The WIT Teens Challenge 2026 took place in Almaty.

On October 4, 2026, the WIT Teens Challenge 2026 took place at De Montfort University Kazakhstan in Almaty. This youth technology event, organized by Women in Tech Teens Kazakhstan, combined two tracks: Startup Battle and Hackathon.

The second round of the competition was held in an offline format. It involved 97 participants aged 14 to 20 and 30 teams: 15 in Startup Battle and 15 in Hackathon.

Finalists presented their startup ideas and technological solutions to experts and the jury. Winners were determined, and special awards were given in the categories of Best Female Founder, Best Female Technologist, and Female Impact Maker. The total prize fund amounted to 1,000,000 tenge.

The event was supported by Epimex Central Asia, Sinomed Group, Sherman Group, QueZqa, Red Zebra, Ona Brands, Invictus GO, Happy Cake, Samal Water, De Montfort University Kazakhstan, and BIL Barbie FTC Team.

The first place in the hackathon was taken by the team InVision, which received 200,000 tenge for the AREA MAP project — an app for hikers. It displays a pre-downloaded route, calculates whether the user will return before dark, and alerts rescuers in advance about the user’s destination and expected return time.

The team captain is Zharina Serikovna Doszhanova. Team members are Rasul Rinatuly Kapash, Aidar Ersainovich Sartayev, and Yerasyl Adilzhanovych Nurpeisov.

The second place was taken by the team NaBubbles, which received 100,000 tenge for the Shoqan project — a digital platform where school students can independently conduct experiments in chemistry, physics, biology, and computer science. It currently includes 34 laboratory works from the school curriculum of Kazakhstan for grades 7–10.

The project addresses the lack of equipment in educational institutions, where students often study theory without the opportunity to conduct practical experiments.

Shoqan was tested with students and teachers at NIS in Atyrau and Pifagor Middle School in Almaty. In December 2026, the team plans to launch a pilot project in 10–15 educational institutions, including rural ones. The platform will be free for students.

The team captain is Nazia Maratkyzy Kalyam. Team member is Ayzada Sagymbekkzy Beisenbek.

The third place was taken by the team HackedIn, which received 50,000 tenge for DeepProof — an AI platform for verifying the authenticity of digital content. It analyzes texts, images, videos, and documents, identifies signs of AI generation or manipulation, checks facts against sources, and generates a Trust Report with an assessment of content reliability.

The team captain is Kauser Khayrollaqyzy Otebay. Team member is Aghayev Seymur.

In the Best Female Technologist category, the team TygerByte won, receiving 100,000 tenge for Symptom Atlas — an app that helps patients record symptoms, including pain localization and intensity, using a 3D body model.

The team captain is Aknur Nurbekkzy Mukhametkali. Team members are Ayzere Rustemkyzy Zhumakan and Alina Erlanova Makhatayeva.

The team Cool Guys 2026 won a free subscription to Invictus GO for BioLab — a virtual biochemistry laboratory for high school students. The platform combines theory, practical experiments, biochemical analysis, and research.

Key features of the project include functions for people with visual and hearing impairments, offline operation, an offline AI teacher, and support for three languages: Kazakh, Russian, and English. According to the team, conducting an experiment takes 0.7 seconds.

The team captain is Karina Ernisovna Abdysheva. Team members are Sanzhar Kuralbay, Alisultan Mameseit, Sofia Kim, and Tomiris Zhetkizgen.

The first place in Startup Battle was taken by the team Asar, which received 200,000 tenge for the eponymous Kazakhstani social-ecological startup aimed at reducing food waste and promoting conscious consumption.

The project’s mission is to help businesses reduce losses, save products from disposal, and make conscious consumption more accessible.

The team captain is Akerke Bakyt. Team member is Adiya Sultanbek.

The second place was taken by the team SuGuard, which received 100,000 tenge for a Kazakhstani med-tech startup developing a technology for non-invasive glucose level assessment using sensor technologies, mathematical modeling, and artificial intelligence.

The team captain is Adiya Ernazarqyzy Mukhambetzhan. Team members are Zhasmin Zussipkyzy, Bekarys Mahsot, Merey Bektenov, and Sauran Gilym.

The third place was taken by the team Jude, which received 50,000 tenge for JUDE — an AI platform for automated creation of individual orthosis models.

The target audience of the project is prosthetic-orthopedic clinics and rehabilitation centers in Kazakhstan that use 3D printing to produce individual orthoses.

The team captain is Ayaulym Balginbayeva. Team member is Daria Bekbolat.

In the Female Impact Maker category, the team SecureBala won, receiving 100,000 tenge for a mobile app for children aged 4 to 7. It turns safety education into a game and helps parents ensure that children know how to act in various situations.

The team captain is Dayana Bakhytzhanovna Kubeeva. Team member is Aymy Mynbay.

In the Best Female Founder category, the team Purely won, receiving 100,000 tenge for a web app that helps analyze the composition of cosmetic products and make more informed purchasing decisions.

Additional features of Purely include environmental analytics based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and a map of recycling points, allowing users to find eco-points near their homes.

The team captain is Anna Shishkina. Team members are Samira Ilyarova and Aiaru Kanatova.