Astana Hub and Draper University have launched the second batch of the Hero Training accelerator program designed for entrepreneurs and startups seeking to expand their businesses in the international market, QazMonitor reports citing Astana Hub’s press service.
A total of 129 startups from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey submitted their applications for the program. After a selection process, which included screening and diagnostics, 80 startups were chosen for the online pre-acceleration program called "Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship." Following this phase, 12 startups were selected for the offline accelerator program held at Draper University. The selected startups include AlgoFarm, Prosper Pay, Loca, Pipedata AI, EZ FACTOR, Hired Valley, TrustMe, myMind, Oku Toku, WhoockAI, Oraclus, and CheckAuto.
“Participants of the Hero Training program spend up to six months at Draper University's campus, where they receive accommodation and workspace. This unique opportunity enables startups to attract investments and gain access to the American market while benefiting from the guidance of experienced tech entrepreneurs and Draper University's ecosystem experts. Graduates from the first batch, which consisted of 15 startups that ventured to California in May of this year, have successfully completed their training and are actively working on product development, securing investments, and scaling their projects on a global scale,” highlighted Magzhan Madiyev, the CEO of Astana Hub.
The founder of Draper University, Tim Draper, recently visited Kazakhstan to participate in Digital Bridge 2023. During his visit, he met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and filmed an episode of his startup reality show, "Meet the Drapers." As part of this show, one Kazakh startup was selected to participate in the final competition, with the chance to compete for a $1 million investment.