Top 10 Women in Tech Groups and Resources in Kazakhstan in 2026

Table of Contents

• The Unseen Infrastructure of Women in Tech
• TechnoWomen Kazakhstan
• Women in Tech Kazakhstan Chapter
• Astana Hub Women-Led Initiatives
• National Educational Programs
• She's Next by Visa & Halyk Bank
• University Clubs for Women in Tech
• Women in BIM Kazakhstan
• BeWoman Asia Forum
• AqylTech and Regional Hub Meetups
• U.S. Exchange Programs for Tech Women
• Mapping Your Path in Tech
• Frequently Asked Questions

TechnoWomen Kazakhstan

Acting as a primary national conduit, TechnoWomen Kazakhstan functions as the central pipeline connecting grassroots talent with institutional support and investment. This non-profit collaborates closely with state bodies like the National Commission on Women's Affairs to execute large-scale, high-impact programs.

Their flagship IT-Aiel initiative, designed for women 25+, is a targeted filtration system providing essential digital and freelancing skills. The 2024 iteration demonstrated massive demand, processing 2,634 applicants, which included over 900 unemployed women and more than 400 mothers on maternity leave.

Beyond skills, TechnoWomen acts as a critical pressure valve for funding. Events like HerVenture 2026, held in partnership with the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), are engineered to bridge the stubborn gap between female founders and institutional investors. As Aziza Shuzheeva of TechnoWomen states, this work is an economic imperative: "Women in tech are crucial for economic growth," while acknowledging that "access to venture capital remains a hurdle."

For any woman in Kazakhstan seeking a structured path into tech or entrepreneurship, engaging with TechnoWomen's national programs is accessing a key pipeline. The concrete value is clear: digital literacy training, direct pathways to freelance income, venture capital networking, and policy advocacy that shapes the entire ecosystem.

Women in Tech Kazakhstan Chapter

Launched as the 60th global chapter in late 2024, Women in Tech Kazakhstan operates as a critical control room, integrating local talent into a worldwide network of over 6,000 participants. This connection provides immense visibility and sets international standards for mentorship and advocacy within the Kazakhstani ecosystem.

Their work focuses on building essential support networks and increasing visibility for women in the field. As Chapter Lead Assem Bolatzhan emphasizes, the goal is "building support networks, increasing visibility, and integrating local talent into the global community." A key initiative is the "AI for Her" program, which has reached over 4,000 women nationwide to directly tackle gender bias in one of tech's most influential and fast-growing fields.

The chapter elevates the regional profile of Kazakhstani women by hosting prestigious events like the Women in Tech CCA (Central Asia and the Caucasus) Awards in Almaty. It also leads crucial discussions on the national stage, such as the "Breaking Barriers in AI" session at the major Digital Almaty forum.

For professionals seeking a global platform, joining this chapter is accessing a powerful international conduit. Membership offers global mentorship, opportunities for international award nominations, and leadership training that connects Almaty and Nur-Sultan directly with tech hubs from Berlin to Singapore.

Astana Hub Women-Led Initiatives

Astana Hub is more than a tech park; it is the nation's primary acceleration pipeline, offering a comprehensive suite of pressure valves and filtration systems specifically for women-led startups. Its targeted initiatives leverage the hub's significant structural advantages, including the powerful 0% tax regime on VAT, corporate income, and personal income tax for registered residents.

Programs like IT Queen, a competition for women developing modern tech solutions, and dedicated demo days provide unmatched launch platforms. The data proves the efficacy of this environment: the number of women-led resident companies grew 1.6-fold to 301 in just two years, creating a dense cluster of role models and collaborators.

Success stories nurtured here are tangible. Startups like AIDENTIS in healthcare and CheckDoc in legal tech have matured within this ecosystem, securing investment and international recognition. Others, like the deep-tech computer vision startup ZebraEye, showcase how this specialized support brings complex AI solutions to market.

For any female founder in Kazakhstan, engaging with Astana Hub's women-led initiatives means plugging into the central national system for pre-seed funding, vital tax breaks, and direct introductions to major corporate partners like Kaspi.kz. The path involves applying for residency, pitching at IT Queen, or participating in dedicated networking events that transform potential into scalable business.

