Visa and Halyk Announce the Launch of Applications for the Fourth Wave of She’s Next, DKnews.kz reports.
Kazakhstan is launching the application process for participation in the fourth wave of She’s Next. This global initiative is aimed at supporting and developing women’s entrepreneurship and is implemented in Kazakhstan by Visa in partnership with Halyk.
Since 2021, almost 30,000 aspiring and established women entrepreneurs from across Kazakhstan have participated in She’s Next. Winners of previous waves received grants totaling 29 million tenge, which enabled them to both launch new business initiatives and scale existing projects.
Any woman who is already developing a business or only considering starting her own venture can take part in the initiative. This year, participation has become even more accessible — one simply needs to register on the She’s Next platform, submit a business plan and a video pitch.
“Supporting women’s entrepreneurship is not only a contribution to economic development but also an important step towards a more just and sustainable society. The She’s Next project, implemented by Visa and Halyk, has already shown excellent results, and we are proud to be part of this initiative.
In the new wave, we are placing particular emphasis on women entrepreneurs from regions and mono-towns — those who are often left out of major support programs. We are confident that knowledge, mentoring support, and access to finance will help participants not only strengthen their businesses but also inspire other women to move forward. This will also contribute to the formation of a new generation of leaders capable of transforming the social and business environment and developing local communities,” said Umut Shayakhmetova, Chair of the Management Board of Halyk.
Applications are accepted until August 7. Based on the results of the expert commission's selection, 30 finalists will have the opportunity to take part in She’s Next Camp — a closed two-day business intensive that will be held in Almaty. At She’s Next Camp, they will participate in practical workshops, educational sessions, and receive mentoring support from leading Kazakhstani experts, which will serve as preparation for the main stage — project pitching in front of a jury. The winners will receive cash grants to launch or develop their businesses.
In addition to the new format, this year She’s Next is also expanding its business categories. In addition to the traditional “Start-up Business” and “Existing Business” categories, a new one has been added — “IT Business”, for those women entrepreneurs who are developing or dreaming of building a technology-based business.
“Supporting women’s entrepreneurship is one of Visa’s key priorities. We are pleased to launch the fourth wave of the global She’s Next initiative in Kazakhstan, where more and more women are actively engaging in the economy.
She’s Next is not only about financial assistance — it’s also about knowledge, networking, inspiration, and support that enable women to create and grow their own businesses. We believe that the new format of the initiative will help discover even more talented women entrepreneurs ready to change the economy and society for the better,” said Kristina Dorosh, Senior Vice President, Regional Manager of Visa in Ukraine, Georgia, CIS countries, and Southeast Europe.
For the third consecutive year, the initiative is being implemented with the support of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan “ASMAR”, which creates local business communities and promotes the development of women’s entrepreneurship in the country by providing women with access to education, mentoring, and financial support.
“She’s Next is more than just a competition. For thousands of women, especially in regions and mono-towns, it is one of the few functioning social elevators.
When we see a woman from a small town who, thanks to a grant or a soft loan, not only starts her own business but also creates jobs for her neighbors — this is real development for the country.
Every success story born within this program breaks down mental barriers for other women and creates new role models to follow. Our task as an association is to replicate this success across Kazakhstan,” said Lazzat Ramazanova, Chair of the Presidium of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan “ASMAR” and Deputy Chair of the National Commission on Women and Family-Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Detailed Terms and Project Stages of the Fourth Wave of She’s Next
Categories of Participants in the Fourth Wave of the Initiative
- Existing Business
- Start-up Business
- IT Business
Project Stages
- Registration. From June 23 to August 7, women entrepreneurs from Kazakhstan must register on the She’s Next platform to participate in the initiative.
- Business Plans and Video Pitches. From August 8 to August 22, after the registration period ends, each participant will be able to submit a detailed business plan and a video pitch of up to 2 minutes.
In the video pitch, the entrepreneur should talk about her project or idea, her goals and motivation, and explain why she deserves to become a participant of She’s Next Camp. - Selection of Finalists. From August 23 to September 12, the expert commission will review all submitted business plans and video pitches. Based on the evaluation, 30 finalists will be selected — ten in each category — who will travel to Almaty to participate in She’s Next Camp.
- She’s Next Camp. The final event will be held in the format of a two-day business intensive, where participants will go through an educational program and prepare their business plans for pitching.
On the second day of She’s Next Camp, a project defense will be held in front of the jury. Based on the results of the pitch, 7 winners will be selected in three categories:
- 3 winners in the “Existing Business” category
- 3 winners in the “Start-up Business” category
- 1 winner in the “IT Business” category
Prize Fund
“Existing Business” Category
- 1st place — 5,000,000 KZT grant
- 2nd place — 3,000,000 KZT grant
- 3rd place — 2,000,000 KZT grant
“Start-up Business” Category
- 1st place — 3,000,000 KZT grant
- 2nd place — 2,000,000 KZT grant
- 3rd place — 1,000,000 KZT grant
“IT Business” Category
- 1,500,000 KZT grant
- In addition, the winner will travel to Visa’s Innovation Center in Dubai, where the latest technologies are explored, and solutions shaping the future of payments are developed.
Updates about the initiative and announcements at every stage will be published in the official She’s Next Telegram channel and on the social media pages of Visa and Halyk.
