Almaty brought together investors, founders, entrepreneurs, and startup ecosystem leaders for MOST Investments Night, a major event focused on innovation and venture capital, DKNews.kz reports.
The centerpiece of the evening was the Demo Day of the first cohort of the Investment Readiness Accelerator (IRA) Almaty 2026 program. During the event, 15 startups that completed the accelerator presented their projects to potential investors and partners.
More than 150 guests attended the gathering, including investors, corporate representatives, program partners, startup alumni, and members of the entrepreneurial community.
For investors, the event provided an opportunity to meet teams that had received mentorship support, strengthened their business models, and prepared for attracting investment.
Fifteen Startups Present Their Solutions
Participants showcased projects across a range of rapidly growing technology sectors.
The startups presenting at Demo Day included:
- 7BE
- ARQA AI
- Ascle
- BOOKEAT
- Duxport
- ImAI Tech
- JUST TO STUDY
- LOOQ
- ORA
- PawPrint
- RBX
- SkillPass
- Staybook
- STIKER AI
- YOYOROOMS AI LAB
The companies introduced solutions in areas such as:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- EdTech
- HRTech
- TravelTech
- HealthTech
- Digital business services
The presentations highlighted the diversity of Kazakhstan’s growing technology ecosystem and the increasing number of startups targeting scalable regional and international markets.
BOOKEAT Secures Investment Commitment
One of the key announcements of the evening was an investment agreement involving the startup BOOKEAT.
The company secured a commitment for a $100,000 investment from Askat Sagdiev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MOST Holding, as part of a broader $200,000 investment round.
The startup team first met the investor during the Open Day event held as part of the accelerator program.
The agreement became one of the first tangible investment outcomes of the IRA Almaty 2026 cohort.
Helping Startups Become Investment-Ready
According to MOST Holding CEO Pavel Koktyshev, the accelerator is designed to help startups strengthen their investment potential and prepare for fundraising.
«IRA’s main goal is to prepare startups for attracting investment and increase their investment attractiveness. In addition, support from the city creates extra opportunities for them to pilot their solutions, establish partnerships, and continue growing. We would like to thank the Almaty city administration for supporting the program and contributing to the development of the city’s innovation ecosystem»
The program is implemented with the support of the Almaty City Administration and the city’s Digitalization Department.
Founders Share Lessons from Failure
The event continued with a series of talks in the popular Fckup Stories* format, where entrepreneurs openly discussed mistakes, challenges, and lessons learned throughout their business journeys.
Speakers included:
- Zhandos Tursynbayev
- Diana Kamaladin
- Yelzhan Kushekbayev
- Aidyn Aidyngali
- Sabina Beisembay
The sessions focused on the realities of building startups and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship.
Building a Stronger Startup Ecosystem
MOST Business Intelligence CEO Dias Kozhatayev said the accelerator is intended to become more than just a startup support program.
«We see the IRA program not simply as an accelerator, but as infrastructure for creating a new generation of technology companies emerging from Central Asia. Our mission is not only to help startups attract investment, but also to support them in building sustainable business models capable of scaling beyond local markets. Today, it is critically important to create an ecosystem where entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations operate as a unified mechanism. IRA is designed precisely for this purpose – to bridge the gap between ideas, capital, and the real growth of companies»
According to organizers, the long-term objective is to strengthen collaboration between startups, investors, corporations, and public institutions to accelerate innovation across the region.
International Partnership Supports Program
The official partner of the IRA accelerator is JANA POST, a digital logistics company specializing in cross-border and e-commerce deliveries between China and Central Asian countries.
The partnership reflects the growing interest of international companies in supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.
Why This Matters
Kazakhstan’s startup ecosystem has been expanding rapidly in recent years, with growing interest from investors, technology companies, and government institutions.
Programs such as IRA Almaty 2026 are designed to help young companies move beyond the early-stage phase by improving investment readiness, testing products in real-world conditions, and building connections with investors and corporate partners.
The successful investment commitment secured by BOOKEAT demonstrates that local startups are increasingly attracting serious attention from the investment community and highlights Almaty’s role as one of Central Asia’s leading innovation hubs.
