Draper Founders Challenge

by Draper University & Astana HubAI & Digital Bridge

Astana Hub, in partnership with Draper University, is launching the Draper Founders Challenge - a pitch competition for promising technology startups from Kazakhstan.

Ten selected teams will have the opportunity to present their solutions to Chris Joannou, VP Venture Ecosystem at Draper University, managing director of Astana Hub, Tanat Uskembayev and CEO Astana Hub Ventures, Aidana Bergazdenova.
Three winners, one representative from each winning team will receive accommodation in California at the Draper University campus in San Mateo. The stay will provide an opportunity to immerse themselves in the Silicon Valley environment and international startup community.
Astana Hub will provide access to the Hero Training 2027 acceleration program.

Eligibility Criteria:

The Draper Founders Challenge is open to technology startups from Kazakhstan that are developing their own product or solution and are ready to scale further.

Startup name: *

Industry / sector: *

Multiple choice — select one primary industry

Traction and market validation: *

Please describe your startup’s traction and evidence of market demand. This may include users, customers, revenue, pilot projects, pre-orders, letters of intent (LOIs), partnerships, or other validation.

Startup stage: *

Multiple choice — select one

MVP developed

Scale

Growth Expansion

Brief product description: *

Please briefly describe your product or solution and the problem it solves.

Target customers / users: *

Who is your target audience, and which market do you serve?

Website, product, or demo link: *

The link must be publicly accessible.

Pitch deck link: *

The link must be publicly accessible.

Founder / team lead full name: *

Founder / team lead age: *

Applicants must be 18 years old or above.

Contact details: *

Please provide an email address and telegram:

Phone number:

Company registration details: *

Please indicate the city, registration date, and BIN/Tax ID, if applicable.

English pitch readiness: *

We confirm that our team is ready to pitch in English: 3 minutes for the pitch and 2 minutes for Q&A.

Personal-data consent: *

I consent to the processing of my personal data and the use of submitted application materials for application review, selection, and program-related communications.