A new investment fund, AP Astana, is being launched in Central Asia to support startups.

Accelerate Prosperity, in partnership with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), announces the launch of an investment fund under the Green and Inclusive Growth Fund (GIG Fund). The fund is targeted at startups and small growing companies in Central Asia that are already demonstrating results but currently lack access to the necessary financial instruments.

The announcement was made at the regional GITEX AI conference in Almaty, which brought together investors, founders, and key players in the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem to discuss the future of venture capital and innovation in Central Asia.

Imran Shams, Global Executive Director of Accelerate Prosperity
In ideas that are just taking shape and businesses that are just awakening, we invest trust, capital, and time. AP Astana opens the next chapter of Central Asia’s entrepreneurial story.

The new fund is designed for those traditionally overlooked by existing financial instruments: women founders, young entrepreneurs, people with disabilities, as well as companies contributing to the region’s green economy. Priority is given to businesses demonstrating real growth potential, particularly at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages.

AP Astana bridges this gap by providing flexible financing at the Pre-Seed and Seed stages, along with practical support in preparing for investment. By 2030, the plan is to finance 110 businesses and attract and mobilize approximately $30 million.

AP Astana, together with FCDO, is launching a regional investment mechanism for Central Asia to help technology startups and growing companies access funding. The program offers flexible financial instruments for businesses with high growth potential and assists promising companies in preparing to attract investment and connect with new investors.

The fund will serve as a driver for enhancing the investment attractiveness of Central Asia, opening the region to new partnerships and international capital.

Charlie Morris, FCDO Advisor for Economic Development in Central Asia
We see entrepreneurs across the region who have the courage and ideas. Through the Fund, the UK is providing what has been missing: investment capital and support for the next step. By facilitating early-stage development, we help create companies that will become engines of long-term growth, innovation, and job creation in Central Asia.Details of the program, including instructions for applying for investment, will be published in the coming weeks on the website