Astana Hub international technopark of IT startups and California-based Draper University signed an agreement on March 10 to allow 20 promising startups from the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) to participate in the Hero Training acceleration program in Silicon Valley, reported the press service of the Kazakh Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry.

The five-week pre-accelerator program will help participants scale their projects to the global market, including the United States.

Astana Hub CEO Magzhan Madiyev and Draper University President Asra Nadeem signed the agreement during the visit of Kazakh Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Mussin to the U.S.

Mussin said Kazakhstan intends to provide its startups with access to the best global practices, citing Draper University in Silicon Valley as a catalyst for success for many young IT companies due to its unique combination of resources, capital, and international experts that allows startups to grow rapidly.

“I am confident that our cooperation will allow the participants to take their businesses to a new level and succeed in the competitive world of entrepreneurship on a global scale,” said Mussin.

The program is divided into two stages. Top 80 proposals will first be granted access to a two-week online program on product development, scaling and the fundamentals of garnering investments from international venture funds.

The top 20 projects will then be chosen for a five-week intensive accelerator program based at Draper University in Silicon Valley. This includes up to six months of accommodation and workspace to attract investment and enter the American market under the guidance of experienced technology entrepreneurs and Draper ecosystem experts.

Draper Ecosystem is a one-of-a-kind method to connect talent, experts, and investors by providing cutting-edge facilitators and an unparalleled network of mentors, industry experts, corporate partners, and investors to support the innovation ecosystem. Tim Draper, the founder of Draper University, has 38 years of venture capital expertise, 11 funds under management, $7 billion in invested funds, 34 unicorn companies, and six rhino companies.

astanatimes.com