For Immediate Release
Press Release
June 2, 2023, Almaty, Kazakhstan – Today, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with MOST Holding and the Singapore investment platform Investbanq (Paladigm Capital) hosted the Central Eurasian Venture Forum (CEVF) in Almaty. CEVF is a large-scale learning and networking event for investors and other participants in the region’s startup ecosystem.
The theme of this year’s Forum was "Human Capital in the Age of Artificial Intelligence", in recognition of the critical role of a talented workforce even in a technology-driven age. Despite significant advances in the field of automation and robotics, replacing some organizational functions, human resources remain indispensable for achieving high levels of productivity and successful competition. This philosophy reflects the startup culture actively emerging in Central Eurasia, which places a significant emphasis on talent as well as technology.
As noted by Pavel Koktyshev, organizer and managing partner of MOST Holding, “2023 has been a revolutionary year for the development of artificial intelligence. New technologies have already changed our reality, but the changes will not stop there. That is why the venture market gives every investor the opportunity to become a part of the future, as well as a chance to implement amazing ideas and projects developed by talented minds and startups from the Eurasian region with the ability to scale them to other large developed markets.”
Welcoming the participants of the forum, the USAID Central Asia Regional Economic Development Office Director, Ms. Laura Cizmo noted, “USAID’s ongoing support to the startup ecosystem in Central Asia has successfully fostered a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, leading to a wealth of knowledge and expertise within each country of the region. The Central Eurasian Venture Forum serves as a crucial dialogue platform supporting that ecosystem, facilitating the exchange of best practices and investment from business angels and venture funds. Through this platform, aspiring business leaders will acquire the essential skills and networks necessary to attract substantial international investment and nurture local talent, ensuring sustainable economic development and prosperity for years to come”.
The Forum brought together business angels, venture funds and investors, technology startups and corporations, as well as all those interested in the region’s venture capital ecosystem.
The event also included a special exhibition platform for startups and the countries of Central Eurasia. Each start-up team demonstrated their use of advanced technologies within their respective projects.
This forum builds on the successes of the Central Eurasian Venture Forum in 2022 held in Almaty, which brought together 800 participants, becoming the largest event in the Central Asian technology ecosystem. According to participating startups, teams raised $5 million worth of investments through new connections with investors. Investors in turn found creative startups and expanded their networks of institutional players.
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USAID is the world's premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. For more information, visit the USAID Central Asia website: https://www.usaid.gov/central-asia-regional and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/USAIDCentralAsia. To learn more about the U.S. Mission’s work in Kazakhstan, visit: https://kz.usembassy.gov/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usembassy.nursultan.