Central Asia strengthens its position on the innovation map
Central Asia is stepping up efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen its position on the global innovation map. This week, Almaty hosted INKazakhstan, an event bringing together leading figures from the tech and venture ecosystem. Its goal was to advance regional cooperation in technology and entrepreneurship. The key outcome was a memorandum of cooperation signed between SABAH.HUB and Al-Farabi Innovation Hub to support new technologies and startup ecosystems.
The event was part of the INMerge Innovation Summit — a platform connecting the tech ecosystems of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Organized with the support of Astana Hub, it highlighted the importance of international cooperation for sustainable innovation growth in the region.
Startups, investors, business representatives, and government officials discussed ways to accelerate digital transformation, strengthen ties between tech hubs, and prepare for the main summit taking place in Baku in September 2025, where these partnerships are expected to reach a global stage.
The program featured a talk on how systemic change and corporate culture help companies adapt to future challenges, followed by two panel discussions. The first, "A New Silk Road of Innovation: Building Regional Alliances for Scalable Growth," focused on strategies for expanding partnerships and identifying new opportunities. The second, "From Competition to Collaboration: How Corporations and Startups Are Shaping the Future of Innovation in the Caspian Region," explored how collaboration between large companies and young tech teams drives technological development and economic diversification.
The day concluded with a startup pitch competition, where young companies presented their projects to a jury of investors and ecosystem leaders. The winner, Porte Tech, earned the opportunity to pitch at INMerge 2025 in Baku in front of international investors and potential partners.
INKazakhstan underscored the region's ambition to build an innovation corridor connecting Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East, and to strengthen its position in the global tech market.
The event was part of the INMerge Innovation Summit — a platform connecting the tech ecosystems of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East. Organized with the support of Astana Hub, it highlighted the importance of international cooperation for sustainable innovation growth in the region.
Startups, investors, business representatives, and government officials discussed ways to accelerate digital transformation, strengthen ties between tech hubs, and prepare for the main summit taking place in Baku in September 2025, where these partnerships are expected to reach a global stage.
The program featured a talk on how systemic change and corporate culture help companies adapt to future challenges, followed by two panel discussions. The first, "A New Silk Road of Innovation: Building Regional Alliances for Scalable Growth," focused on strategies for expanding partnerships and identifying new opportunities. The second, "From Competition to Collaboration: How Corporations and Startups Are Shaping the Future of Innovation in the Caspian Region," explored how collaboration between large companies and young tech teams drives technological development and economic diversification.
The day concluded with a startup pitch competition, where young companies presented their projects to a jury of investors and ecosystem leaders. The winner, Porte Tech, earned the opportunity to pitch at INMerge 2025 in Baku in front of international investors and potential partners.
INKazakhstan underscored the region's ambition to build an innovation corridor connecting Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Middle East, and to strengthen its position in the global tech market.
About the organizations
SABAH.HUB is an innovation development center in Azerbaijan, running educational and acceleration programs for startups and young entrepreneurs in FinTech, GreenTech, Web3, and other fields. It partners with international education and venture organizations to help projects reach the global market.
Tumar Innovation Hub is an international startup support center founded in 2024 with the participation of Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. It helps tech teams from Central Asia and the Caucasus scale their projects through educational programs, mentorship, and investor access, with a focus on building cooperation with Middle Eastern innovation ecosystems.
Astana Hub is the largest international technopark and IT startup support center in Central Asia, established in 2017–2018 under Kazakhstan's "Digital Kazakhstan" state program. It offers acceleration programs, educational courses, labs, and dedicated infrastructure for tech entrepreneurship.
INMerge Innovation Summit is a leading regional platform for innovation, startups, and venture investment, organized by PASHA Holding since 2021, featuring experts and ecosystem leaders from over 50 countries across the Caucasus, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. The next INMerge Summit will take place September 29–30, 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan. INKazakhstan in Almaty was part of the lead-up program strengthening regional innovation ties.
Tumar Innovation Hub is an international startup support center founded in 2024 with the participation of Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. It helps tech teams from Central Asia and the Caucasus scale their projects through educational programs, mentorship, and investor access, with a focus on building cooperation with Middle Eastern innovation ecosystems.
Astana Hub is the largest international technopark and IT startup support center in Central Asia, established in 2017–2018 under Kazakhstan's "Digital Kazakhstan" state program. It offers acceleration programs, educational courses, labs, and dedicated infrastructure for tech entrepreneurship.
INMerge Innovation Summit is a leading regional platform for innovation, startups, and venture investment, organized by PASHA Holding since 2021, featuring experts and ecosystem leaders from over 50 countries across the Caucasus, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East. The next INMerge Summit will take place September 29–30, 2025, in Baku, Azerbaijan. INKazakhstan in Almaty was part of the lead-up program strengthening regional innovation ties.