Starlink in Kazakhstan and PNG update: what's new in June in the world and Central Asia

We have prepared a review of key IT events in June that are impacting technologies and digital services worldwide and in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan launches the first sovereign AI factory in Central Asia based on NVIDIA
This will enable the processing of massive volumes of data and the training of complex AI models applicable in sectors such as finance, aviation, mining, oil and gas, and construction.

Venture fund Imkon Ventures launched in Uzbekistan to support startups
The fund was co-founded by venture investor Takhir Mirzadjanov from Qatar and Muhammad Khalil, founder of Startup Garage and managing partner of Imkon Ventures. The fund will invest in startups in the fields of FinTech, AI, B2B SaaS, and DeepTech, with a focus on projects with cross-border growth potential.

Microsoft introduces a free AI tool for creating videos in Bing
Microsoft announced the launch of Bing Video Creator, a new tool in the mobile Bing app that allows users to create short video clips for free using OpenAI's Sora model.

Firebird and the Government of Armenia launch a $500 million AI initiative with NVIDIA
The project aims to accelerate technological innovation, develop the economy, and strengthen Armenia's regional leadership in the field of artificial intelligence.

Agreement signed in Kazakhstan for the launch of Starlink satellite internet
The document provides for the official launch of sales of Starlink satellite terminals for the population of Kazakhstan, with a start expected in the third quarter of 2025. The implementation of the project will be an important step in providing high-speed satellite internet to remote and hard-to-reach regions of the country.

10G network to be implemented in Astana with the participation of Huawei and "Astana Innovations"
The first step will be the demonstration launch of Huawei's 10G network in Astana. This solution will serve as the foundation for the emergence of next-generation services, ensure high connection speeds, resilience of digital infrastructure, and create a basis for the development of smart city solutions.

Midjourney presents its first video generation model V1
The new product works on the principle of "image to video": the user uploads an image, and the system creates four videos, each five seconds long.

PNG receives a major update with new graphics capabilities
The PNG format, one of the most widely used graphic standards, has received its first major specification update since 2003. The main innovation is full HDR support.

ForteBank acquires 100% of Home Credit Bank shares
Customers of JSC ForteBank and JSC Home Credit Bank will be served under the previous terms—all existing contracts remain in force, and the banks' obligations will be fulfilled in full.

First H200 GPU chip cluster launched in Central Asia in Tajikistan
The project has completed all stages required for cluster launch: export license from the US Government, partnership with NVIDIA and Supermicro, and supply chain logistics. greendarya.ai is of strategic importance for the future of Tajikistan.

iOS 26 and Apple Intelligence
At WWDC 2025, Apple presented iOS 26 with a new artificial intelligence system, Apple Intelligence—a set of smart tools available on iPhone 15 Pro and newer, iPad with M1 and newer, and Mac with M1 and newer.