Continuing its journey with the ambition of becoming a global innovation platform, the INMerge Innovation Summit expanded its outreach with another regional event. Held on June 17, 2025, in the heart of Almaty, the event took place in partnership with Astana Hub, Kazakhstan’s leading technology center.
Hosted at the Rixos Almaty hotel, this exclusive event brought together the region’s startups, corporate leaders, investors, and key stakeholders of the innovation ecosystem, offering a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaboration. The event was moderated by Aida Haidar, Head of the News Department at The Astana Times, while the opening keynote was delivered by Patrycja Riera, a renowned expert in organizational transformation and systems change.
Two main panel discussions were held as part of the event. The first panel, titled “The New Silk Road of Innovation: Fostering Regional Alliances for Scalable Growth”, featured Ainur Temirkhankyzy (Freedom Bank Kazakhstan), Nurlan Yesmagambetov (Kazakhstan Venture Group), Rahim Bayramli (SABAH.HUB), and Nurdaulet Bazylbekov (Eurasian Hub Ventures), with moderation by Assem Bolatzhan, CEO of Women in Tech Kazakhstan.
The second panel, “From Competition to Collaboration: How Corporates and Startups are Shaping the Future of Innovation in the Caspian Region”, included Jalal Gasimov (PASHA Holding), Rostislav Konyashkin (Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan), Didar Karimsakov (Kazakhstan Investment Corporation), Askar Zhambakin (Kcell), and Renat Bekturov (AIFC), moderated by Asset Abdualiyev, Founder and CEO of the Silkroad Innovation Hub.
"Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan face similar challenges, especially in the development of human capital. We have talented people, but it is important to build a sustainable system that enables them to realize their potential. The closer the regional cooperation, the more opportunities will open up for startups. We are united by culture, history, and a shared mindset - and this makes our partnership not only logical but truly promising. Today, INMerge is becoming a dynamic platform for driving real change, and our focus spans Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, as well as the MENA region and Eastern Europe" - noted Jalal Gasimov, Chief Executive Officer of PASHA Holding.
Another highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between SABAH.HUB and Al-Farabi Innovation Hub on innovation development, underscoring a shared commitment to advancing the regional innovation ecosystem.
As with previous regional side events held in Türkiye and Georgia, one of the key elements of the Kazakhstan program was the “INbattle” startup competition, organized to showcase the country’s most promising startups. The competition served as a dynamic platform, offering selected teams the opportunity to participate in the INMerge Innovation Summit to be held in Baku on September 29–30, 2025.
