Astana Hub The Engine of Digital Transformation in Kazakhstan
Abdulhamid Hamid Al-Kba
On March 31, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev announced during a government meeting that Astana Hub exported information technology services worth 328 billion Kazakh tenge, equivalent to $681 million, during the year 2025.This achievement represents a qualitative leap for Kazakhstan’s technology sector, which has historically relied on natural resources such as oil and minerals.Established in 2018 as part of Kazakhstan’s Digital Kazakhstan strategy, the center is located at the site of Expo 2017 and has become the primary hub for innovation in Central Asia.The role of Astana Hub revolves around building an integrated innovation ecosystem.
It serves as a one-stop window for supporting technology entrepreneurship, hosts business acceleration programs, and connects startups with investors and international markets.Its growth focuses on four main pillars:
Stimulating industrial innovation,
Applying digital solutions in the subsurface sector (such as exploration and mining),
Developing the ecological environment through the Hub itself,
Forming a national innovation cluster.
In cooperation with the Astana City Administration, the program integrates startups into the urban environment to secure real commercial contracts.The Hub also supports the AI Entrepreneurs program, launched in September 2024. Since then, it has completed three cohorts comprising 35 startups, guiding them from the idea stage to investment.Tangible and diverse successes have been achieved. By the end of 2025, residents of the Hub had created more than 32,500 job opportunities, while 537 companies exported IT services to 111 countries worldwide.The center currently hosts approximately 2,000 technology companies and extends its network to 20 regional platforms and four international platforms. Participants’ revenues exceeded $1.5 billion (800 billion tenge), representing a 20% growth compared to the previous year.These figures are not merely statistics; they translate into real economic growth. Astana Hub contributed to raising national IT exports to $1 billion in 2025, a 31% increase compared to 2024.The importance of the center goes beyond financial numbers. Kazakhstan, a resource-rich country striving for economic diversification, finds in Astana Hub a strategic tool to shift toward a knowledge-based economy. It reduces dependence on oil, enhances global competitiveness by training talent in artificial intelligence, financial technology, and blockchain, and attracts international talent through digital visa programs, transforming Astana into a magnet for innovation in Central Asia.In a world witnessing a fierce race in artificial intelligence, the center helps place Kazakhstan on the global digital map, particularly through the launch of international platforms such as Digital Bridge.Personal View:
Astana Hub represents a successful model for emerging countries seeking to break free from rentier economies. Its achievements in job creation, attracting investments, and exporting high-quality services are clear.Analytically, the center succeeded because it combined strong government support — including tax exemptions, acceleration programs, and international partnerships such as Google for Startups — which enabled the transformation of ideas into exportable products.However, balance requires acknowledging the challenges: heavy reliance on government support may hinder long-term sustainability if private investment does not increase. Kazakhstan also faces fierce competition from hubs in India and Singapore, along with geopolitical challenges and supply chain issues.I believe the real success will be measured by the center’s ability to produce independent unicorns (billion-dollar companies) and train 10,000 AI specialists by 2030, as officials aspire.Positively, the center shows great potential for growth if it continues to innovate and remain open.In conclusion, Astana Hub is not just a technology center; it is a symbol of Kazakhstan’s digital future. Thanks to its 2025 achievements, it has become a model of sustainable development in the region. By focusing on balancing government support with private initiative, this center can transform Kazakhstan into a genuine regional technological power.The road ahead is still long, but the beginning is promising and deserves continuous monitoring and support.
Writer and Researcher in Central Asian and Azerbaijani Affairs
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