National Educational Programs

These state-driven programs are the high-volume filtration systems of the ecosystem, processing thousands of applicants annually to build Kazakhstan's foundational tech talent pool. They represent a direct public investment in skills that lead to employment.

The Tech Girls program, launched in partnership with the National Commission, is a free two-month STEM initiative explicitly designed to overcome geographic barriers, aiming to train 3,000 women across all regions. Meanwhile, the larger Tech Orda program, administered by the Ministry of Digital Development, provides government grants for citizens to attend private IT schools.

The impact of Tech Orda is particularly significant for gender diversity in the workforce. In 2024, 40% of the 6,000+ grant recipients were women, a deliberate channeling of resources into female upskilling. As detailed by Astana Hub, the employment outcome is powerful: 88% of Tech Orda graduates secure jobs, often at top local employers like Halyk Bank, Kazakhtelecom, and EPAM.

For women across Kazakhstan, particularly in regions outside the major hubs, these programs are a direct pipeline to high-demand careers. They offer fully-funded education in fields like data science and cybersecurity, coupled with a proven track record of placement into roles with salaries often starting from 350,000 KZT/month, fundamentally altering local economic opportunities.

She's Next by Visa & Halyk Bank

While many programs address skills development, She's Next tackles the critical bottleneck of early-stage capital, functioning as a specialized financial pressure valve for women-led SMEs and tech startups. This strategic partnership between Visa and Halyk Bank provides essential debt financing and grants that bridge the precarious "valley of death" between a promising idea and a revenue-generating business.

In 2024, this initiative demonstrated its capacity by providing 42 women with approximately 800 million tenge (KZT) in preferential financing. This access to capital is crucial for product development, initial hiring, and achieving milestones that attract further investment from accelerators like Astana Hub.

The program, as reported by The Astana Times, often extends beyond funding to include business coaching and networking, connecting recipients with Halyk Bank's vast corporate network. This addresses the funding hurdle noted by ecosystem experts, providing a tangible solution where traditional venture capital may be hesitant.

For female founders with a solid business plan and early traction, applying through She's Next competitive rounds is a direct path to the financial resources needed for scale. The concrete value is clear: preferential loans and grants in the tens of millions of KZT range, coupled with mentorship from financial experts, providing both the capital and the credibility to propel a startup forward.

University Clubs for Women in Tech

Pipeline construction starts early. University-based groups like the codeW competition and club at Nazarbayev University and Women in STEM (WISS) chapters at institutions like KBTU function as essential incubation conduits, building confidence and professional networks before students enter the job market.

These clubs create low-pressure environments for skill development. The annual codeW competition, for instance, is open to all skill levels, providing crucial practice and recognition. They address the critical transition from academia to industry by providing peer support, faculty mentorship, and direct links to company recruiters from major local employers.

Their role is vital in countering a persistent pipeline leak. While women form roughly 50% of the university student body in Kazakhstan, they remain significantly underrepresented in engineering and digital sciences. These clubs are a primary filtration system to help close that gap.

For students, joining these chapters means accessing peer-to-peer mentorship, technical workshops, and recruitment events. Alumni often become top candidates for programs like Tech Orda and graduate into roles at companies like Kaspi.kz, forming the next generation of visible role models within the national tech infrastructure.

Women in BIM Kazakhstan

For women targeting niche, high-value sectors within tech, specialized networks become invaluable. Women in BIM Kazakhstan is the local chapter of an international organization focused on Building Information Modeling (BIM), a digital process central to modern construction, infrastructure, and smart city development.

This group acts as a dedicated industry node, connecting architects, engineers, and construction professionals who work with these advanced digital tools. In a field where women are traditionally a minority, it provides crucial role models, technical knowledge-sharing, and a support network specific to the complexities of Kazakhstan's own infrastructure boom, including major projects in Nur-Sultan and around the future EXPO-2027 site.

Participation offers direct insight into how global digital construction standards are applied locally with leading Kazakhstani developers like BI Group and Bazis-A. The expertise gained here commands a premium in the job market, with salaries for experienced BIM specialists often exceeding 600,000 KZT.

For professionals in or entering the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) space, joining this network means accessing industry-specific training, networking within a high-demand niche, and positioning oneself as an essential expert in the digital transformation of Kazakhstan's built environment.

