Digital Qazaqstan 2026 Forum Cements Kazakhstan's Role as Central Eurasia's Tech Hub

The international Digital Qazaqstan 2026 forum concluded in Shymkent, marking a pivotal moment for the nation's technological ambitions. The event, themed 'Industry 5.0: The Power of Interaction,' gathered 6,000 participants, including government officials, business leaders, international corporations, investors, and tech experts.

The forum showcased Kazakhstan's growing tech ecosystem with presentations from 40 IT companies and 36 startups. A keynote address by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov outlined the country's strategic shift towards an AI-driven economic model focused on growth, efficiency, and technological sovereignty. He highlighted the established legislative framework, the Presidential Council on AI development, and the deployment of supercomputer clusters Alem.Cloud and AL Farabium.

Participation by heads of government from EAEU countries underscored Kazakhstan's rising profile as a central digital hub for the region. The business program featured over 150 speakers across 54 sessions covering AI development, digital transformation of industries, and startup ecosystems.

A major highlight was the launch of Decentrathon 5.0, the country's largest multi-location hackathon involving over 3,000 developers from 20 cities. Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev stated that the event signifies a transition from conceptual discussions to large-scale technology implementation.

The forum also hosted the finals of the national startup battle Digital Qazaqstan Battle. Gro.now emerged as the winner from among 20 regional finalists, securing a share of a prize pool totaling 19 million tenge.

Eleven memorandums and agreements were signed to foster technology development and public-private cooperation. The Digital Qazaqstan Awards recognized leading projects in AI and digital technologies across categories like government services and social impact.

Further cementing its role in building regional talent, the forum hosted the Central Asia Programming Championship 2026 and the Digital Qazaqstan FIRST robotics championship for STEM education.