RS Platform. Anuar Lenzat on the new platform that helps launch a startup from scratch

Anuar Lensat, city — Almaty, Hokage RS Bootcamp venture studio, investor relations manager Activat VC, @lenzat 

About Me

I am the Hokage of the RS Bootcamp venture studio. We have been working in this direction for a year and a half. Previously, I was the CEO of the MOST business incubator. In general, I have been involved in startup development for over seven years. I have launched my own startups; some were successful, others were not. 

Now I am developing my own company, which helps founders raise investments and create corporate startups within large organizations and banks. We are a progressive breath in the startup ecosystem, the first venture studio in Central Asia.

During my time at the MOST business incubator, I always thought about what could be improved, changed, or removed in our work. I also pondered how to earn more money for my family and myself. These reflections rekindled my entrepreneurial spirit.

I was already an entrepreneur before, but I lost this desire when I moved into the corporate world. Over time, it began to return to me. I realized that I could create my own company. I overcame my own fears and prejudices. I realized that the time had come because I had accumulated significant experience in management, fundraising, and contract negotiations. All of this became an excellent foundation for creating my own company.

About RS Bootcamp Venture Studio

RS Bootcamp Venture Studio is a company that generates decent revenue. Our goal is to earn $1 million in the first year of the company's existence. 

This year, we aim to guide more than 300 startups through our programs and consultations in Central Asia. We plan to attract between $1,000,000 and $3,000,000 in net investments for our startups. 

A venture studio is a company that launches its own startups or develops existing projects by taking an equity stake. Today, we hold equity in three startups. 

The first startup is O’zak, which automates procurement processes for mid-sized companies. The project is growing rapidly, with more than 1,000 suppliers and about 20 companies conducting procurement on this platform. 

The second startup is Shart, which automates and digitizes relationships between individuals. For example, if we lend money to each other, Shart ensures the creation of notarized documents and other related services.

The third startup is BAT, which automates various programs. 

We conduct large-scale and mass incubation and acceleration programs. Currently, a program is underway in Bishkek. We have also launched our own program for all Central Asian countries. 

We are more of a classic business incubator than a fund. Calling ourselves a venture studio is the result of our imagination and experiments. Even our job titles are unusual; for example, EP stands for Elvis Presley.

About RS Platform

We pursue altruistic goals, striving to give every citizen of Central Asia the opportunity to launch their own startup, anywhere and anytime. 

Standard incubators offer this opportunity only on weekdays, within specific timeframes, and in a specific location. This limits access for many people, especially those who do not live in large cities. We allow corporate employees, who are considered an excellent resource for startups, to launch their projects from home, at any time.

Which Startups Can Use RS Platform

Anyone with internet access can use RS Platform. We do not impose any conditions. On our platform, you can launch as many ideas and hypotheses as you want and test them. If we see good progress and growth in numbers, we begin to work with such projects individually. We help attract investments and clients. In this regard, we have a strong background: there are corporations and investor clubs interested in strong startups. 

We understand that the current number of startups in Kazakhstan and Central Asia is insufficient. We can provide a huge boost, resulting in more new strong founders. This means new jobs, taxes, and technological benefits for society.

We already have 150 startups on our platform – these are 150 separate teams that have launched their projects without prior similar experience. We aim to double this number by the end of the year. These will be absolutely new startups that have not previously participated in the technology business.

Partnerships 

We cooperate with Bereke Bank. We help them with product research and the work of internal product teams. In the future, we will also supply the bank with strong startups. We are moving in this direction, working out different scenarios. Working with a large bank will be an excellent precedent for us.

We also work with the American fund USAID, which supported us at the idea stage. They help startups from our platform scale up in the American market.

One successful case is the startup O’zak. We have already attracted $150,000 out of the planned $250,000. Two large corporations have shown interest in this project and are ready to negotiate its potential acquisition.

O’zak came to us at the prototype stage. It joined our community, went through the platform, and began showing impressive results. Previously, the startup had not attracted investments. The founders are former corporate employees, which again underscores the value of the experience and knowledge needed to successfully create a business.

Promotion 

We actively promote ourselves thanks to years of experience and market presence. We are known to almost all current startups. To attract new projects that have not yet participated in major technology events or incubation and acceleration programs, we organize various events. We travel to cities and regions, use digital channels – Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn – to attract the attention of corporate employees who may become future startup founders.

We have a clear vision of how to reach critical mass within a year. Our marketing strategy is built around this goal, and we see excellent growth from month to month.

Additionally, we maintain partnership relations with all active incubators and accelerators, who also recognize our contribution and support the new format of work.

Acceleration Program

We recently launched the application process for our online acceleration program. We expect at least 40 startups from Central Asian countries to participate. Our company founders will monitor the progress of each founder weekly. Our goal is to increase startup metrics by at least three times over eight weeks.

The acceleration differs from other programs in that you do not need to come to a specific location. You do not need to listen to boring workshops for several hours. We have a more flexible format available to anyone. You can use only what you need and request only the necessary information or help from us. For this, we have experts in fundraising, legal issues, finance, and other aspects.

We await your applications at rsbootcamp.com. 

Future Plans

We plan to launch a Smart City acceleration program in Astana. We are interested in cooperating with projects involved in digitalization and improving urban infrastructure.

We will also launch the Turbo Accelerator program. Our goal is to select the 10 most promising startups from our platform by the end of the year and help them raise investments ranging from $3 to $10 million.

We also plan to conduct an incubation program focused on creative youth. We believe that the creative industry will play a key role in the future, and in five to six years, it will dominate compared to the IT industry and startups. 

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

We support a methodology according to which startups should first learn to generate revenue independently. Many come to us asking for funding and investments at early stages of development. Our approach is different: we want projects to demonstrate the ability to break even, covering their own expenses. 

Once they reach this level and decide to raise funding for scaling, we can consider individual support options. At this stage, we and our partners can enter into operational cooperation.

Learn to earn money, attract investments for scaling and marketing, but not for your own salaries and operating expenses.

Do not be afraid to test different hypotheses. If one idea does not work, focus on another. Often, beginners think that if the first attempt fails, there is no point in continuing. However, the main thing in this process is not so much the quality of the market or the technological solution, but the quality of the founder and their team.

We believe that if a founder can go through several unsuccessful attempts, sooner or later they will find a successful idea.