The AI’preneurs acceleration program, designed to foster AI-focused startup development, attracted 250 applications, from which 50 talented specialists—developers, engineers, managers, and entrepreneurs—were selected to participate. During the program, participants launched 21 startups, 9 of which successfully completed the acceleration process, with 7 top-performing teams receiving funding under the Seed Money program.
AI’preneurs, an initiative by Astana Hub, brings together leading specialists from diverse fields to form teams and develop AI-driven startups. Over four intensive months, participants progressed from team formation and idea generation to creating startups ready for market entry.
“AI’preneurs is a groundbreaking program, the first in Kazakhstan to serve as a platform for launching AI startups. Here, projects are built from scratch and achieve remarkable results in a short time. Our first batch has set a high bar: the AI CARD startup is already implementing its solutions in city hospitals; AVM.AI has signed contracts with major companies, successfully tested its MVP with over 30 users, and trained a model with 1 billion parameters distributed across data centers in France and the U.S.; Chat Insider AI evolved from a simple idea to a service for analyzing workplace chats now used by clients in Kazakhstan and Europe; and KAFTAN offers an innovative approach to learning Turkic languages. We aim to scale this program further to attract even more talent. I am confident that the projects born out of AI’preneurs will drive global success and make significant contributions to technological advancements,” said Magzhan Madiyev, CEO of Astana Hub.
AI’preneurs has not only showcased the high caliber of tech specialists in Kazakhstan but also highlighted the country’s potential in developing AI solutions. Through the program, teams received access to mentorship, the infrastructure of the Astana Hub tech park, and international networks, enabling a strong start. Key contributors to the acceleration process were leading trackers Yevgeny Frolov and Nikolay Tyan, who worked closely with the startups, offering hands-on guidance and weekly board meetings to refine hypotheses.
Of the 21 startups launched during the program, 9 have successfully completed acceleration, presenting robust MVPs:
- AI CARD: An AI solution for automating heart ultrasound diagnostics. The system analyzes images in real time, comparing them against benchmark data to support doctors in making decisions.
- AVM.AI: A platform that unites distributed GPUs from around the world for AI tasks, addressing the shortage and high cost of GPUs essential for AI systems.
- Chat Insider AI: An AI-powered service for analyzing employee behavior through workplace chats. It monitors engagement, identifies potential issues, and provides actionable recommendations for managers and HR teams.
- KAFTAN: A gamified Telegram mini-app that helps users learn Turkic languages and history through engaging gameplay. Built on the TON blockchain and integrated with AI technologies, the project rewards progress and personalizes tasks, enabling deeper exploration of cultural heritage.
- SalesFlow: An AI-based platform designed to enhance lead management and increase demo conversions for SMEs. It automates follow-ups, reactivates “cold” leads, and optimizes sales processes via multichannel integrations with CRM systems like Salesforce and HubSpot.
- Salyq.AI: A startup simplifying tax declaration filing and offering AI-based tax consultation for private investors and employees with diverse assets (stocks, cryptocurrency, foreign holdings). The platform processes brokerage reports, performs calculations, and auto-fills tax forms for accurate and quick filing.
- Qural.AI: A solution for HR departments to boost employee productivity and satisfaction through personalized development strategies and AI-powered career coaching.
- Skideo: A platform helping football clubs and academies maximize revenues in player transactions by discovering young talents in youth leagues and remote regions. Using AI-driven video analysis, the platform provides insights on 8,000 players for $10K monthly, outperforming competitors reliant on manual data collection.
- Re:create Video: A platform analyzing trending topics and enabling the effortless creation of viral content for social media. It offers ready-to-use ideas and tools for video production, helping bloggers and businesses expand their reach and attract new audiences.
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Astana Hub is the largest technology park in Central Asia, dedicated to fostering the creation and growth of tech businesses. Its key activities include supporting startup projects, advancing innovative technologies, and training tech professionals. With over 1,500 registered tech companies—including 400+ with international participation—the tech park has created more than 28,000 jobs and contributed nearly $1 billion in tech exports for Kazakhstan since its official launch in 2018.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Smart Herald journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.