Startup Tour in Almaty: following the results of the first day

On March 30, 2016 in Almaty Management University successfully passed the first day of Startup Tour of Skolkovo Foundation. Nearly 700 participants was registered on the event – businessmen and scientists from all Kazakhstan.

The second year in a row the Southern capital of Kazakhstan, with assistance of Independent Cluster Fund "Park of Innovative Technologies" (Almaty Tech Garden) and under the auspices of the Ministry of investments and development of RK, approves the most scale project of the CIS on search of perspective innovative projects and development of competences of beginners a startup teams. The co-organizer of the Euroasian stage Startup Tour - Fund of infrastructure and educational programs RUSNANO.

The general partner of the tour in Kazakhstan, as well as in the last year, acts Almaty Management University on which site on March 30-31, 2016 takes place this grandiose event.

At an opening ceremony, the deputy mayor of the city of Almaty, Erlan Aukenov, marked efficiency of cooperation of innovative community of Kazakhstan with Skolkovo Foundation.

Erlan Aukenov, deputy mayor of the city of Almaty: «Startup Tour - a real chance to present not only the project, but also themselves. The event takes place in our city for the second time, and I want to note that this year the number of young participants who have submitted an application for participation in the competition has increased significantly. This demonstrates the interest of young people in Kazakhstan to innovation and entrepreneurship. This is a good foundation for a new generation, completely - different-minded entrepreneurs. If at least 10% of the 800 submitted projects will be implemented - this can be considered as a great success. I hope together we will succeed!"

Assylbek Kozhakhmetov, the President of Almaty Management University gave welcome speech to participants and guests of Startup Tour: "It is good that such an initiative as the Startup Tour is, that the number of business start-ups and projects is growing every year. In my opinion, in order to make this movement more widespread, it is necessary to unite government, business - community and the education system in the first place, entrepreneurial universities, such as the Almaty Management University. Startup Tour is important for us because it can be a good platform to promote a model of entrepreneurial universities in Kazakhstan and at the same time strengthen the cooperation of Kazakh and Russian innovation community."

Renat Batyrov, CEO of CEO of Technopark "Skolkovo": "Last year when we for the first time came to Kazakhstan, we weren't sure how everything will work, however we were pleasantly surprised with quantity and quality of startups, attention of local authorities and press. This year, thinking that the last year's success cannot be repeated, we expected approximately the same results. Fortunately, the quantity and quality of startups, again pleasantly surprised with attention of local authorities and representatives of mass media. We would like to emphasize the role of universities in the training of qualified personnel and the development of Kazakhstan's innovation community."

March 30 held mentoring session on the development of technological projects with invited authoritative experts, where young entrepreneurs have received satisfactory answers to questions about how to properly and efficiently develop technologically sophisticated, high-tech projects, where to look for funding, and which investors to offer their development.

The round table "The efficiency of public administration and big data analytics" was presented by Vitaliy Sayapin, director of EMC Kazakhstan: "We actively support such projects as "Skolkovo" Foundation, especially aimed at supporting start-ups in order to develop an innovation ecosystem of Russia and Kazakhstan. After many years of cooperation with "Skolkovo" Foundation, we have repeatedly convinced that such events are useful because they give impetus to the development of regional business and contribute to the strengthening of international cooperation in the field of innovation and high technology. "

Second day of Startup Tour in Almaty devoted to the competitive part where the team members that have passed preliminary expert selection, present their innovative projects to the jury, which will determine the winners in five areas: information technology, energy and energy efficient technologies, biological and medical technologies, industrial technologies and materials, biotechnology in agriculture. In addition, the winner in the category of autonomous Cluster Foundation "Park of innovative technologies» (AlmatyTechGarden) will be determined.

Sponsors of the event in Almaty were the most innovative bank of Kazakhstan - Capital Bank Kazakhstan and Pizza Hut - the largest pizza chain in the world.