Nazarbayev University hosted the Kazakhstan regional stage of Startup World Cup 2026 (SWC), one of the world’s largest startup competitions for technology companies. Following a series of high-energy pitch sessions featuring some of the strongest teams from across the country, the jury selected the startup that will travel to San Francisco to represent Kazakhstan and compete for the grand prize of US$1 million.
The winner of the SWC Kazakhstan 2026 regional final was Mirai Tech, a SportTech startup.
Bringing Startup World Cup to Kazakhstan for the first time is a major achievement for our ecosystem. It is one of the world’s leading startup competitions, and today Kazakhstani teams have the opportunity to present their technologies directly to the global venture capital community and demonstrate that they can compete at this level.
Our partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures makes this access a reality — from direct dialogue with international investors here in Kazakhstan to the opportunity to take the stage at the global final in San Francisco.
It is also important that all of this is happening at Nazarbayev University, one of the region’s leading research and innovation universities, where strong research provides a foundation for new technologies and companies. For NU Impact Foundation, this is what impact means: ideas created within the university ecosystem reaching the market, attracting capital, scaling, and creating real economic and social value, said Sayat Nyussupov, Chairman of the Management Board of NU Impact Foundation.
Within the Nazarbayev University ecosystem, Sustainable Innovation and Technology Foundation creates new opportunities for outstanding founders of Kazakhstani startups. The annual Startup World Cup organized by venture capital firm Pegasus Tech Ventures is not simply a competition for a global title among participants from dozens of countries. It provides direct access to leading venture capital funds, developed industries and markets, new knowledge, and partnerships.
We are proud of the level demonstrated by the finalists in Kazakhstan and wish the winner success at the global final in San Francisco, USA, this November. Together, we will build on the success of our seventeen startups that have made their way to Silicon Valley and joined the StartX community at Stanford University, the #1 growth accelerator in Silicon Valley, said Askar Aryngazin, Chief Executive Officer of SITF.
Mirai Tech has already successfully entered the US and European markets. We are delighted to have made it to the final, which will take place in San Francisco, and proud to represent our technology at such a major global event, said Gulnur Kalimuldina, founder of Mirai Tech and winner of SWC Kazakhstan.
Event highlights and key figures
Scale: The regional final featured 10 of the best technology startups from across Kazakhstan, selected from 140+ applications.
Venue: The event brought together more than 300 guests, including investors, representatives of venture capital funds, business angels, members of the IT community, and NU alumni and students.
Grand prize: The winner secured a place in the Startup World Cup global final in the United States, with the opportunity to compete for US$1 million in investment. The winner also received a special prize from event partner JAS Ventures, a US$20,000 travel grant to cover the costs of attending the global final.
All Startup World Cup Kazakhstan finalists received tickets to attend the global Startup World Cup event in San Francisco. While they will not compete in the pitching competition, they will have access to a networking event with leading US venture capital funds and major corporations, providing an opportunity to showcase their startups and attract potential investors and partners.