Prosperity Cup. Why startups should participate in the program

Aisuluu Zhamangulova, Co-founder and CEO of MUGALIM, @aisuluu.zhamangulova

Ruslan Ayupov, Head of External Relations at KIT Drone, @aiupov_

About the Project

Aisuluu. I worked in financial companies as a project manager. My main focus was on internal IT projects aimed at optimizing business processes. I never thought about starting my own business or launching a startup, but in 2020, during the pandemic, we decided to help teachers transitioning to online learning. The idea of teaching Google Classroom and Zoom became the starting point for creating the project. This idea sparked our journey because, as volunteers, we trained over 1,000 teachers across Kyrgyzstan and realized there was a high demand for improving teachers' digital literacy. We decided to continue this project. It is worth noting that the Accelerate Prosperity program turned us into a startup. They gave us the push to change our work model to a startup format.

We are developing an online platform with professional development courses and creating an AI teacher assistant, which is already available in Kyrgyz, Russian, and English. Currently, we are translating it into Kazakh and Uzbek.

Ruslan. I represent KIT Drone, a company specializing in drones. Our main project is an agricultural drone designed for spraying pesticides and fertilizers on fields and orchards. The drone is fully automated: the farmer only needs to specify the flight altitude, spraying intensity, and field size. After that, the drone independently performs the work along the set route and, if necessary, automatically returns to the launch point when the liquid supply runs out or the battery is depleted. Our product range also includes underwater, search-and-rescue, cargo drones, as well as drones for video recording.

Additionally, our team won the StartupNation hackathon.

How We Learned About the Prosperity Cup Program

Aisuluu. We participated in the very first programs. At that time, we were just preparing our online platform and developing courses. It was not yet clear to us how to monetize the project—whether to sell it or look for sponsors. One day, we accidentally learned about the IT project program and submitted an application. We wanted to understand if we could turn our idea into a startup. At that moment, we had no experience in this field; we had extensive experience in the corporate environment. We wanted to understand what a startup is and whether we could work in one.

Ruslan. Everything went sequentially for us because the project initially originated in Enactus. This is an international organization that promotes students and their business projects. We started presenting at the university with them, won national competitions, and were supposed to fly to the Netherlands to defend this project on the global stage among universities and other countries. After we won the hackathon, we were invited as winners to Accelerate Prosperity. Initially, we did not fully understand what this program was about and whether we should participate in it. However, a girl from our team who was interning at Accelerate Prosperity explained everything, and we joined.

How the Selection Process Went

Aisuluu. It was not that difficult for us. We submitted an application, and then we were simply invited. The topic of startups, IT programming, and products in this field was relevant. We successfully passed the selection, although at that time we already had our own platform and courses, but no sales or clients. I think that having a ready-made product played a key role in our invitation, as the program was specifically oriented toward such projects and products.

Ruslan. In our situation, everything turned out a bit differently. We became winners of the Hackathon Startup Nation, and this immediately attracted attention to us. The selection for the Hackathon was quite interesting. They invited everyone who submitted applications, including both strong and beginner teams. This shows that if your project deserves attention and you put effort into it, even at the idea stage, there is a chance of winning. In this regard, success opens up many opportunities.

How the Prosperity Cup Went

Aisuluu. When we went through the Prosperity Cup, only one girl in our team was working full-time. The others had main jobs, so we could not participate fully. At that time, we had three co-founders: one was in charge of marketing, the other of custom development. I focused on custom development and participated in marketing sessions. We did not miss meetings with the mentor, which allowed us to apply the knowledge we gained in practice. We revised our offer, launched it, and saw a significant difference in results. In the end, the program turned out to be extremely productive for us.

Ruslan. The Accelerate Prosperity program played a key role in the development of our project. One of the main problems was the incorrect understanding of our product and insufficiently developed marketing. We focused only on agriculture and did not consider other opportunities. Thanks to the business mentor, we realized that too low a price for the product does not guarantee success in the market. The mentor helped us revise our marketing strategy, correctly determine the margin, and identify new areas for development. We began offering drones for lease and providing services using them, which turned out to be much more profitable than simple sales.

Aisuluu. After Accelerate Prosperity, we participated in the PIC program and the EBRD mentorship program for women entrepreneurs. Prosperity Cup is particularly valuable to us because, thanks to this program, we understood what a startup is and how to develop it. Although other programs are also important, each has its own specifics. I am convinced that startups should seek help from acceleration or mentorship programs when they understand their needs and goals.

Ruslan. We participated in many programs, including EBRD and Kyrgyz Patent, where we received investments. However, Accelerate Prosperity gave us what other programs could not. They provided resources and networking opportunities, which gave us the main push for development.

The Impact of Prosperity Cup on the Project

Aisuluu. It is definitely necessary to participate in such programs, especially when you only have an idea. Because it is thanks to such programs that your idea becomes real, and you test directly in the process how real it is.

Today, Mugalim provides digital solutions for education. Our platform has already attracted more than 13,000 participants, and we are collaborating with the Ministry of Education, providing innovative tools for teachers. Launched this year, our product has already attracted more than 6,000 unique users and has more than 27,000 visits. We value the knowledge gained in the Prosperity Cup program, which helped us develop without marketing costs and attract an audience. Participating in such programs is not just about learning; it is a real opportunity to start acting and turn ideas into products.

Ruslan. Participation in the Accelerate Prosperity program gave our project a huge push for development. We started with agricultural drones, but thanks to the program, we expanded our range to include underwater and search-and-rescue drones. Thanks to correct marketing and the knowledge gained, we grew significantly over the last year, reaching a turnover of more than 15 million som. Participation in the program carries no risks, as it is free. The most valuable aspect of it is the networking opportunity. Communication with other participants helps us exchange experience and ideas and inspires us to new achievements. For those whose project is at the idea stage, this is invaluable experience that cannot be obtained anywhere else.