Silkway Accelerator: everything you need to know about Astana Hub's flagship program

Asimbek Abilgazinov, city — Astana, Director of Business Programs Office

About the Silkway Accelerator Program

We help startups enter the market, grow, and move toward international expansion. In this context, we would like to provide more details about Silkway Accelerator — one of our flagship programs, which will be held in Almaty for the first time this year.

The program was launched in 2022 in partnership with Google for Startups — an international organization that develops startup ecosystems worldwide. To date, it is the only program in Central Asia implemented jointly with Google for Startups, making it unique for the region.

This key partnership allows us to attract strong startups and enhance the quality of selection. The program is intensive: it requires high engagement and includes a rich practical content focused on startups at the growth stage.

The results confirm the program's effectiveness: since 2022, 1,470 applications have been submitted, of which only 73 projects were selected. Collectively, participants have attracted up to $48 million in investments, and their total valuation has exceeded $500 million.

Who the program is suitable for and who it is not

The program accepts projects that have already achieved product-market fit (PMF) or are in the stage of active international expansion. These are startups with sustainable growth and clear development dynamics. The main focus of the program is not on validating ideas or finding the first customers, but on scaling and entering new markets.

Within the framework of the program, trackers can deeply analyze the product and help adapt it to current market requirements. Given that the market changes rapidly, especially in the context of artificial intelligence development, product and strategic decisions require constant reassembly and adaptation. For startups stuck at the PMF stage, the program helps reconsider the growth approach and accelerate development.

The program is not oriented toward early-stage projects at the idea level or without sales and a confirmed audience. It will be significantly more difficult for such teams to get into the program. However, having a strong team and a well-developed idea can increase the chances of participation, even at earlier stages.

Geography and team requirements

The program's focus is primarily on Central Asia. Projects from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan are also eligible to participate. Separate slots and opportunities are provided for each country, so startups from these markets are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity and apply to the program.

Special attention is paid to the level of the team. The program is designed for projects at the PMF and scale stages, so the team must be strong and staffed with key roles for growth and development. If team expansion is needed, it is advisable to do this in advance, before the start of the program.

The format assumes high-intensity work: changes to the product may be made regularly, up to a weekly or daily cycle. Therefore, the team's readiness to respond quickly, test hypotheses, and implement changes in real time is important.

At the same time, the founders' experience plays a significant role. Their competencies in business development and growth management largely determine the success of completing the program and further scaling of the project.

How the program is structured

This year, the program format has been updated. The main part will take place in Almaty and last for 12 weeks. Before the start of the main program, a pre-accelerator is provided, into which up to 20 projects will be selected. Its task is to further focus the selection and choose the strongest teams for participation in the main stage.

The main program includes educational and practical content: workshops, guest lectures with international experts, as well as separate events with Google participation. The program is formed in advance and updated annually. Each team is assigned a lead tracker, and consultations with line trackers are also provided.

The format remains flexible: experts and support are selected based on the startups' requests and their current tasks.

For teams from other cities and countries, an offline participation format is provided. During the program period, free accommodation, workspaces, and necessary infrastructure for work are provided.

Examples of successful participants

Among the program participants, there are already cases of significant growth. For example, the Citix project attracted up to $1 million in investments. Also, the zypl.ai project, as part of its participation in the program, increased its valuation from $6 million to $10 million. Such examples are not isolated — in each batch, teams appear that demonstrate noticeable growth and strengthen their positions in the market.

How the program helps enter international markets

Special attention in the program is paid to international expansion. Special sessions are held, and founders with successful experience in entering foreign markets are invited. They participate in guest lectures and share practical cases of business scaling.

At the same time, the main value of the program is not only the educational part but also networking. It is precisely through contacts and interaction with other participants and experts that startups receive the greatest impact and opportunities for growth.

Application process and cost

Applications are accepted until April 30. The cost of participation, as in the previous year, is $20,000 for the three-month program. Two models are available for participants: full payment of the amount or signing a revenue share contract. If a startup completes participation ahead of schedule, the terms will be recalculated according to the program's internal calculation. For selected teams, separate consultations on investments and contract terms are also provided.

Advice on submitting an application

When submitting applications, it is important to carefully fill out the questionnaires. All data must be entered correctly, especially if Cyrillic is required — the information must correspond to official documents, as it may be used when preparing contracts.

Special attention should be paid to business indicators — investments, revenue, sales, and other metrics. It is also important to correctly indicate the development stage. Some teams overstate their stage, for example, claiming scale without entering international markets, which reduces their chances of passing the selection.

At the diagnostic stage, the project itself is evaluated: traditional offline businesses are usually filtered out, as the focus is on technological startups. Next, traction is analyzed — sales, market understanding, key metrics, especially for the PMF stage. Scalability and technologies are also evaluated, and the final factor is the team, with the main emphasis on traction and revenue.

If necessary, you can contact the hub in Almaty or call 1818 for consultation.