments, and the opening of Google Campus in Almaty: results of the trip to the Google For Startups Summit

Magzhan Madiev, city — Astana, CEO of Astana Hub

On cooperation with Google

Google For Startups is a division of Google Corporation that began its operations in 2011. Its goal is to develop IT entrepreneurship, innovative projects, and support technology entrepreneurs around the world.

In April, Astana Hub became the first partner of Google For Startups in the Central Asia, Azerbaijan, and Mongolia region. We went through several stages of verifying our employees' competencies against all criteria, including interviews. As a result, we signed an agreement and decided to launch a new accelerator program — Silkway Accelerator.

How project selection for Silkway Accelerator took place

As part of the Accelerator, we announced a call for applications. We received 330 applications from 7 countries. The essence of the program is to help startups enter the global market. Therefore, we focused on mature projects. In our terminology, this is called Product Market Fit. Such startups are ready for work and have already started monetization.

There were several selection criteria. We looked at product quality, number of users, profitability, geography of scaling, technological sophistication, and team background. One of the important requirements was the ability to be physically present at Astana Hub for three months. This was intended to ensure engagement and results.

The selection process took place in several stages. To reach an independent decision, the commission included specialists from different countries in Central Asia: Kairat Akhmetov, CEO of Sergek Development; Marat Tolibaev, Director of Smart Investments; Artem Slesarenko, Director of Profland-RT, LLP Rhinotales; Abdulkhad Sharopov, Operational Partner at AloqaVentures; Askar Aytov, Head of the Innovation Laboratory DAR Lab; Bubunur Alibayeva, Business Manager at Accelerate Prosperity; Alexander Doroshenko, Founder of Wooppay and the IT Hub "Terrikonovaya Dolina"; Mirat Akhmetsadikov, Managing Partner of MOST Ventures Fund; and Alisher Khasanov, Business Consultant and Co-founder of "Gdematerial."

From 330 applications, we selected the top 45 projects, of which Google accepted 15. Today, they are undergoing acceleration on-site at Astana Hub. This is an interesting and significant event for us.

Silkway Accelerator is a flagship premium program. For its participants, we activated all the capabilities of our ecosystem. We provided infrastructure: housing and workspace, and expert support: mentoring, tracking, and consultations. The participants have the opportunity to present their projects to venture investors. And Astana Hub resident participants have the chance to receive passive investment of up to 20 million tenge.

On Google For Startups Summit

I was invited to participate in the Google For Startups C-Level Summit Europe, Middle East, Africa. This is a summit that covers the regions of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. For the first time, a representative from Central Asia was present — me.

The goal of the Google For Startups Summit is to exchange experience, network, and discuss plans for collaboration and development. During the two-day summit, we attended masterclasses, participated in brainstorming and pitch sessions, and presented our ecosystems.

Many participants have been attending the summit for several years. It was the first one after the pandemic period, which made it particularly interesting. I presented the Central Asian ecosystem and shared the results of our work. In my presentation, I noted that in recent years, the number of Astana Hub residents had grown from 250 to 800 companies. I showed how revenue had increased: from 15 billion tenge in 2019 to 166 billion in 2021. Some participants had not heard of Kazakhstan before, so they were surprised by such dynamic growth in the IT industry in the region.

Many liked the infrastructure on the EXPO grounds. I was jokingly called the "captain of the spaceship."

On the results of the trip

It was important for me to meet new partners, get to know them in person, and discuss cooperation plans. I studied the opportunities offered within the Google For Startups program. These include not only experts but also Google AdWords credits, marketing and PR tools, and promotion within Google's global network.

We agreed on an exchange of staff. Team members will travel to different countries to gain international experience. I also proposed developing gamification, which was well received.

I liked the people and their backgrounds. Many shared great stories and experiences. The Google For Startups Summit took place in Madrid, at the Google Campus.

For us, cooperation with Google is a window into the global technology business. In order for other technology giants to take an interest in Central Asia, we must showcase ourselves well. Therefore, we are placing a strong emphasis on Silkway Accelerator.

The next step is the opening of Google Campus in Almaty and providing our startups with the opportunity to attract investments on a global level.