BeWoman Asia Forum

Based in Almaty, the BeWoman Asia Forum has grown into a major regional platform, acting as a high-capacity pressure valve for leadership dialogue and cross-border connection. It gathers thousands of women from across Central Asia and beyond for large-scale discussions focused on turning dialogue into actionable strategy and partnership.

For Kazakhstani women in tech, this forum provides a unique stage to engage with female leaders from corporations, governments, and NGOs on a regional scale. It offers crucial context beyond the national market, fostering a pan-Central Asian perspective essential for scaling ventures. This is where discussions about expanding a startup from Almaty to markets in Tbilisi or Baku gain traction.

The forum's stated mission is to turn "meaningful dialogue into global action," creating an environment where strategic alliances are formed. As covered by CNN, it elevates local leaders onto a regional platform, amplifying their visibility and influence.

Attending the annual flagship forum or participating in associated panels allows tech founders and executives to form cross-border partnerships, attract regional investment, and scale their operational vision. The concrete value lies in high-level networking, exposure to regional policy leaders, and a sophisticated understanding of the adjacent markets that define Central Asia's digital future.

AqylTech and Regional Hub Meetups

A key challenge in Kazakhstan's tech ecosystem is the concentration of opportunity in Nur-Sultan and Almaty. Programs like AqylTech and regular meetups at regional IT hubs serve as essential decentralization channels, ensuring talent from Shymkent to Ust-Kamenogorsk has a pathway into the national network.

Launched in 2025, AqylTech specifically targets youth and self-employed women in rural and regional areas with online digital skills training, functioning as a long-distance filtration system. Simultaneously, grassroots community is fostered through events like the "Women in Tech" meetups in Taraz and other cities, organized by local tech hubs.

These initiatives are critical for building a truly national talent pool and addressing the underrepresentation that sees women comprising only about 30% of the national IT workforce. They reduce the capital-centric gap by providing localized support and connection without the immediate need for relocation.

For women outside the major hubs, getting involved means following regional IT hubs on social media for event announcements and applying for nationwide online programs. The value is clear: accessible training, local peer networks, and a direct link to the country's growing tech economy, empowering contributions to local economies and diversifying the innovation landscape from the ground up.

U.S. Exchange Programs for Tech Women

For high-potential women ready for a transformative experience, the U.S. Department of State's TechWomen and TechGirls exchange programs offer unparalleled international immersion circuits. These highly competitive initiatives place Kazakhstani talent within leading U.S. tech companies and academic institutions for intensive, project-based mentorship.

TechWomen is a professional mentorship for emerging leaders in STEM, providing a fully-funded multi-week program that includes collaboration with a U.S. host company. Similarly, TechGirls offers a summer-intensive for young women aged 15-17, building foundational skills and networks.

These programs are among the most selective filters in the global support infrastructure, requiring proven achievement and strong English proficiency. Their value lies in providing life-changing access to Silicon Valley and other major U.S. tech hubs, along with lifelong membership in an elite international alumnae network.

For those aiming for leadership in multinational firms or globally competitive startups, these exchanges are powerful accelerators. Kazakhstani alumnae often return to secure senior positions or launch ambitious ventures, acting as critical nodes that connect Kazakhstan's local ecosystem directly to global innovation trends and standards.

Mapping Your Path in Tech

The infrastructure is now fully operational. Across Kazakhstan, the conduits for skills, filters for talent, pressure valves for funding, and control rooms for coordination are actively channeling growth. Your strategy is no longer about finding a single door but learning to map your location, stage, and ambition onto this integrated system.

For building foundational technical skills, affordable and flexible training pipelines like Nucamp's AI and coding bootcamps serve as critical entry points. With programs like the 25-week Solo AI Tech Entrepreneur bootcamp (approximately KZT 1.83 million) or the 15-week AI Essentials for Work, these platforms provide structured, community-based learning accessible from any region, complementing state programs like Tech Orda.

Engage strategically: filter through Tech Orda for funded education, seek acceleration at Astana Hub to leverage its 0% tax regime, build a global profile via Women in Tech Kazakhstan, and tap capital through She's Next. This mapped approach transforms individual potential into employable skill, whether targeting roles at major employers like Kaspi.kz or launching a venture within a supportive IT park.

The system is engineered for flow. By plugging into the right components of this support infrastructure, you contribute to directing the collective talent and innovation that will define Kazakhstan's digital future.

Frequently Asked Questions